Often confused with luminaria, these are small lanterns used to decorate houses and walkways at Christmas in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Farolitas were originally Chinese-paper lanterns but evolved into paper sacks lined with wax with gravel or sand in the bottom into which a votive candle was stuck. Imitation farolitas are now plastic containers holding an electric bulb. In an example of reverse cultural imperialism this custom has now been adopted in Spain itself. .
The largest display of these lights occurs every Christmas in Farmington, New Mexico where students of San Juan College set out 45,000 home-made candles in paper bags across the campus, along rooftops, sidewalks and parking lots.
In Canada and other chilly countries the candles are often inserted into blocks of ice.
