Eleven months out of the year, this is a non-issue. I feel like all month I hear an unending barrage of “oh but it’s really a secular holiday so it’s fine if you participate!” and “you’re really hurting my feelings/ruining Christmas for me if you don’t participate in my tree decorating party/secret santa/whatever! I DON’T WANT TO PARTICIPATE IN ANYTHING CHRISTMAS RELATED IT MAKES ME VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.If you’re not like that, then keep doing what you’re doing – you don’t need to justify it to us! During the 16th century, El Paso became an important stop for Spanish explorers on their way to New Mexico to find riches and convert the native population to Christianity.
Moderation Note: People I’d most like to hear from in comments: Fellow Jewish folks who can give the Letter Writer comfort, humor, and solidarity in coping strategies.
Housed in one of the oldest buildings in the villagea territorial style adobe residence dating to the 1850sthe center offers a series of informative displays on area history. El Paso lies at the far western tip of Trans-Pecos Texas, where the Rio Grande breaks through the rugged mountains to bring water to the harsh Chihuahuan Desert.
Though the surrounding landscape is dominated by desert scrub growth on the low hills and mountain sides, the river valley is a fertile alluvial plain supporting a variety of trees and plants.
This dramatic landscape is the stage for the story of the missions and settlements of the El Paso valley and its evolution into one of the most productive agricultural areas in the region during the Spanish reign.
In historical parlance, El Paso encompasses the area that includes the present-day cities of El Paso and Jurez and the small communities of Ysleta, Socorro and San Elizario.