Well, the xmas season is winding down, and life is beginning to take on a slant towards the normal. If only there was some sort of normalcy to life. Yes, looking for the normal.
As many on you are already aware (since the majority of people reading this are already deeply familiar with the traditions of New Mexico, and specifically Los Alamos, I don't need to get too crazy in talking about the farolitos.* Want I do want to talk about is Los Pueblos...a long street in Los Alamos that is famous for it's Christmas Night Farolito displays. It is a time for the neighborhood to come together and show their spirit in the implementation of New Mexico X-mas traditions. Not this year. 
This year Los Pueblos looked to be a neighbor hood trying to shed their identity as "Spirited." Bah to you Los Pueblos! I do have to admit, there were still a few houses that attempted to keep up the spirit by putting out more than the minimum number (enough so that no one runs into your car, or parks in you driveway) by decorating walls and even their eves (for example, the people living in the Beckman's old place, their neighbors across the street, and the LaDelphs on the corner all combined to make that one small section of Navajo quality). I don't know what it is. Have they taken the Bush / Associated Press fear mongering to heart and worry that the terrorists will follow the infidel Christian lights, and use them for a series of suicide bombings? Have the people of Los Pueblos gotten enough Jesus in the last few years that they don't need anymore, and, therefore, the Farolitos are no longer necessary? Did they wait to long to buy the paper bags, and find that Smith's was sold out? (By the way, Ed's Food Market still had lots of paper bags on Christmas Eve afternoon!) Or, People of Los Pueblos (PLP), have you folded under the pressure of North Mesa Farolito Association (NMFA)? That's right, the community of Camino Redondo on North Mesa has slowly been increasing their efforts to be the "Farolito Kings" of Los Alamos - and with what I saw from the PLP, NMFA is certainly about to take the crown. OK, PLP, you guys need to pull it together, get you sand piled high, get the long burning candles, and an extra supply of bags (and get them early!) or admit that you are simply too tired and lazy to care about our New Mexico traditions. Next year, either get it together, or turn on the street lights and let us drive around with our headlights on.
For our part, we got out there and put out the farolitos (all this and more can be seen in the blockbuster film "Luminarios vs. Farolitos," exclusively here at Fuego's Place!), did a bunch of extras, decorated the Hotelsmobile, and beyond. We were very happy with our effort, until we saw the results. Were the rest of Barranca Mesa had the streetlights turned out, ours was burning brightly, it seems to luminescence with extra lux, knowing that it had the sole responsibility to light the entire mesa; or in jealousy of the beautiful, and gentle light of the Farolito enshrined Hotelsmobile. No matter the reason, our little bags of light were almost invisible. Plus, the neighbor had all 30 of his minivans parked on the street, completely obscuring our efforts from the main road. I suppose we will have to better next year, and, in Prague, it should be easy to claim the crown as Farolito champions of the Czech Republic!
...fuego
* Please Note: there is a continuing debate regarding the use of the words "Luminario" and "Farolito." It seems the proper term for the candle in the sand filled bag is, indeed "Farolito;" While the word "Luminario" actually signifies a small fire. As Marianna pointed out, it is possible for a farolitos to become a luminario - if the paper bag somehow catches fire. We thought about being Fighters for the Luminario Liberation (FLL) and helping some of the farolitos make the transition to a bigger, and greater, calling. But, we didn't. We didn't feel like helping the lethargic PLP achieve any sort of greatness.
