Luminaria

A Christmas tradition in Albuquerque is luminaria.
These are paper bags with candles in 'em, lining the sidewalk on Christmas eve.

This is our sixth (6th) Christmas in our house.

First Xmss we didn't know: our neighborhood is one on the "luminaria tour" - cars circling through the neighborhood to see the display.

We participated our second year, and the third.
Fourth year we spent Xmas at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, providing moral support to bro-in-law undergoing cancer surgery.
We did not do luminaria.

Last year, yes.

This year I'd called a contractor who advertised with signs in local park.
"Set up, take down, $12/dozen."
I called to schedule.

Xmas eve, 4:30 p.m., no sign of the guy.

Fortunately we had several boxes of luminarias from previous year, in the garage, and Melissa had bought candles.
It really isn't that hard to set up luminarias.
Lighting them, however, is a chore.

And then the luminaria elves arrived.
A young couple whom we'd never seen before appeared in front of our house to help light luminarias!
We didn't discourage them, but did assist.

The neighborhood looked great - house after house of luminarias ... and the park... it's a fairly stunning sight!

Thank you, luminaria elves!