A Taos Christmas, Winter in Taos what to do in Taos during the winter

Winter in Taos to many is known as ‘ski season’. A few years ago while attending a promotional event in Los Angeles people asked about Taos’ busy season, meaning Winter. Time and time again I found myself explaining to travel writers that Taos is actually an ‘art colony’, that busy season is actually July, August, September, and a bit of October. 

Winter Storm over Taos Mountain

There are four ski resorts within 30-50 minute drives from the Taos Historic District. This is quite a large tourism industry for Taos County during the winter months of December through March with a bit of April. Many visitors to the ski resorts rarely take time to visit the multitudes of shops and galleries located in the town of Taos. 

Two Graces Taos Truck

Through the years there’s been less and less interaction between businesses in the town of Taos and the 4 ski resorts. In the 80’s various Taos art galleries sponsored a shuttle bus to take ski patrons into town several times a week and drop them off at the galleries along Kit Carson Road. Once they’d arrived and gotten off the bus the thirsty and hungry skiers would rush off to local bars & restaurants rather than shop or look at art. Even with the new ownership of the Taos Ski Valley it’s still the same, winter in Taos means it’s a time when skiers ski. Yet if you are one of those rare people who can handle both, ski time and shopping time, welcome and thank you for taking a look at the unique and wonderful shops of Taos.

 

Taos Ski Valley 

Eighteen ways to tell it’s Winter in Taos

1.) People from Santa Fe ask, “Is that ‘Taos’ mud on your jeans?”

2.) Brown paper bags with candles or electric lights line the walkways and roof lines.

3.) How high your firewood is stacked becomes a sense of pride.

4.) Black Ice on Cantu Hill warnings become Facebook post norm.

5.) Taos Ski Valley becomes a ‘hot spot’.

6.) Suddenly everyone you meet has a part time job at the Ski Valley.

7.) Half the population hibernates, while the other half enjoys skiing.

8.) You attend at least one of four ceremonial events at Taos Pueblo.

9.) You check ski conditions even though you don’t ski.

10.) Your car is covered in snow instead of mud.

11.) Bald Eagles return to nest along the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

12.) Posole with Hatch Green Chile becomes the soup of choice on every menu.

13.) Snow on adobe rooflines brings you to tearful reminiscences. 

14.) A good book becomes invaluable.

15.) A cup of Hot Cocoa with a sprinkle of cinnamon and red chile is once again the best thing you ever drank.

16.) The aroma of Pinon wood, burning in fireplaces.

17.) Everyone agrees that their grandmother makes the best Biscochitos.

18.) Friends, Neighbors and Strangers are greeting each other with warm smiles and Holiday Cheer.

 Eagle in Flight photograph courtesy of Gak Stonn, Taos Print & Photography Services

“The winter evening came quickly all about us in the village street, even while the west held its color for a long time. Then there was a magical, hushed feeling in the air and people’s voices, out-of-doors, dropped to a lower key in unconscious reverence for nightfall.” ‘Edge of Taos Desert’ Mabel Dodge Luhan 1937

Winter in Taos photograph courtesy of Gak Stonn, Taos Print & Photography Services

What to Do in Taos for the Holidays 2019

33rd annual Yuletide Tree Lighting in Taos Plaza

Dec. 6, Friday 4-7PM

Taos Festival of Trees at El Monte Sagrado
Dec. 6, Friday 6:30-9:30PM

22nd Annual Millicent Rogers Museum Holiday Fiesta
Dec. 7, Saturday 11AM-3PM

Lighting of Ledoux
Dec. 7, Saturday 5-7PM

Annual Taos Inn Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec. 7, Saturday 6-7PM

Robert Mirabal Christmas Show at TCA
Dec. 13 & 14 7PM

Bonfires on Bent Street & John Dunn Shops
Dec. 14, Saturday 4-7PM

Las Posadas at San Francisco de Asis Church

Dec. 16-24 5PM

The Nutcracker at TCA
Dec. 20-22, 2PM & 7PM

Kit Carson Road Winter Solstice Holiday Farolito Walk
Dec. 21, Saturday 4-7

Taos Pueblo Procession of the Virgin & Bonfires
Dec. 24, Tuesday begins at 4PM, Vespers Mass 5PM

San Francisco de Asis Church Midnight Mass

Dec. 24, Tuesday 11:30PM

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church Midnight Mass

Dec. 24, Tuesday 12midnight

Taos Pueblo Matachina Dance 2019
Dec. 25, Wednesday begins at 11AM throughout the day

Town of Taos New Years Eve Celebration w Michael Hearne, Taos Plaza

Dec. 31, Tuesday 7:30-10PM

Taos Ski Valley New Years Eve Torchlight Parade

Dec. 31, Tuesday 5:30PM

Taos Pueblo Turtle Dance
Jan. 1, Wednesday begins at 9AM

Los Comanches Celebration of Las Mananitas

Jan. 1, Wednesday 9-12 Ranchos de Taos 

Taos Pueblo Deer Dance 2020

Jan. 6. Monday 1PM (usually more like 2:30-ish)

