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New Mexico

Santa Fe Holiday Traditions: Beyond the Ordinary

Program No. 6858RJ
Experience traditional foods, award-winning music, Native American ceremonies and festivals as you celebrate an extraordinary holiday season — New Mexico-style!
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HolidaysNative American StudiesCity Discoveries
Length
7 days
Rating (4.9)
Activity Level
Starts at
2,899

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7 days
6 nights
14 meals
6B 4L 4D
1
Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Santa Fe
2
New Mexico History, Santa Fe Plaza, Performance, Canyon Road
Santa Fe
3
Pueblo Dances, Tesuque Pueblo Lunch, Dances at San Ildefonso
Santa Fe
4
El Santuario de Chimayó, Rancho de Chimayó, Turtle Dances
Santa Fe
5
Georgia O'Keeffe, Museum Hill, Free Time
Santa Fe
6
Cooking Class, Red Mesa Cuisine, Pecos Pueblo
Santa Fe
7
Program Concludes
Santa Fe
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At a Glance

Santa Fe is a magical place to celebrate the holiday season. Christmastime offers an opportunity for the varied cultures of northern New Mexico to celebrate with their own unique and time-honored traditions, from colorful Pueblo Indian dances and feast days to Hispanic customs such as the display of farolitos and burning of luminarias. Join us in the Land of Enchantment for the holiday and revel in the mosaic of exciting traditions that make this time of year so uniquely special in Santa Fe.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to three miles daily on varied terrain. Standing up to two hours outside in cold, possibly snowy weather; some stairs. Elevations of 7,000 feet.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Enjoy the Christmas holiday Santa Fe-style.
  • Experience a range of celebrations and festivities typical for this time of year, drawn from the cultural traditions of the Spanish, North Africans, Mexicans and Native Americans.
  • Explore the delicious variety of the Southwest’s famous cuisine in a cooking class led by acclaimed chefs and customized to reflect the current season.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Jerry Rightman
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Jerry Rightman
Jerry Rightman View biography
Who would have ever thought that a retired veterinarian would become a dedicated art lecturer? Jerry Rightman is just that person and is an active member in the art community of Santa Fe, applying his talents as a docent at the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. He has received rave reviews for the many years that he has been teaching for Road Scholar.
Profile Image of Elena Junes
Elena Junes View biography
Elena Ortiz-Junes is a native New Mexican and member of the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo. She has worked for many years as a study leader and group leader for numerous organizations and universities, providing a unique perspective on the region and its rich cultural tapestry. She is a writer and founding board member of Red Media, an indigenous owned and operated media project that highlights Native writers. Elena is also a board member of the University of New Mexico’s Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies.
Profile Image of Lois Frank
Lois Ellen Frank View biography
Lois Ellen Frank, PhD, is a Santa Fe-based chef focused on Native American foods. She is also a Native American food historian, culinary anthropologist, photographer and James Beard Award-winning author. She is a featured instructor of the Southwest Indian Nations at the Santa Fe School of Cooking, and is chef and owner — along with Native Chef Walter Whitewater of the Diné Nation — of Red Mesa Cuisine.
Profile Image of Louie Hena
Louie Hena View biography
Louie Hena has been an activist in the field of revitalizing traditional Pueblo agriculture and protecting indigenous food and seed sovereignty. A member of the Tesuque and Zuni Pueblos in New Mexico, he is a renowned permaculture design consultant, Rio Grande and Rio Chama river guide, and an educator on traditional land management systems. He helped organize the Traditional Native American Farmer Association, the New Mexico Acequia Association and the Indigenous Food and Seed Sovereignty Alliance.
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