Luminarias
So, back in October 2022, I found myself wandering around the Southwest – yeah, cowboy country, cactus everywhere, that whole vibe. And man, the thing that popped into my head? Those Christmas luminarias. You know, the little paper bags with candles inside? People there call ’em luminarias or sometimes farolitos (which, by the way, just means “little light” in Spanish, if you wanna get fancy about it).
Basically, folks fill up paper bags with a scoop of sand, plop a candle in there, and line ’em up along sidewalks, rooftops, wherever looks cool. It’s kinda wild how something so simple can look so magical. Apparently, it all started with folks lighting bonfires on street corners—like a DIY navigation system for Joseph and Mary, trying to snag a place to crash. And it’s not just for show. Some say they light the path to Midnight Mass, or help out the Christ child’s spirit… and, yeah, maybe help Santa find his way to your house. Because let’s be real, nobody wants to end up on the naughty list over poor lighting.
So, after poking around the internet for way too long, I finally landed on this pattern that just screamed “luminaria.” Printed it, grabbed my drill, and went to work on lamp numero uno. Except, here’s the kicker—I finished and then, bam, realized there’s absolutely no way to sneak a tea light into the bottom. Genius move, right?
Cue me tumbling down the rabbit hole of LED tutorials and random YouTube hacks, cursing under my breath. LEDs are trickier than they look, trust me. But hey, I finally cracked it.
Now, the routine’s shifted a bit (I’m not as clueless as before), but the vibe’s the same: I end up with these handmade, battery-powered LED luminarias. They’re cool for holidays, but honestly, I just keep them out all year—they look awesome and I’m too lazy to put them away.
Click the ‘More Lamps’ button to see some of the other patterns.