Every year just before Christmas and just before the sun goes down and the big New Mexico skies go dark, the desert hills begin to glow with thousands of luminarias. It is a New Mexican tradition. For those of you who don't know what luminarias are, they are a brown paper bag with some sand in the bottom and a small candle.(I'll post a picture when they are lit). So San Jaun College put on a really big show every Christmas season (Like Temple Square only different). It takes a lot of work so the community gets together and helps out to make it all happen. Schools and clubs fold all 50,000 bags and each bag need to be filled with some dirt and needs a candle. I was able to help, along with some other institute students, direct some of the work. Elementary kids from ages 5 to 8 came by the bus loads and filled up thousands of bags in just a few hours. I was just there just to make sure the sand actually got in the bags and not in someone's eyes. It was fun and i am looking forward to seeing the Christmas lights this year.
Trevor
