Celebrating Christmas All Year Long

There’s a ubiquitous question asked in restaurants all over New Mexico. In fact, it’s literally the official state question.

Red or green?

What do these two contrasting, Christmas-y colors have to do with restaurants?

Everything, my friend. Everything.

You see, here in New Mexico, we put red and green chile on everything. Red chile on eggs. Green chile on burgers. Red chile on enchiladas. Green chile on pizza. Red chile in the coffee. Green chile in the cookies. Go to any Mexican or New Mexican restaurant, and when you order you’ll invariably be asked: red or green?

Ah, but there’s a third option out there, one that combines the smokiness of the red chile with the cleaner heat of the green. Don’t want to choose between red or green? Get both! Just say, “Christmas.”

And that, my friend, is how we celebrate Christmas all year long in New Mexico.

Whether you have access to the best chile in the world from the state of New Mexico or you simply miss it, celebrate this classic New Mexican crop with these chile-stamped dangle earrings in sterling silver or copper. And celebrate Christmas all year long, holiday trees and lights and music not required (but would be fun anyway).