New Mexico
Santa Fe Holiday Traditions: Beyond the Ordinary
Program No. 6858RJ
Experience traditional foods, award-winning music, Native American ceremonies and festivals as you celebrate an extraordinary holiday season — New Mexico-style!
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At a Glance
Santa Fe is a magical place to celebrate the holiday season. Christmastime offers an opportunity for the varied cultures of northern New Mexico to celebrate with their own unique and time-honored traditions, from colorful Pueblo Indian dances and feast days to Hispanic customs such as the display of farolitos and burning of luminarias. Join us in the Land of Enchantment for the holiday and revel in the mosaic of exciting traditions that make this time of year so uniquely special in Santa Fe.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to three miles daily on varied terrain. Standing up to two hours outside in cold, possibly snowy weather; some stairs. Elevations of 7,000 feet.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Enjoy the Christmas holiday Santa Fe-style.
- Experience a range of celebrations and festivities typical for this time of year, drawn from the cultural traditions of the Spanish, North Africans, Mexicans and Native Americans.
- Explore the delicious variety of the Southwest’s famous cuisine in a cooking class led by acclaimed chefs and customized to reflect the current season.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Jerry Rightman
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Jerry Rightman
View biography
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.
Elena Junes
View biography
Elena Ortiz-Junes is a native New Mexican and member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. She has worked for many years as a study leader and group leader for numerous organizations and universities, providing a unique perspective on the region and its rich cultural tapestry. She is a writer and founding board member of Red Media, an indigenous owned and operated media project that highlights Native writers. Elena is also a board member of the University of New Mexico’s Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies.
Lois Ellen Frank
View biography
Lois Ellen Frank, PhD, is a Santa Fe-based chef focused on Native American foods. She is also a Native American food historian, culinary anthropologist, photographer and James Beard Award-winning author. She is a featured instructor of the Southwest Indian Nations at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and is chef and owner — along with Native Chef Walter Whitewater of the Diné Nation — of Red Mesa Cuisine.
Louie Hena
View biography
Louie Hena has been an activist in the field of revitalizing traditional Pueblo agriculture and protecting indigenous food and seed sovereignty. A member of the Tesuque and Zuni Pueblos in New Mexico, he is a renowned permaculture design consultant, Rio Grande and Rio Chama river guide, and an educator on traditional land management systems. He helped organize the Traditional Native American Farmer Association, the New Mexico Acequia Association and the Indigenous Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance.
Suggested Reading List
(17 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Santa Fe Holiday Traditions: Beyond the Ordinary
Program Number: 6858
Dark Beauty, Photographs of New Mexico
Southwest photographer Parsons presents the rugged landscapes and the people of New Mexico, exploring religious iconography, far-flung ranches, small towns and wide open spaces in this full-color coffee table book.
Ancient Peoples of the American Southwest
This illustrated introduction provides an in-depth look at the ancient cultures that first inhabited the pueblos and cliff dwellings of the American Southwest. Organized chronologically, it features hundreds of maps, mostly black-and-white photographs and site diagrams.
The Southwest Table, Traditional Cuisine from Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona
Expert on chili peppers and spicy foods, Dave DeWitt (aka "the Pope of Peppers") blends Southwestern culinary history with 130 authentic recipes and cooking techniques in this tantalizing collection of fiery, flavorful dishes from Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.
The Pueblo Revolt, The Secret Rebellion that Drove the Spaniards Out of the Southwest
A lively, passionate account of the violent 1680 Pueblo uprising against Spanish settlers.
Christmas in Old Santa Fe
Originally published in 1961, this charming book by the teacher and cultural historian from an old Santa Fe family includes many sketches.
Santa Fe Map
A plastic-coated, fold-up map of Santa Fe, including Taos and Albuquerque. Size: 18x27 inches.
Pueblo Nations: Eight Centuries of Pueblo Indian History
An expansive history of the Indian Pueblos of New Mexico from a Native American perspective. The book explores the origins of the tribe to its current struggles to maintain sovereignty, land and water rights.
Runner in the Sun
Nickles combined his anthropology background with all the suspense of a mystery to craft this novel about pre-Hispanic Indian life in the American Southwest.
New Mexico, A History
This cooperative effort between three native New Mexicans is the first complete history of New Mexico. It charts the state’s development from 16th-century Spanish colony to frontier province, from its 1912 American statehood to a hub of (often classified) scientific research. A vital source for anyone seeking to understand the complex history of the West.
Feast of Santa Fe, Cooking of the American Southwest
An easy-to-follow introduction to the cuisine of the Southwest written by a cooking school instructor.
Edge of Taos Desert, An Escape to Reality
First published in 1937, this story reveals the spiritual awakening the New York socialite experienced through Taos, the Pueblo Indians and Indian Tony Luhan, whom she later married.
Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations
Photographer Lois Ellen Frank spent four years documenting the culinary techniques used on reservations throughout the Southwest, compiling her discoveries into this handsome book, rich in photos and recipes.
The Art of New Mexico: How the West Is One
An illustrated compendium of New Mexico art from the 1880s to the present that considers historical and cultural significance with a wealth of information about the artists and their pieces. Written for a broad audience.
Indian Arts of the Southwest
Featuring color photographs of the basketry, pottery, weaving, jewelry, and carvings of 200 noted artists, this book is both a collector's guide and cultural history of the Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Pueblo peoples and other native peoples.
Santa Fe, History of an Ancient City
A revised edition of of this classic history of Santa Fe to the mid-nineteenth century, featuring essays by ten scholars and hundreds of archival photographs, drawings and maps.
Fodor's In Focus Santa Fe
A practical guide in the popular series, saturated with valuable information on accommodation, shopping, sights, and dining.
American Indian Myths and Legends
An illustrated collection of 180 traditoonal stories from all over North America.