MIS CRISMES
If you ask nearly anybody from rural northern New Mexico who was born around the 1950s or before, they will tell you about a unique Christmas tradition called Mis Crismes.
In short, on Christmas morning, children in the region would take bags like pillow cases or used flour sacks, and go door-to-door and scream out “Mis Crismes!”
Neighbors would hand out treats like oranges, candies and pencils, very much like trick-or-treating.
Mis Crismes, of course, is the Spanglish version of saying “My Christmas!”
I love hearing my mother share her childhood memories of Mis Crismes. She’d wake up early and in the cold on Christmas mornings, put socks on her hands because there were no gloves, and visit as many homes as possible for treats.
Back then, especially in the tiny villages that are nestled in the Sangre de Cristo mountains, poverty was pervasive. An orange or a candy was a big deal for children who didn’t grow up with grocery stores.
Sadly, this tradition is gone. I’m not aware of Mis Crismes still happening anywhere.
I recently did an online newspaper archive search on Mis Crismes and found a few articles from the 1980s and 90s referencing the tradition
From Levi Valdez in the Rio Grande Sun back in 1991:
“Sacks, usually those that had previously contained twenty-five or fifty pounds of flour, were readied on Christmas Eve. These were the type of sacks, sturdy ones, that would be needed. On Christmas Day we expected to collect many goodies..empanaditas, biscochitos, piñon, peanuts, apples and candy that would last well into the new year.”
Beloved Chicano author Rudolfo Anaya wrote this in the LA Times in 1981:
“Then we were off to homes of our neighbors running and shouting, “Mis Crismes! Mis Crismes!” Much as trick-or-treaters do today on Holloween, we received the traditional gifts of Christmas, returning home with our flour sacks bulging with candy, nuts and fruits.”
After talking with my mother, it seems she was among the last in my family to participate in Mis Crismes, which ended for her at age 10 in 1965. My aunt, who is nine years younger than my mother, doesn’t remember the tradition.
Based on what I’ve read, it appears Mis Crismes quickly faded away beginning in the early 1960s. I’m not sure exactly why, but I can theorize.
You’ve heard the saying “It takes a village…”
People in the remote regions of New Mexico long relied on each other for survival, and I suspect Mis Crismes was a way for villagers to share the burden of making children happy when gift giving was a struggle.
As economics of the times improved for some families in the 1950s and 60s, people could drive vehicles on new highways to the cities, putting grocery stores within immediate reach. Mis Crismes treats were no longer rarities. Fruits could be purchased anytime.
Of course I could be wrong and there may be some sort of academic paper I haven’t found yet that has a better answer.
This week I ordered more gifts on Amazon. I didn’t need to put socks on my hands or fish out a pillow sack when I clicked on my trackpad for a package that will be here at my door in less than 24 hours. The packages will be wrapped and placed under the tree.
Mis Crismes is now gone. For me, it represents a rural community kinship that I’ve never experienced, but have only heard about in family stories and in newspaper clippings.
What a gift it must have been.
JEREMY JOJOLA 
I’m from Saguache Colorado and am 74 years old and I remember as a child getting up early in the morning and going out for Mis Crismes. It was always cold and yes we would use socks for gloves. Wonderful memories. Thank you for you great article.
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Hi Jeremy,
My family comes from Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico. One of my cousins wrote a beautiful book that is in Sanish AND English. It would be a beautiful story to share
With your little one. My cousin wrote it from her childhood perspective and it really takes you you back as far your imagination will let you. It truly is a beautiful story that your entire family will love. So simple as the tines were, but they felt like they had it all.
https://glorialopezmora.com/book/
Feliz Navidad,
Monica Harmes
Pueblo, CO
monicaharmes@gmail.com
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My mother was born in Llano, NM, a little town just outside Penasco. I don’t remember her talking about this but I can imagine the children of those times doing this in Llano. Thank you for a wonderful story.
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I follow you as I grew up in Montezuma and the El Porvenir area near Las Vegas NM. I remember the children doing this but didn’t know it was called Mis Crismes. I am Kevin’s Aunt. My memoir is available on Amazon, paper, e-book and audio. Author: Judy Beil Vaughan Title: Strawberry Roan: Growing up in the Shadow of Hermit’s Peak. I am Kevin Vaughan’s Aunt by marriage and almost 80. Thanks for enriching my NM memories.
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Exactly as Mr. Levi describes, as a child my siblings and cousins went out on Christmas mornings in Weston Colorado. A beautiful memory.
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I am from Taos, New Mexico and I remember my cousins doing this on Christmas Morning.
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Fond memories of this beautiful tradition with my primos in Chimayo, NM. ❤️
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I am 72 years old from Pueblo, Colorado and I did this once as a child while visiting family in San Luis, Colorado. I went out with my younger relatives and I recall it was freezing cold on Christmas morning. But we had so much fun going from door to door carrying our sacks and collecting fruit, pinon nuts, biscochito cookies, empanaditas and other homemade treats. The people enjoyed giving out a few goodies and seeing the children enjoying the festivity. It’s an old memory that I now treasure. Thanks for reminding me about it!
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mis Christmas was a tradition here in Albuquerque as well. My dad would tell me stories of mis Christmas here in the north valley on Christmas Eve they would go from house to house and say mis Christmas and receive a shot, of course he’s was of age and us kids would get a treat such as a cookie or candy. This was a tradition that was carried on while I was growing up. To this day he still says it while visiting friends and family during Christmas time. I don’t think it’s completely dead.
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My cousins and I did this every Christmas morning in Los Lentes, NM (just north of Los Lunas and south of Isleta Pueblo).
We then typically went onto my grandfather’s (Tata) for the traditional matanza and feasted with the entire family.
Robert Piro y DeAnda
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this was the best mis Christmas story I heared
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