If I were to name the most beautiful day I remember it would be Christmas Eve when I was in 10th grade. It snowed all day, but everyone still put up the luminarias. If you’re unfamiliar with luminarias they are paper bag lanterns. In Albuquerque on Christmas Eve, especially in the Old Town area where I grew up, everyone puts them up everywhere outside their homes. Thousands of people come to walk the streets of the neighborhood and Old Town plaza. People open their homes to anyone walking who is cold and offer cider and snacks. This Christmas Eve it snowed all day. I remember almost slipping off the roof while putting up the lanterns. My sister and I spent the latter part of the afternoon eating all the food at our neighbor’s house who threw the holiday parties with the best spread. They also gave me my first drink. I don’t remember what it was, but it was awful tasting. Later that night, before all the people in cars, buses, and on foot came through my girlfriend came over. It continued to snow and people began showing up at our house. My dad made Chile Con Queso and I ate too much. There is a street in my neighborhood called Laguna. It’s long and has a line of trees in the median. It’s normally beautiful, but with the paper lanterns and snow it was particularly romantic, especially for a 15 year old.
Trying to describe this is totally impossible.
