{"id":1053,"date":"2009-12-25T14:11:15","date_gmt":"2009-12-25T22:11:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.keys-soap.com\/chill\/?p=1053"},"modified":"2015-06-29T13:26:16","modified_gmt":"2015-06-29T20:26:16","slug":"christmas-in-mesilla-there-is-something-different-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chilltravelers.com\/chill\/christmas-in-mesilla-there-is-something-different-here\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in Mesilla. There is Something Different Here!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Happy Holiday from Mesilla New Mexico<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"
View looking toward the Organ Mountains and Old Town Mesilla<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Wendy and I \u00a0are the least likely people to follow tradition.\u00a0 As close as we get is to be in Mesilla New Mexico for the Christmas Eve celebration.<\/p>\n

How to describe this place on Christmas Eve?<\/p>\n

Mesilla is probably what Santa Fe was like 100 years ago.\u00a0 At one end of the town square is the Catholic Church.\u00a0 The three other sides have very old adobe buildings that house shops and offices.\u00a0 There is a Nambe store on one corner across from the place where Billy the Kid was tried. Another corner has a fine dining restaurant and yet another corner has a shop that sell New Mexico artifacts and every junky tourist item you can imagine.\u00a0 Filtered in between are other shops and offices.\u00a0 At the center of the square is a bandstand gazebo looking thing and around it are sidewalks that converge to the center.\u00a0 The town is ringed with restaurants, businesses and homes.\u00a0 The people here are friendly, hard working and seemingly very happy.\u00a0 Not much of the outside world seeps in.<\/p>\n

Red Chile\u2019s hang everywhere in this town.\u00a0 Chile\u2019s are a staple of the diet and economy here.\u00a0 Green Chile stew, Chile Rellenos and Gordas are what you have to east.\u00a0 That Burrito smothered Christmas does not commemorate the time of year, but the fact that you want it covered in red and green chile sauce.\u00a0 And of course it is homemade every day.\u00a0 Certainly not from New York City!\u00a0 In this southeast corner of New Mexico, the term localvore has been a way of life for centuries.\u00a0 Sitting in one of the restaurants around town, you see business people, police, men and women in uniform and that geeky looking guy is probably a rocket scientist from White Sands or Alamogordo.\u00a0 Or maybe they are one of the 600 or so New Mexicans building the Spaceport just a few miles from here.<\/p>\n

Mesilla is a town that has many of its kids are fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan.\u00a0 Seems like a disproportionate number, but you soon realize that they were some of the first to enlist because they believe in what they are fighting for.\u00a0 I am certainly not one to second guess their intentions or beliefs.\u00a0 Fort Bliss is not too far from here just across the Texas border in El Paso.<\/p>\n

Some really good southwestern New Mexico restaurants are here or close.\u00a0 El Commodore, Andele and Chopes are well known for their down country cooking.\u00a0 You can read reviews that sound almost like religious experiences.<\/p>\n

Most Saturdays there is a trio of very old New Mexicans playing and singing in one corner of the town square.\u00a0 On occasion, a car show breaks out that does not rival any of the big weekly shows in Southern California, but I think they are just as proud.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Road to Stahmanns<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Down the road is Stahmann\u2019s.\u00a0 Once a cotton plantation, old man Stahmann realized that synthetic clothing was eating away at his business, so he started to plant some pecan trees back in the thirties.\u00a0 Miles of pecan trees line Highway 28 on the way to Stahmann’s Store. In the summer their branches spread out over the road in an arbor of green. In the winter they rest against the sky like soldiers in formation. In the fall their branches bend with the rich weight of nuts yet to be harvested and in the spring they are decorated with a filigree of green. The mature pecan trees at Stahmann Farms are always beautiful whatever the season. But seventy years ago when Mr. W.J. Stahmann and his son Deane purchased this stretch of countryside in the\u00a0Mesilla\u00a0Valley\u00a0thirty miles north of\u00a0El Paso, the area was little more than a barren wasteland of scrub, sand dunes and hidden potential.<\/p>\n

A buggy-maker by trade, W.J. Stahmann came to the\u00a0Mesilla\u00a0Valley\u00a0from\u00a0Wisconsin, on a barge traveling down the\u00a0Mississippi, keeping bees along the way. Settling first in\u00a0El Paso, W.J. Stahmann raised cotton and tomatoes, built a canning plant and opened four cotton gins in the\u00a0Mesilla\u00a0Valley. In 1926, W.J. purchased the first 2,900 acres of what was to become Stahmann Farms in\u00a0Southern New Mexico. He and his son Deane cleared the land with teams of mules and planted acres of cotton. The Stahmanns experimented with different types of cotton and Deane developed a number of new varieties that are still being grown around the world. Deane also set up research farms in\u00a0Jamaica\u00a0and\u00a0Mexico\u00a0in order to experiment with growing cotton year round and used Chinese geese to weed his cotton fields in\u00a0New Mexico.<\/p>\n