Church Steeples in Snow photograph courtesy of Gak Stonn, Taos Print & Photography Services

“Never shall I forget the Christmas dances at Taos. Twilight, snow, the darkness coming over the great wintry mountains and the lonely pueblo. Then suddenly, again, like dark calling to dark, the deep Indian cluster-singing around the drum, wild and awful suddenly rousing on the last dusk as the procession starts. And then the bonfires leaping suddenly in pure spurts of high flame, columns of sudden flame forming an alley for the procession.” ‘New Mexico’ D.H. Lawrence 1931

Helen Blumenschein etching of Taos Pueblo in Winter

Luminarias and farolitos are everywhere enhancing the glowing atmosphere of the Holidays in Taos this season. Luminaria refers to a bonfire, while the paper bags or plastic bags with electric lights are known as farolitos or ‘little lamps’. 

Rooftop view of Farolito installation

This Yuletide the Taos Main Street project has worked with over 50 merchants to install farolitos to rooflines of the various Taos Historic District businesses. 

Taos Main Street Board Members setting up Farolitos at Casa Benavides

Several historic areas in Taos have set aside weekend celebrations during the month of December. Each Saturday one after another section will provide unique shopping experiences for locals and visitors. The first of these is Lighting of Ledoux with an annual farolito walk, then Bent Street Bonfires and on the last Saturday before Christmas, the Winter Solstice Farolito Walk along Kit Carson Road takes place. 

Wreath with Kokopelli at Copper Moon Gallery on Kit Carson Road

In the snow-filled air of Taos, Church bells will be ringing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Wherever you are this winter, create magic and keep Taos in your heart. Have a blessed Holiday season.

Taos is all Heart, always

Kit Carson Road Annual Winter Solstice Holiday Celebration 

Visit these stores, museums, galleries and B&B’s for Holiday shopping.

Couse-Sharp Foundation,138 Kit Carson - Visitors can view the ‘construction site’ interior of the forthcoming Taos Society of Artists Lunder Research Center. Enjoy cookies & hot cider.

Casa Benavides B&B, 137 Kit Carson - Taos Roots (Taos Tree Project) offering T-shirts benefiting those in need and refreshments. 

Untitled Fine Art & Untitled Editions 125 - 133 Kit Carson - Refreshments & Music.

Bryans Gallery, 121 Kit Carson - Old Pawn & Contemporary Indian Jewelry and Art.

Parsons Gallery of the West, 122 Kit Carson - Traditional Taos Art.

Heritage Fine Arts, 122 Kit Carson - All Gallery Holiday Christmas Show.

Benedictine Monks of Taos 108 Kit Carson at Cabot Plaza - serving Benedictine Coffee and good Holiday Cheer.

The Ranch at Taos, 119A Kit Carson - An all artist show with Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. Discounts available all day on everything in the gallery.

Wilder Nightingale Fine Art, 119 Kit Carson - ‘Embracing Winter’ Exhibition of New Pastels by Kathleen Smith. Beverages & Refreshments sponsored by Coffee Apothecary.

Angie Coleman Studio, 117 Kit Carson - Visit with Angie serving refreshments in her studio.

Kit Carson Home & Museum, 113 Kit Carson - Serving hot chocolate around a bonfire in the courtyard, the gift shop will be open.

Dragonfly Blue, 109 Kit Carson - An evening of Ekphrasis. 

Greg Moon Fine Art, 109 Kit Carson - Don’t forget that art makes a great gift that gets passed down for generations, reward yourself with what you desire.

Taos Print and Photography Services, 107 Kit Carson - We will serve warm tea and cold cookies and cool cards and hot art.

Two Graces, 105 Barela Lane at Kit Carson - 20% off stocking stuffers & carefully curated inventory featuring a selection of Pozzi Franzetti rusted metal sculptures. Open the entire day.

Window Display at Parsons of the West gallery on Kit Carson Road

“May you find yourself in Taos, before the devil knows you’re there.” An old wise tail phrase about Taos from the early 1900’s.

The Sanchez Building at the corner of Barela Lane and Kit Carson Road, 

home to Two Graces, Copper Moon Gallery, and Gak Stonn Taos Print & Photography.

Please note photographs are by Robert Cafazzo of Two Graces, 105 Barela Lane unless otherwise stated as photographs by Gak Stonn.

I will be offering a Winter Solstice Petroglyph tour on Saturday morning December 21, 2019, check my Facebook status for upcoming details.

This article is courtesy of Robert Cafazzo who is solely responsible for content.

A Two Graces Christmas Carol or It's a Wonderful Life in Taos, updated for 2017

Photograph of the Deer sculpture that once stood at the Mabel Dodge Luhan House, it was stolen!

