The arrival of the Christmas season each year fills me with expectation of something out of the ordinary. I long for the Ghost of Christmas Present to sprinkle magic dust on our household as he did for Christmas Eve revelers in Dickens' famous work.
When autumn arrives, my husband, Wayne, and I start making plans for the Christmas holidays, trying to avoid having nothing better to do than sit around by ourselves, flipping through Netflix. Our first choice is always to celebrate with family members, but logistics are often complicated.
For several seasons now, we have traveled to Santa Fe, New Mexico, about six hours from our hometown of El Paso, Texas, and stayed at the luxurious La Fonda on the Plaza hotel. This year we decided to gamble on a new location—Taos, New Mexico.
Taos is a small town located in north-central New Mexico, about a seven hour drive from El Paso. (Readers from other parts of the country may be surprised that Texans think nothing of spending long hours on the road. We met a mother and daughter from San Antonio, Texas who told us they had traveled with their dogs for two long days to spend Christmas in Taos.)
And did we find magic in Taos? Indeed we did, in small but significant ways. Here are a few, in no particular order.
On a short drive to Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we were charmed by the many beautiful horses roaming contentedly, often in front of humble dwellings. The snow-capped Sangre de Cristo Mountains formed a backdrop to the peaceful scene.
Our perfect stay at Casa Benavides Historic Inn prompted my five star review on Trip Advisor. Located just a block off the central plaza, Casa Benavides spoils guests with personalized service, comfortable rooms, and a breakfast worth getting up for. On December 25th, we shared the breakfast room with a large family, all dressed in identical Christmas pajamas. The ultimate comfort, although I would never be that brave.
At about 3:00 p.m., it was time to eat again, with afternoon tea and homemade pastries produced by three staff bakers. On Christmas Day, tea was served in the decorated sitting room, where you could observe passers-by at the front window or chat with other guests. Staff members dressed up in holiday finery and joined us.
Casa Benavides makes liberal use of the distinctive shade of blue found in Santa Fe and Taos. I can't replicate the color at home, but I can recognize it immediately.
We admired the rounded corners of pueblo-style architecture that have an amazingly serene effect on the soul. No sharp angles, just a pleasing flow.
A special dinner at Doc Martin's Restaurant in the Taos Inn (THE place for live music) satisfied both my carnivore husband, who ordered a steak, and my vegetarian leanings, with a quinoa and fall vegetable dish. We shared a decadent dessert, something with strawberries and cream, as I recall.
Taos shops and cafes were open for business. We popped in a small bakery for coffee and pastry, served by the baker herself. Maybe because we showed interest in her baking she handed us a bag of free rolls as we went out the door. Also memorable was the proprietor of the only store open on the plaza on Christmas night. When we thanked him, he said he enjoyed being there because he didn't have friends or family to be with.
Of all of our experiences, my peak Taos experience was visiting San Francisco de Asís Mission Church as volunteers prepared the grounds for Christmas Eve.
Paper bags turned into farolitos (luminarias) appeared to have been hand decorated, perhaps by school children. Candles nestled in sand in each bag would be lighted on Christmas Eve.
From simple decorations on paper bags to intricate jewelry displayed in store windows, we admired the creativity on display. Taos has long been a mecca for famous artists and writers. I have heard said that the light in northern New Mexico has a special inspirational quality.
Taos may not a vacation spot for ticking off tourist experiences, although if a traveler was of a mind to, they could visit the Rio Grande Gorge, Kit Carson Museum, and Taos Pueblo Christmas celebrations. But on this Christmas holiday, Taos seduced me with bracing clear cold air, warm hospitality, and sunsets against the sky, a startling shade of dark blue.
