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Santa Claus, aka Patrick Moore, hugs a child while another looks on in awe during Holiday in New Mexico at UNMGallup Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

UNMGallup keeps Holiday in New Mexico tradition alive

Categories: Students   Faculty   Staff   Community  

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Branch campus shares luminarias, biscochitos and mariachi music with community

By Richard Reyes, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023

GALLUP, N.M. — UNMGallup continued its successful Holiday in New Mexico tradition with nearly 1,000 luminarias, more than 800 biscochitos, and a musical finale by mariachi entertainer Antonio Reyna on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023.

Families and children who visited the campus delighted in the festive decorations and the arrival of Santa Claus atop a Gallup Fire Department firetruck with a Campus Police escort. ���˾þ� mascot Lobo Louie was also thrilled to see Santa, giving him a big hug when he arrived.

Visitors also enjoyed the various activities organized by the branch campus’ departments and student clubs, including coloring, treats, ring toss games, chess, temporary tattoos, a North Pole Experience, and more.

“I loved the event,” UNMG Student Veterans Association Vice President Rhonda Herbert said. “My family enjoyed the booths, games, Santa, and the hot chocolate with biscochitos. They loved the whole experience, and I did too.”

“He was so happy with how they came out,” Herbert recalled. “I asked him, ‘Why three?’ He said, ‘Oh, well one for my mom in heaven, one for my foster mom, and the other is so they don’t forget me.’ He had the biggest and brightest smile and thanked us. He brought me tears. I had to take a break because I was once in that same situation.”

A campus community effort

SkillsUSA students handed out more than 800 biscochitos, which were made by BombDiggity’s. Earl’s Restaurant donated gallons of hot chocolate for visitors. And The Enchilada Lady made 80 bowls of posole for UNMG employees and volunteers who helped make Holiday in New Mexico possible.

Home Depot donated several light projectors and string lights along with two pre-lit Christmas trees to create a more festive atmosphere around the campus and inside the Calvin Hall Center Auditorium.

Jean Paul Van Derdys Vidal, a Spanish adjunct at UNMGallup, sang and played the guitar inside the Ingham Chapman Gallery, which featured the Fall 2023 Fine Arts Student Show. The exhibit showcased the promising work of UNMGallup art students, including Navajo-style rugs, drawings, paintings, sculptures and jewelry.

“All I have to say is that it was really fun seeing everyone get together as a community to not only help set up the event but also celebrate it,” UNMGallup student Nickolaus Brown said.

Hometown mariachi hero

The evening concluded with a performance by mariachi entertainer Antonio Reyna, who was born and raised in Gallup. The hometown hero sang a medley of mariachi songs inside the Calvin Hall Center Auditorium and stuck around afterward to meet with fans, take photos and sign autographs.

Prior to the show, Reyna also mingled with fans inside Gurley Hall.

“What an amazing time last night at UNMGallup's Holiday in New Mexico event,” Reyna stated via his Facebook page. “Met so many wonderful people, saw some old friends and had so much fun performing for you. Thank you for including me in your event.”

Ron Petranovich, manager of the Physical Plant at UNMG, was also a big fan of Reyna and his performance.

“It was very enjoyable,” Petranovich said. “We need to have more of these cultural events on campus.”

The show was also streamed live on the UNMGallup Facebook page. A recording of the performance can still be viewed there.

‘A lot of meaningful memories’

Both Griego and Petranovich reflected on the tradition of celebrating the holidays at UNMGallup and what it means for the community.

“I have been attending Holiday in NM for approximately 30 years (it used to be called Holiday Magic) and it is something that all of my children have performed at throughout the years,” Griego said. “It holds a lot of meaningful memories.”

UNMGallup has been celebrating the holidays for decades, but the event has gone through several iterations, including being known as Holiday Magic, Illumination Celebration, Holiday Lightfest, and Lights On. In 2013, the event was re-born as Holiday in New Mexico thanks to the work of the late Merilee Petranovich.

The following UNMGallup departments and clubs organized booths and participated in Holiday in New Mexico: Advisement, Accessibility Resource Center, Art Student Collective, Asian Culture Club, Bookstore, Business Operations, Chancellor’s and Dean’s Office, Division Chairs, Financial Aid, Fine Arts, Human Resources, Information Technology, Lobos Chess Club, Medical Laboratory Technology, Multimedia Club, SkillsUSA, Student Veterans Association, TRIO Student Support Services, TRIO Upward Bound, and Zollinger Library.