The Backstory: Every year, UNM hosts its own Hanging of the Greens, in which nothing green is hung however thousands of luminarias are lit all over campus. Luminarias are little paper bags with a candle inside, and when lit after dark they glow in a pleasant but slightly eerie fashion. This is my final winter in New Mexico- next summer after graduation I am moving to either Texas, Washington D.C., or New Jersey for graduate school, none of which do this sort of thing at Christmas.
For non-southwest-US people: About luminarias
And now for photos!
The UNM logo as it appears on the stamps, made out of luminarias instead.
A pretty star
Zimmerman plaza, where the customary humongous zia symbol is designed with luminarias every year. There's more in the background.
I'm not sure what this area is called but it also has luminarias everywhere.
What they look like on the inside.
I didn't get nearly as good photos as last year, because last year I went alone and could take my time. This year I was with a group, being social, as well as trying to navegate grassy hills with a bad ankle and undiagnosed vertigo problem (my next medical adventure- I either have a vestibular problem or a tumor (less likely)- the extensive balance test next week and the MRI in January will tell).
My other blog, madisonisconfused.blogspot.com, has photos from last year's luminaria event. Link to that year-old luminaria post. It makes Christmas eerily beautiful and not nearly as commercial as normal. :)