On Christmas Eve the family tradition was to go to my Grandmother’s house for dinner. A house full of family, cousins, aunts, uncles and everyone else that we would bring with us. Occasionally we went to a Chinese Restaurant with my dad's Boss, Alfred Marshall and the rest of the bigwigs of the original Marshall's Department Store. When I was around 11 or 12 years of age, we arrived home after Christmas eve, out at wherever it was, to find the door of our two-story Salt Box house wide open. Thieves had broken in and stolen Christmas, they stole the presents, they stole the kitchen appliances and the TV, (this was pre-VCR & DVD players). An empty home at Christmas, I don't remember anything other than absolute shock. Yes Cindy-Loo-Hoo, the Grinch who stole Christmas was very real and living in Beverly, MA. On this particular year, ‘The Grinch’ chose my family to loot and scoot it all out the front door. Somehow my Mom & Dad rallied and pulled off Christmas with presents, food and festivities. How they did it and what they did, isn’t what I remember, it’s that they provided us with Christmas no matter what the circumstances. This may have been the year we started going to the movies on Christmas day. Going off to the movie theater was not a great expense those days but a treat nonetheless. 
The horror of arriving home and finding everything stolen stays with you, even now, many years later.

The forest in snow with Aspen Trees

A lack of snow (and a lack of shoppers) in Taos makes it seem less like Christmas time. This year of 2017 thus far has been a slow season for businesses here. I ask people whether or not they have a Christmas Tree, and sadly many just don’t. In Taos with an inexpensive permit from the forest service you are allowed to go up to the forest all around us and cut your own tree down. As fresh as a cut tree can be and a memorable adventure every year. 
As I drove down the main boulevard of Taos the other day, shopowners were engaged in their outdoor Holiday decorating in front of their stores wearing shorts and t-shirts.

Out on a Winter trek north of Taos, NM

I don’t really need gifts at Christmas time, I have a tendency to buy what I want for myself. I don’t really think about Christmas gifts all that much, if and when I buy something with someone else in mind, I tend to give it to them when I see them, rather than hang on to it, hide it, and wrap it up for them as a “Christmas Gift”. Yet some of my favorite Christmas presents have been Christmas tree ornaments, they remind me of who gave them to us, or where and when we bought them for ourselves.

Another aspect of this year’s Christmas is that my wife and I have planned to visit our Moms at the same time a week before Christmas. She'll go to see her Mum just outside St. Louis and I'll visit my Mum north of Boston. We'll leave Taos at the same time for our destinations and arrive back at the same time. I've created a full schedule of visiting friends and family, along with days at museums, a bit of shopping and fabulous restaurants. I can't wait to see my nephew & niece, cousins and uncles to meet them and sit down for lunch or dinner. There'll be a chance to take my mom to the Peabody-Essex Museum to see the new exhibition there of Georgia O'Keeffe 'style, her wardrobe, paintings and photos of her will be on display. O'Keeffe was the first artist my mom taught us about and the PEM museum was where I played hide and seek on rainy days.
We've got a lot of catching up to do.

For the Holidays, my wife & I will be together and have a chance to share with each other our adventures visiting our families. We'd love to attend the local production of a Taos Nutcracker Ballet production (I did just purchase tickets for this earlier today) and have Christmas dinner at the new hotel in the Ski Valley, hopefully we will.

Sometime around early 1990, Holly & I began dating at Christmas-time. One mid-December day I was telling her that I planned to go and get a tree the following day at a tree farm. She told me that she and her roommates were having a tree trimming party at her place and that she’d love it if I could make it. It was to be a dinner party and they would be making home-made ornaments. That evening she went home to tell her friends that they were now having a tree trimming party and that she had invited me over to the apartment on this ruse. For my own deceit in this, I designed and practiced making an ornament so that when I arrived it would be a matter of effortless ornament making on my part. Until very recently I had no idea about this whole plot. Yet, that was the Best Christmas and nothing else can match that.

I’m asked what was the best Christmas dinner that I remember? 
My response is an array of fresh fish on Christmas eve at my Mom’s Aunt Phyllis’ house with her husband Uncle Vincent and lots of family I hadn't seen in years. This included baked stuffed lobster, fried smelts, fried calamari and of course all the cookies I could eat. This type of meal is a Sicilian/American tradition known as 'The Feast of the Seven Fishes' lots of fresh fish for Christmas eve. 
In reality the best Christmas dinner is not what there was to eat, it’s who was there and the memories of family and friends. 
To this day, floating around my head are some great memories.

Christmas tree lights in Taos

Lately, friends have come by with a present for Holly & I, or mailed us a card, which has really meant a lot to me, so thank you one and all. Maybe Christmas cards and gift giving is a way of saying thank you, I’ve been thinking of you, you mean a lot to me, let’s stay connected and stay in touch. So, Merry Christmas one and all…

This is an updated 2017 version of a 2010 post.
Thank you for reading.

Photo Credits: All Photographs are by Robert Cafazzo