Santa Fe Calls Them Farolitos, Not Luminarias. 8 Things to Know Before the Canyon Road Christmas Eve Walk

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On Christmas Eve, thousands of people walk Santa Fe’s Canyon Road past adobe walls lined with thousands of glowing paper-bag lanterns. In Santa Fe, those lanterns are called farolitos, not luminarias. The Canyon Road farolito walk is one of the city’s most beloved holiday traditions, and knowing the local vocabulary is only the start.

According to Visit Canyon Road, farolitos are little lights made from paper bags, sand, and tea candles. The word translates from Spanish as “little lantern,” and it is the preferred term in Santa Fe for the decorations called luminarias elsewhere in New Mexico and the Southwest. In Santa Fe, “luminarias” usually means something different: small bonfires of piñon logs that burn along the road during the walk.

Here are eight things to know before you join the crowd on Christmas Eve.

Planning for the Canyon Road farolito walk

Canyon Road is a narrow, winding street on Santa Fe’s east side, lined with art galleries, studios, shops, and restaurants in century-old adobe buildings. On Christmas Eve, the street is closed to cars, and residents and visitors stroll Canyon Road, Acequia Madre, and other east-side streets. The walk begins at sundown and continues into the evening.

1. In Santa Fe, farolitos are the paper-bag lanterns and luminarias are the bonfires

The difference in vocabulary is a real point of local identity. In Santa Fe and much of northern New Mexico, farolitos are the paper-bag lanterns, while luminarias are small bonfires. In Albuquerque and southern New Mexico, many people call the paper-bag lanterns luminarias.

Both traditions trace back to Spanish colonial practices of lighting fires to guide people to Christmas Eve Mass. Over time, paper bags became an inexpensive way to create small lights, and the tradition spread.

If you say “luminarias” in Santa Fe when you mean the lanterns, someone may gently correct you. Use “farolitos” for the bags and “luminarias” for the fires.

2. The walk starts at sundown

There is no official start time beyond sundown. Farolitos are lit as darkness falls, and the walk continues for several hours. Sunset in Santa Fe on Christmas Eve comes around 5 p.m. Mountain Time.

Arriving around sundown lets you see the farolitos lit against the last light of the sky, which is especially striking. Later in the evening, the crowd may thin a little, but the walk stays busy for hours.

3. Streets close to traffic

Many of the streets in the area are closed to vehicles and parking during the Christmas Eve walk, according to Visit Canyon Road. That keeps the road safe for the large crowds. Plan to arrive on foot, by shuttle, or by rideshare.

Do not try to drive onto Canyon Road on Christmas Eve. Closures typically extend to surrounding streets, and finding parking nearby is very difficult.

4. Parking and shuttles take planning

Parking near Canyon Road is limited even on normal days. On Christmas Eve, it is much harder. Options include:

• Parking downtown and walking about 15 to 20 minutes to Canyon Road.
• Using any city-run shuttle service offered for the event. Check the City of Santa Fe’s website for current information.
• Taking a taxi or rideshare and getting dropped off near a closure point.
• Staying at a hotel within walking distance.

Rideshare demand spikes on Christmas Eve, so expect waits and higher prices.

5. It is cold, often well below freezing

Santa Fe sits at about 7,000 feet, and Christmas Eve nights are often cold, sometimes in the teens or 20s Fahrenheit. Snow is possible. Walking slowly in a crowd for hours means you will feel the cold more than if you were moving quickly.

Dress in layers:

• A warm coat, hat, gloves, and scarf.
• Insulated, waterproof boots with good traction for icy patches.
• Warm socks and long underwear.
• Hand warmers.

The luminaria bonfires along the road help you warm up, and many people pause around them.

6. The crowds are big

Thousands of people attend the walk each year, and Canyon Road is narrow. Expect slow-moving crowds, especially in the early evening. Be patient and keep an eye on children.

If you prefer a calmer experience, explore side streets like Acequia Madre, where farolitos also line walls and paths. Many residents decorate their homes, and the side streets can feel more intimate.

7. Food and drink are part of the tradition

Visit Canyon Road says the walk includes the sweet taste of hot chocolate and warm biscochitos, New Mexico’s official state cookie, a shortbread-style cookie flavored with anise and cinnamon. Some galleries and businesses offer refreshments, and carolers and musicians perform along the way.

