Christmastime is Here: Celebrating the Holidays Scottsdale Style

I don’t know about you, but I look forward to the holiday season ALL year long! The lights, the music, time with family, streaming non-stop Christmas movies… I love it all! But, I’ve found that if I don’t have some sort of plan, the season is way more stressful than it needs to be. I want my holiday season to be fun, festive, and relaxed. By focusing on just a handful of quality events each year, we’ve been able to build lasting traditions that we all look forward to with anticipation.

1. The Nutcracker at Phoenix Symphony Hall. All of the ladies in our family go as a big group each year, and we LOVE it. Here’s my tip: pre-order your hot chocolate and treats before the show starts, so that you can skip the line at intermission! Bonus – the hot chocolate will be cool enough for your littles to drink by then too.

2. McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Holiday Light Show. We usually end up going to this more than once because it’s just so fun! If you have a membership to the park, you get to go to the first night launch party. It’s a fun event with the mayor, other local VIPs, live music, and more. The closer it gets to Christmas, the longer the lines get, so plan accordingly!

3. Christmas at the Princess. This fantastic event has grown each year, and it’s completely magical. Some of the highlights include: ice skating, Santa’s workshop, a train, games, S’moresland, and great food. Save money by checking Groupon for tickets! Making a staycation out of it is always fun too.

4. Las Noches de las Luminarias at Desert Botanical Garden. This is a beautiful event that will leave you breathless. It is especially fun to take family or friends visiting from out of state – the beauty of the desert often surprises tourists! Enjoy live music, tasty food, and dancing.

5. Neighborhood light displays. I can’t think of a more classic holiday tradition than cruising through neighborhoods and enjoying beautiful Christmas lights. There are many amazing ones all over the Valley, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention our absolute favorite: The Christmas House located at McDonald and Granite Reef. We used to live just down the street and would take walks down in the evening to enjoy the incredible light displays, music, and time with friends. We’ve even run into Santa there a few times!

However you spend your Christmas season over the next few weeks, I hope it’s a beautiful time with friends, family, and focused on the spirit of the holiday!