'Sno Way, José

White Christmas or warm Christmas? Whatever your preference, you can find it in New Mexico this holiday season.

Do you like the look of snowcapped mountains as you stroll down Main Street, with its garlands and lights, or do you want to propel your body down a ski slope? Or would you rather escape the white stuff alogether and spend the holidays in your hiking boots or golf shoes? These four towns offer just the variety you're looking for. By Diana Del Mauro

Seated near the U.S.-Mexico border, you can count on Mesilla to give you a warm welcome. Photo by Ken Stinnett

¡Feliz Navidad!

Mesilla

Population: 2,195
Average December temps:
high 58°, low 27°

Holiday spectacle: This tiny town on the outskirts of Las Cruces ignites on Christmas Eve, when 6,000 paper bags, each containing a candle, are fired up at dusk. (In this part of the state, they’re called luminarias; up north, farolitos.) The Mission-style Plaza is packed with carolers strolling against the backdrop of the Romanesque bell towers of the second oldest church in southern New Mexico, the newly deemed Basilica of San Albino.

Talk of the town: With all the pecan groves around, you can count on a tasty pecan pie here—and save room in your suitcase for candies and goodies from Stahmanns Pecans. Riddled with fascinating stories of Old Mexico, Billy the Kid’s trial, and mishaps of westward expansion, Mesilla will transport you to another world. And consider this: The warm winter days allow you to explore desolate areas that are too harsh to appreciate in the summer. Hike at Organ Mountains Recreation Area, or go sledding at nearby White Sands National Monument, a wondrous blanket of snowy-looking dunes that look like immense snowdrifts—without the chill.

Lodging: This border town relies on Las Cruces for lodging.
For info: www.oldmesilla.org

Packed with winter sports, Angel Fire is a snow-lover's paradise. Photo Courtesy of Angel Fire Resort/Jack Affleck 2007

Winter Wonderland

The Village of Angel Fire

Population: 1,118
Average December temps: high 39°, low 10°

Holiday Spectacle: On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, expert skiers and snowboarders from Angel Fire Resort put on a daring parade, weaving down the mountain, a flaming torch in each hand. When they reach the bottom, they squelch the torches in the snow as fireworks explode overhead.

Talk of the town: One of New Mexico’s younger towns, 20-year-old Angel Fire isn’t steeped in history or decked out in Pueblo Revival architecture. At 8,382 feet, it’s a modern mountain town catering to families who love the outdoors. If you want to wander through art galleries and museums, go to Taos. But if you’d rather take sleigh rides or go snowmobiling in the Carson National Forest, or ski or snowboard down the Sangre de Cristo Mountains that Paul Simon sang about in “Hearts and Bones,” or ice-fish on Eagle Nest Lake, then Angel Fire is the perfect destination for you.

Lodging: If you want to catch the Chile Express chairlift first thing in the morning stay at Angel Fire Resort Hotel, which also offers condominiums and vacation homes. Otherwise, in town, Elkhorn Lodge is a new option with the façade of an old Western hotel—it’s clean, simple, and just a half-mile from the slopes. Not to be overlooked: Some of the best getaways are rental properties, such as Angel Fire Rock House.

For info: Winter accommodations book up quickly, so contact Discover Angel Fire soon, at (800) 323-5793 or www.discoverangelfire.com, for lodging and lift tickets.

Silver City is known for its Victorian holiday vibe. Photo by Julien McRoberts www.julienmcroberts.com

Here We Come A-Wassailing

Silver City

Population: 9,977
Average December temps: high 52°, low 26°

Holiday Spectacle: Time turns back on December 18, at the Victorian Christmas Evening. Downtown, the Silver City Museum displays 19th-century clothing, toys, and household items, while guests dress in period costumes. Flaming plum pudding, wassail, folk songs, and Old St. Nick make for a festive night that Charles Dickens could toast, and locals revel in memories of Silver City’s golden days in the late 1800s, when silver was discovered here. Suggested donation: $3.

Talk of the town: With 180 historic buildings, dressed-up windows, and old-fashioned street lamps, Silver City has no trouble conjuring up Victorian charm for the holidays. But it’s also central to a hotbed of outdoor adventure, where you can strip down to a T-shirt while hiking the lower elevations of the nearby Gila National Forest, the City of Rocks State Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, and Rock Hound State Park.

Lodging: Casitas de Gila Guesthouses provide a cozy adobe experience in the wilderness a half-hour (30 miles) from town, or you can retreat under ponderosa pines at Bear Creek Motel and Cabins in nearby Pinos Altos. If you prefer to stay with the Victorian theme, try the Inn on Broadway, a downtown bed and breakfast built in 1883, each room now refurbished and including a big, luxurious bathtub.

For info: www.silvercity.org

High altitude and low latitude mean that in Ruidoso, you can ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. Photo by David Shultz

Over the River and
Through the Woods

Ruidoso

Population: 8,899
Average December temps: high 50°, low 22°

Holiday Spectacle: From Thanksgiving to mid-February, the Festival of Lights brightens this rustic alpine town. For a
1920s-style outing in woodsy Upper Canyon, wrap up in a blanket aboard a sleigh with jingle bells, drawn by Belgian horses. Then, watch the lights waltz on the river. $20 adults, $12 children;
contact D Lazy 2 at (505) 257-7836.

Talk of the town: Situated 71 miles west of Roswell, in the middle of the Lincoln National Forest and with a river running through it, Ruidoso is a mountain town surrounded by pines and aspens. The mild, sunny climate means unusual possibilities for December—such as skiing in the morning and playing a round of golf in the afternoon. Plan to finish your holiday shopping here, where you can round up everything from elk-horn chandeliers to Billy the Kid memorabilia, then catch a honky-tonk Christmas show at Mountain Annie’s Dinner Theater, or Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker at the Spencer Theater for the Performing Arts, in nearby Alto.

Lodging: Posh, oh-so-pampering contemporary casitas with Jacuzzi tubs and access to a private golf course—that’s what the new Escape Resort at Ruidoso has to offer. Or, for more simple pleasures, choose a cabin with a fireplace at Hidden Canyon. If you want a hotel in the middle of the action, head for the Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino, which showcases the sense of art and beauty of the Mescalero Apache tribe.

For info: www.ruidoso.net

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