Seventy years later no one knows why Deane Stahmann decided to pull out his cotton plants and plant the first pecan trees in the valley. Some say it was his wife’s idea. Others say it was the economy or the development of synthetic fabrics. Whatever the reason, he planted over 4,000 acres of pecan trees in the early 1930’s on two separate plots of land, the 2,900 acre Santo Tomas Farm and the 1,100 Snow Farm. Soon the Stahmanns became the largest pecan producing family in the\u00a0United States. Years later, when Deane Jr. planted 2,000 acres of trees in\u00a0Australia, the Stahmanns became the largest pecan producers in the world<\/p>\n

Still, there is something about this places that is different that keep bringing us back at this time of year.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Office Hallway in Mesilla<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We have been a part of many Christmas Eve celebrations around the world and yet there is something special here.\u00a0 We have been to tree lightings in downtown Annapolis Maryland where the 1600\u2019s city comes alive with decorations, lights and music.\u00a0 We have been on San Diego bay for a parade of lights with hundreds of boats all decorated to celebrate the holiday.\u00a0 We have been on the street of Groningen in the north of the Netherlands to witness the quiet processions.\u00a0 We have seen the streets of London illuminated for the holidays and been at Rockefeller Center when the New York City official tree is lit.\u00a0 Many more wonderful places and many unique celebrations.\u00a0 Mesilla is different, unique and somehow outdoes all of the other grand celebrations we have experienced.<\/p>\n

This is not our first Christmas Eve in Mesilla.\u00a0 The experience has always been the same though.\u00a0 I can\u2019t honestly say it is better.\u00a0 It is certainly different.<\/p>\n

This year our friends, Tina and Dennis from Thousand Oaks California joined us for the evening.\u00a0 We all arrived in Las Cruces looking for a quiet Christmas.\u00a0 We are staying just outside Old Town Mesilla and walked to Mesilla town center.<\/p>\n

We turned out of our street and headed on highway 28 south.\u00a0 As we came upon the town line, both sides of the street were lighted with Luminaria.\u00a0 About one meter apart, we walked the half a mile toward town center.\u00a0 Every side street had Luminaria as far as the eye can see.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Nativity Scene in Mesilla Office<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These are not the plastic electric versions that you now see in Santa Fe, but the real deal.\u00a0 High school kids, parents and volunteers take paper lunch sacks and roll the top edge to stiffen the bag.\u00a0 Then they load sand into the bottom and place a votive candle in the bottom.\u00a0 They assemble, not just a few, but thousands of these paper lanterns.\u00a0 On December 23rd<\/sup>, other volunteers place the bags throughout the town and on every road coming into Mesilla.\u00a0 Every road from town border to town border has Luminaria one meter apart in perfect alignment.\u00a0 Some towns might worry about vandalism, but not this one.\u00a0 That just does not happen here.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Town Square Mesilla with Luminaria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As we walked into the town center, there was a service going on in the church.\u00a0 There were thousands of people assembled in the town square.\u00a0 Tourists, locals, citizens and visitors from Las Cruces and El Paso were there.\u00a0 Almost all there carried lit candles.\u00a0 There were the very old and the very young.\u00a0 A few in fine fur coats with Prada shoes and New York hair were there, but they did not act like they were special in any way.\u00a0 The dogs were out with their owners in tow.\u00a0 Horse drawn long wagons circled the town square giving Christmas rides.\u00a0 Cars entering the square dimmed their lights as if a form of respect.\u00a0 A bleacher at one end of the square looked upon the bandstand all illuminated in holiday lights.\u00a0 Some Christmas songs were being directed from the bandstand as those in the bleacher held lit candles and sang along.<\/p>\n

Almost all the businesses were closed.\u00a0 This was not about selling, but what an opportunity.\u00a0\u00a0 There are not this many people in old town Mesilla the entire rest of the year.\u00a0 This is a special night though and it is just not done that way here.\u00a0 That would be way too commercial.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Bandstand Looking Toward the Church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Many of the businesses opened up their building with holiday displays and scenes of this holiday.\u00a0 More and more Luminaria were at every turn.\u00a0 Hallways were decorated, side street illuminated and homes were decorated to match the realism.\u00a0 On occasion, we saw some really tacky displays, but they were so tacky that they seemed to fit.<\/p>\n

Then there was silence.\u00a0 A fireman lead a group of police, fire and military to honor one of their sons who was killed in Iraq by a sniper in late November.\u00a0 He described the \u201cMissing Man Table\u201d that had been erected in front of the bandstand honoring his loss.<\/p>\n

