Thursday, December 13, 2007

Deck the Library and Join in the Santa Fe Spirit

The Parks Department did their part to make the Library look festive; they put up evergreen garlands on the Main portal posts and on the Main Library sign. Special thanks to the crew! The entire City is looking festive.

Library staff enjoyed a Hanukah feast last week thanks to a staff member, and menorahs still grace the children’s rooms. Books on holiday festivities are still available. Why not start a tradition of reading a favorite story to your family this holiday season?

If you missed the lighting of the trees on the Plaza over Thanksgiving weekend, there are still many Holiday festivities to take part in. Friday night, December 14 the Palace of the Governors will host their Holiday Festivities, a gift to the City. The festivities start at 5:30 p.m. at the Palace on the Plaza.

Saturday is the first day of the Children of the Portal Artists show and exhibition at the Main Library. In its third year, the event hosts about 75 talented Native American children, age 6-17. The sale will be held from 10:00 a.m.-4:00p.m. on Saturday and 1:00-4:00 p.m. on Sunday. A special addition will be a hoop dance by 6 year old Mikayla Johnson, a Taos Pueblo Native American in the Library lobby at Noon.

And on Sunday, the Palace of the Governors hosts Las Posadas. As it gets dark, about 6 p.m., hundreds follow Joseph and Mary as they move around the Plaza and beg for someone to take them in, just as Joseph and Mary sought shelter in Bethlehem. Each year a different church provides the procession and the choir. Candles are provided for the walk. At each side of the Plaza, the Procession stops to sing and beg for a place to stay. As the Procession stops, the Devil curses and laughs at the poor procession in the cold. As the Procession reaches the final side of the Plaza, once again the Choir and followers beseech for Mary and Joseph to be taken in. As they face the doors of the Palace of the Governors, the doors are flung open and all surge forward in to the courtyard to share biscochitos and hot cider. Everyone is invited to join in this lovely start of the holidays.

And of course the Canyon Road Walk on Christmas Eve draws thousands of people. A special treat is the complimentary hot cider and posole at the Mission Café and Sweet Shop on East De Vargas, just east of the Mission Church—and music is played on their patio. Meet your friends there. And be sure to thank the servers—we are volunteers helping spread the holiday spirit.

No comments: