Ever wonder why the holidays are called “the most wonderful time of the year”? Spend some time with us and you’ll discover the magic and enchantment of the season. From the soft, powdery snow that’s perfect for skiing and snowman-building to the fragrant scent of burning piñon logs and the anise-scented sweetness of biscochitos, holiday traditions run deep in Santa Fe County. The warm glow of farolitos (paper lanterns) and luminarias (small bonfires), a holiday train ride, a rollicking Christmas parade and a festive New Year celebration are just a few of our favorite things that make the holidays magical in Santa Fe County. Join us for the most wonderful time of this year. Feliz Navidad!
Holiday Happenings
Kick off the festive season with the annual Holiday Lighting on the Plaza, held the day after Thanksgiving. The Santa Fe Plaza is illuminated by more than 30,000 colorful lights wrapped around the trees and buildings. Caroling, entertainment, hot chocolate and cookies bring revelers together to celebrate the start of the Christmas season and welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrive in a vintage fire truck.
Friday, November 29, 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m
Ski the Rockies
Skiers and snowboarders take to Ski Santa Fe’s powdery terrain with glee, whether headed down beginner slopes, mogul runs, or gorgeous glades. With a 12,075-foot summit and a 1,725 vertical drop, Ski Santa Fe is a skier’s paradise, where 86 trails receive an annual average of 225 inches of snowfall, and the season lasts into early spring.
This year, Ski Santa Fe unveils the new Santa Fe Express High Speed Quad, which replaces the Super Chief Quad. Accessing the summit in the Santa Fe Express takes only four minutes so you can hit the slopes and fresh powder faster.
Ski Santa Fe is tentatively scheduled to open on Friday, November 28, if snow accumulation permits.
Timeless Traditions
The holidays in New Mexico are celebrated with feasts of delicious regional foods. Pork and red chile tamales are a popular Christmas fare, along with posole, which is also served at New Year family feasts. It wouldn’t be Christmas without biscochitos. This holiday classic is also the official state cookie, similar to a shortbread cookie and traditionally dusted with cinnamon sugar. You’ll be asking for seconds!
Farolitos, a longtime holiday tradition, glow softly from atop adobe walls and buildings on Christmas Eve. These small, illuminated paper lanterns are fashioned from votive candles placed inside paper bags and held in place by sand. Farolitos are often accompanied on Christmas Eve by luminarias, or bonfires, made from stacked piñon logs. Their fragrance fills the dark night, especially on Canyon Road during the Christmas Eve Farolito Walk, which takes place Tuesday, December 24, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Serene Holiday Stays
Along with stunning landscape, azure skies, and striking adobe architecture, Santa Fe County is home to some of the most unique hotels in the country. Forbes Magazine recently highlighted three of our top resorts, all enchanting places to stay during the holidays.
Luxury travelers know that the Four Seasons Rancho Encantado Santa Fe is a high-desert sanctuary, set in the undeniably romantic foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Relax with rejuvenating treatments featuring indigenous ingredients in the serene spa. Explore Native American cliff dwellings, and world-class art galleries with the Adventure Center. Savor Southwestern specialties at the renowned Terra restaurant.
Bishops Lodge, Auberge Resorts Collection-Santa Fe offers an upscale experience and adventure for everyone, from horseback rides and scenic hikes for parents to designing custom cowboy hats and learning wilderness skills for kids. Relax with signature treatments at Stream Dance Spa then watch the sun go down over a spectacular meal at SkyFire restaurant.
After a day of skiing, unwind in a hot tub high in the mountains at Ten Thousand Waves, inspired by the great Japanese mountain hot spring resorts. A soak and massage is followed by dinner at Izanami, the acclaimed Japanese gastropub-style restaurant. Then stroll to the resort’s Houses of the Moon for a serene night’s sleep.
forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/article/best-hotels-in-santa-fe
Enchanting Winter Marke
Shop gorgeous traditional and contemporary Native American jewelry, pottery, textiles and other one-of-kind art made by renowned Indigenous artists at the SWAIA (Southwestern Association for Indian Arts) Winter Indian Market. Learn about the process and the story behind the art as you visit with the artist who made it.
Saturday, November 30, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, December 1, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m
Santa Fe Community Convention Center
Celebrate New Mexico’s rich and vibrant Hispanic culture and artistry during Winter Spanish Market. Find treasured gifts made by regional artisans, including handcrafted saints (santos), weaving, woodcarving, ironwork, colcha embroidery, straw applique, pottery, tinwork and many other art forms.
Saturday, December 7, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, December 8, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Santa Fe Community Convention Center
Trading Post Treasures
Discover rare treasures for intrepid explorers at the Nambé Trading Post and Museum of Western Film and Costume. Located in Nambé on the High Road to Taos, this treasure trove brims with Navajo textiles, art, books, designer jewelry and more. It’s owned by Emmy award-winning costume designer Cathy Smith and her daughter, jewelry designer Jennifer Jesse Smith. Don’t miss the costumes and props on display from Smith’s career as an award-winning costume designer.
The Treasures of Chimayó
El Santuario de Chimayó is stunning any time of year, but during the holidays this striking 19th-century Spanish Colonial church, with thick adobe walls and twin bell towers, is aglow with hundreds of farolitos. A National Historic Landmark, the church is world-famous for its miraculous “holy dirt,” believed to hold healing powers. The dirt is kept inside in a small well and visitors are welcome to take some with them.
While in Chimayó, visit Ortega’s Weaving Shop, renowned for authentic New Mexico weavings for nine generations. Find one-of-a-kind vests and coats, rugs and blankets, pillows and purses, and other gorgeous items. Admire weavers at work on their intricate loom as they create colorful pieces.
Hot Chocolate for the Holidays
Hot chocolate is a wintertime treat but somehow, the sweet, frothy drink just tastes better during the holidays. This recipe spices up classic hot chocolate with cinnamon and nutmeg.
(Adapted from The Maverick Cookbook: Iconic Recipes and Tales From New Mexico, by Lynn Cline)
Serves 2
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons sugar
2 wedges Mexican-style chocolate, such as Ibarra, grated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of salt
2 cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Place the milk, heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in the chocolate until melted. Stir in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Serve in festive mugs with cinnamon sticks as stirrers.
Plan Ahead for 2025
Bring your appetite to Santa Fe Restaurant Week, 10 days of savoring delicious meals in restaurants throughout Santa Fe County. About two dozen participating restaurants offer lunch, dinner or both with prix fixe menus, inviting first-time diners to sample their fare.
Monday, February 17 (Presidents’ Day) through Wednesday, February 26.
Indigenous designers from across North America come together for the SWAIA Indigenous Fashion Show a vibrant four-day event that celebrates the innovations of Native fashion. The eye-catching creations often fuse ancestral traditions with contemporary flair. The annual event includes runway shows, pop-shops, parties, and a fashion symposium.
Early May at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center
An exciting weekend on wheels takes cyclists through spectacular scenery during the annual Santa Fe Century. Cyclists can choose from an array of distance options and a Gravel Ride with optional distances also takes place. This longstanding event draws cyclists from near and far and showcases Santa Fe County’s enthusiastic cycling community.
Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18