Governor and friends light up Christmas tree at the Roundhouse

December 02, 2024

Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham kicked off the state's holiday season Monday with the traditional lighting of a Christmas tree outside the Capitol.

In festively frigid evening air, a dozen Girl Scouts in glowing Christmas headbands handed out biscochitos and cider.

Troop leader Danielle Jimenez said while Santa and Mrs Claus were giving out candy canes, the scouts were looking for the governor.

"She comes out and says hi to all the Girl Scouts," she said. "Oh, they love it. That's their favorite part about it."

The Santa Fe Symphony's Youth Chorus sang in Santa hats and people took photos next to the fire truck Santa arrived in.

Building superintendent Raphael Baca looked on. He oversaw the decorating of the Christmas tree, one of a clump of spruce planted about a decade ago.

"That's the one that grew the largest," he said. "I think it likes being the lead tree."

His colleague Crystal Branch is now retired but said this tradition was going when she started here more than 30 years ago.

"There's always something that glitches," she said.

"I think there was one year, [Governor] Susanna Martinez's first year, she couldn't get the button right," said Baca.

In fairness it does sound confusing

"It was push down…no, it was pull up and she pushed down," he said. "It was like, what's going on with the button?"

Just then the current governor came down from her office, complete with little grandson, and accepted a biscochito from the Girl Scouts.

"We need that tree ready to go! Who's with me?" she asked them, to squeals of excitement.

Once at the podium, serenaded by the National Guard 44th Army Band, she praised the "great music".

"We have a beautiful Capitol building. We're surrounded by so many incredible New Mexicans."

Then, she needed a lot of help with the big red button.

"How can the most hands get on here?" she said as Girl Scouts jostled, illuminated headbands bobbing in the darkness. "Don't do it yet!"

Then, they pushed the button (just straight down). No glitches, the tree was alight all the way to the Zia on top.