So I am starting my own game of Christmas CLUE with you today.
Clue #1: Today I am posting very difficult instructions (facetiously typed) for farolitos or luminaries to decorate your driveway or front step.
Clue #2: On Christmas, I will post about the New Mexico state cookie.
Intrigued?
Have any guesses as to why I am posting these? You will have to wait a bit longer to see if you are correct in your assumptions.
Farolitos on Canyon Road, Christmas Eve 2011.
Farolitos are simple to make and remind me so much of a very special Christmas in 2011.
I wanted to keep decorations simple and natural this year and cut all my own greenery this season from our thujas, weeping spruce, rogue cedar trees, and pines. (And, plenty of juniper boughs from the neighbor’s encroaching yard.)
Sorry about my giant bow. It drooped more than I anticipated.
I just felt like the front step screamed for something more. I immediately thought of some Santa Fe decorations: farolitos.
All you need is some sand, some brown paper lunch bags, and some battery operated tea lights.
- Fill the bottom of each bag with about 1-2 cups of sand.
- Place a battery operated tea light in the center and nestle it in place.
- Line your front step or driveway with these festive lights.
Of course, original and traditional farolitos use real candles, but due to fear of fires, I advocate the use of battery operated ones. (If using real votives, please be certain that you use enough sand to make sure the candle flame cannot touch the paper bag—even in a wind storm.)
If lining an entire drive way, you could use a string of electric bulbs, cutting a hole in the bottom of the sack and placing the bulb through the hole. You would need to secure the lights with duck tape or wire pins.
Farolitos are said to go back to Spanish colonial days in New Mexico and are used in elaborate displays to light the way of the Christ child or spirit of Christmas. They might have also been used to guide worshipers to Christmas Mass.
(For a quick and easy tutorial and how to, click here.)
Please stay tuned for more clues…
I am intrigued! By the way, Love the decorations on the front door.
Wait for the next clue, tina.
Sand, paper and tea light…I think I can manage them. Thanks for this lovely decoration idea.
Happy Holidays, Debra!
Angie
I know, right?
Your front door looks gorgeous, I like your simple but effective decor ideas!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Happy holidays, Uru.
So will you be in the NM on Christmas Eve for the many, many luminaria tours? 🙂 Will be heading out if weather permits. Your decorations are gorgeous! Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!
Well, you just never know where we will turn up! 🙂
The front door looks so pretty! Those bags are wonderful – I honestly didn’t know they were those battery operated tea lights, I thought they were real candles. My dad, who grew up in NM talked about decorating every year with those – even on the tree! I don’t know if I can figure out your clues……..cookies and bags of light, hmmmm…….. can’t wait to find out!
Of course the traditional ones do use real candles. I just didn’t want my front door ablaze.
I guess what I was trying to say and not doing a very good job is that yours look like the real thing – the battery operated ones work very well!
OK—now I see…LOL
What a great idea for Xmas. Duh I only think of these for Halloween. Your front door looks very festive.
I didn’t do any decorating this year. Not from bah humbug. I just had timing problems. So gifts, events, baking and Xmas cards took precedence.
I know, Carol. What I couldn’t cut out of the yard or make (some origami boxes and balls for the tree) didn’t get put up. But, I almost like the simpler better now.
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