Restaurants on Canyon Road and nearby fill up on Christmas Eve, so book dinner reservations well in advance if you want to eat before or after the walk. Many Santa Fe restaurants offer special Christmas Eve menus.

8. Many businesses close, but some stay open

Many businesses on Canyon Road are closed on Christmas Eve, but others remain open for last-minute shoppers and offer a place to warm up, according to Visit Canyon Road. Galleries that stay open may serve hot drinks or cookies.

Do not count on finding restrooms easily. Use facilities before you start the walk.

How to make your own farolitos

Farolitos are easy to make and a popular holiday activity in New Mexico homes. The traditional method:

• Fold down the top of a small brown paper lunch bag to make a cuff.
• Pour a few inches of sand into the bottom of the bag.
• Set a votive or tea candle in the sand.
• Line the bags along paths, walls, or rooftops, and light the candles at dusk.

Many people now use electric farolitos for safety and convenience, especially on rooftops. Traditional candle farolitos should be watched and kept away from flammable materials.

Beyond Canyon Road

Santa Fe has more holiday traditions around Christmas Eve:

• The Plaza: Santa Fe’s historic plaza is decorated with lights and often hosts holiday events in December.
• Las Posadas: A traditional procession reenacting Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, held in Santa Fe in December. Check the schedule, as dates vary.
• Christmas Eve Mass: The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, just off the plaza, holds Christmas Eve services.
• Pueblo dances: Some nearby pueblos hold ceremonial dances on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Visitors should follow each pueblo’s rules, including bans on photography, and check whether events are open to the public.

Taking good photos of farolitos

Farolitos are beautiful in person but hard to photograph well. Low light, moving crowds, and cold all make it tricky. A few tips:

• Shoot around sundown, when there is still some blue in the sky behind the adobe walls.
• Brace your phone or camera against a wall or post to reduce blur.
• Use your phone’s night mode if it has one.
• Get low to the ground to capture lines of farolitos leading along a wall.
• Be respectful of homes and private courtyards, and do not block walkways.

Keep your phone in an inside pocket between shots so the cold does not drain the battery.

Visiting with kids or limited mobility

The walk is family-friendly, but a few adjustments help. Canyon Road has uneven sidewalks, narrow passages, and patches of ice, so a sturdy stroller or child carrier works better than a lightweight umbrella stroller. Small children get cold quickly, so plan shorter loops and warm-up breaks by the bonfires. Visitors with limited mobility may find the lower end of Canyon Road, closer to Paseo de Peralta, easier to reach and less steep than the upper stretches.

Where to stay

Hotels in Santa Fe fill quickly over the Christmas holiday. Staying within walking distance of Canyon Road or the plaza makes the walk easier and avoids the parking problem. Book as early as possible. Prices are often higher than during other parts of the winter.

If downtown hotels are full, consider lodging farther from the center and plan to use rideshares or shuttles on Christmas Eve.

A sample Christmas Eve plan

Here is how a good evening might look:

• Have an early dinner at a downtown restaurant you reserved weeks ahead.
• Walk from the plaza toward Canyon Road around 4:30 p.m.
• Arrive at the bottom of Canyon Road as the farolitos are being lit.
• Stroll up Canyon Road slowly, stopping at luminaria bonfires and open galleries.
• Detour along Acequia Madre for a quieter stretch.
• Walk back downtown and warm up with hot chocolate or a late drink.

Why the tradition matters

The farolito walk combines Santa Fe’s Spanish colonial heritage, its art community, and its sense of neighborhood. The light of thousands of small candles against adobe walls, the smell of piñon smoke, and the sound of carols in the cold air create an experience that feels deeply rooted in place.

It is also free and open to everyone. You do not need a ticket, a reservation, or a special pass. Just dress warmly, plan your route, and join the crowd.

The bottom line

In Santa Fe, farolitos are the paper-bag lanterns that line Canyon Road on Christmas Eve, while luminarias are the small piñon bonfires along the way. The walk starts at sundown, streets close to cars, parking is tough, temperatures can be well below freezing, crowds are large, and hot chocolate and biscochitos are part of the night. Plan around those eight things, and you will enjoy one of the most memorable holiday traditions in the West.