WISHING YOU A PEACEFUL HOLIDAY SEASON
AND A BRIGHT NEW YEAR.
- President Garnett Stokes & Jeff Younggren
Click the icons below to learn more about UNM traditions & New Mexico culture.
Every year in early December—at Hanging of the Greens—a handmade wreath is presented to UNM’s President and placed above the arched entrance of University House. As the oldest student-run tradition on campus, the original wreath and “greens” were once brought from the Sandia Mountains.
Every Lobo feels a sense of familiarity when they see a traditional luminaria, known by some as farolitos. These small brown paper bags filled with sand and a candle illuminate New Mexico homes and businesses during the holiday season. At UNM, 13,000 luminarias are displayed during Hanging of the Greens.
After caroling across campus at Hanging of the Greens, Lobos and community members enjoy hot chocolate, posole and biscochitos around this Lobo statue at Hodgin Hall—the oldest building on campus and home of UNM’s Alumni Association.
One of the most beautiful sights a Lobo can see is UNM’s campus blanketed in snow! Albuquerque receives a yearly average of 10 inches of snow—while New Mexico’s ski areas may report over 120 inches per year.
Few foods are more New Mexican than biscochitos, a crisp butter cookie, flavored with sugar, cinnamon and anise. These treats are synonymous with winter holidays in New Mexico, and are even the official state cookie!