The fireman began:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAs you entered the area, you may have noticed a table at the front, raised to call your attention to its purpose — it is reserved to honor our missing loved one.<\/p>\n

Set for six, the empty places represent Americans missing from each of the five services<\/p>\n

Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard \u2013 and civilians.<\/p>\n

This Honors Ceremony symbolizes that they are with us, here in spirit.<\/p>\n

\"\"Some here were very young when they were sent into combat; however, all Americans should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation’s call and served\u00a0 the cause of freedom in a special way.<\/p>\n

I would like to ask you to stand, and remain standing for a moment of silent prayer, as the Honor Guard places the five service covers and a civilian cap on each empty plate.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The honor guard in <\/strong>silence and with dignified movement with quiet music as background moved into position around the table and simultaneously places the covers (hats) of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard, and a civilian hat, on the dinner plate at each table setting. The Honor Guard then departed<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The fireman said,<\/strong> I would like to explain the meaning of the items on this special table.<\/p>\n

\u2022The table is round — to show our everlasting concern for our missing men.<\/p>\n

\u2022The tablecloth is white — symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.<\/p>\n

\u2022The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and the loved ones and friends of these Americans who keep the faith, awaiting answers.<\/p>\n

\u2022The vase is tied with a red ribbon, symbol of our continued determination to account for our missing and this lost child of Mesilla.<\/p>\n

\"\"
A Silent Remembrence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2022A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those captured and missing in a foreign land.<\/p>\n

\u2022A pinch of salt symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers.<\/p>\n

\u2022The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.<\/p>\n

\u2022The glass is inverted — to symbolize their inability to share this evening’s celebration<\/p>\n

\u2022The chairs are empty — they are missing.<\/p>\n

Let us now take a moment of silence to remember him and all of the others whose names are etched into the plaque at the end of this town square.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some recognized what was going on.\u00a0 Others stood in front of the Christmas tree and had their pictures taken.\u00a0 Some kids screamed out in the joy of what they were seeing.\u00a0 Some wept openly.\u00a0 I listened intently to report this and gain another grain of information why this town is so special and why this annual celebration seems to top all from around the world that I have been a part of in my life.<\/p>\n

\"\"
La Posta in Old Town Mesilla<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The four of us walked around the square taking in all that we could see, hear and feel.\u00a0 We walked north from the eastern side of the town square toward an old mainstay restaurant called La Posta.\u00a0 We walked in for a bit of warmth and watched as people came and went for this Christmas Eve dinner.\u00a0 There were families with three or four generations waiting for tables.\u00a0 The place was decorated in accordance to the season and the same energy that was in the square was here as well.\u00a0 People just happy to be with friends and family.\u00a0 Patiently waiting, they shared stories of the last year and were obviously reuniting with this evening as the excuse to be together for this very special Mesilla holiday<\/p>\n

Tina and I took pictures and Dennis and Wendy took in what they could.\u00a0 Wendy with a candle in hand also made sure that the Luminaria\u2019s she saw that were out of place were rearranged in proper order.\u00a0 It seemed to me that it was her quiet way of being a part of this.\u00a0 A way of contributing!<\/p>\n

Ah Ha!\u00a0 Maybe that is it.\u00a0 It just may be that this town for one night a year attracts people who want to give and not receive.\u00a0 A collection of humans and animals that come to be a part of something and want nothing else but to contribute.\u00a0 A collective of positive energy and intension.\u00a0 Could it be so simple?\u00a0 Could it be so unique in our experiences?\u00a0 Maybe not, but I chose to believe that it is what makes this place so different on this day every year.\u00a0 It is my hallucination I guess.\u00a0 Or is it real.<\/p>\n

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or whatever your holiday greeting of choice from Mesilla New Mexico<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Happy Holiday from Mesilla New Mexico Wendy and I \u00a0are the least likely people to follow tradition.\u00a0 As close as we get is to be in Mesilla New Mexico for the Christmas Eve celebration. How to describe this place on Christmas Eve? 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Mesilla is probably what Santa Fe was like 100 years ago.\u00a0 At one end of the town square is the Catholic Church.\u00a0 The [--Read More]","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.chilltravelers.com\/chill\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/horizon_las_cruces.jpg","twitter_creator":"@chilltravelers","twitter_site":"@chilltravelers","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Bob Root","Est. reading time":"12 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.chilltravelers.com\/chill\/christmas-in-mesilla-there-is-something-different-here\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.chilltravelers.com\/chill\/christmas-in-mesilla-there-is-something-different-here\/"},"author":{"name":"Bob Root","@id":"https:\/\/www.chilltravelers.com\/chill\/#\/schema\/person\/0ce92e8fd25174493b1394623326eefa"},"headline":"Christmas in Mesilla. 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