Was cruising the net today and found this video. Since no one outside of New Mexico seems to have heard of this, thought I'd share with y'all:
once upon a happier time long ago I lived in New Mexico. Festival was a week you didn't want to miss. Big ol' party in Santa Fe, the highlight of which was the burning of Zozobra - Old Man Gloom. A pagan ceremony, modernized in the 20's by a local artist, that supposedly guaranteed the coming year would be happy - - -or at least not miserable.
I remember thinking the ceremony pretty funny - - Burning an effigy is one thing, but animating it and making it howl in pain while you do it. . .Now that's comedy.