DIY Gingerbread House Christmas Advent Calendar

When it comes to creating handmade Christmas Advent calendars, one really is limited only by their imagination.  A quick search will bring up countless ideas if you want to create your own.  I've had a knick knack shelf in my craft stash for quite some time now and so decided to turn it into a gingerbread house Advent calendar.  Because the openings are only 2 inches by 2 inches, I was a little bit limited when it came to choosing what to fill it with, but sometimes the challenge is part of the fun.  Here's a picture of the finished product. 

For the main part of the house I used Folk Art paint in the color Coffee Bean, for the roof of the house I used Folk Art paint in the color Real Brown, and for the roof trim I used Folk Art paint in the color Linen.

This is the knick knack shelf I had in my craft stash.  It has twenty-four openings, so it would be perfect for this project. 

Here's a picture of the Advent calendar with the doors open.

As I mentioned above, I was a bit limited by the size of the openings when it came time to filling the calendar, but I was happy with what I came up with.  There are fourteen wrapped gifts in the calendar and are mostly beauty related.  They range from EOS lip balms to high end skin care samples from Benefit and Kate Sommerville to hair care samples such as macadamia oil to single eye shadows.  I also included three coffees in the flavors Donut Shop Blend, Pumpkin Spice, and Breakfast Blend as well as five teas in the flavors Chamomile herbal tea, Peppermint herbal tea, Chai Spice black tea, Lemon Ginger herbal tea, and Orange Spice black tea.  Finally, I inluded some Lindor chocolate, Hershey Kisses, and those yummy Peppermint Nougats by Brachs that come out around Christmas every year.

 

I put a different Christmas saying on the inside of every door.

I debated whether to include this picture because I don't think the photo does the colors justice as they look much nicer than they are actually appearing, but I decided to anyway so that I could better explain how I made the doors to the openings.  I checked a few craft stores because I had wanted to use 2 inch by 2 inch wood pieces to create the doors and I didn't have any in my stash.  I don't have the time these days to run all over town looking for them and I didn't want to cut twenty-four pieces out of a large piece of wood so, after checking a few stores I decided to consider another way of making them.  What I ended up doing was taking a smaller size wood piece, painting it (using Folk Art in the color Linen), and then attaching it to a piece of card stock.  It turned out to be a blessing in disguise because I really look the way they turned out.  I then printed out a gingerbread man template from the internet, numbered it, and pasted it onto the wood piece.  I found the small hinges at Home Depot.  Again, the colors really do look much nicer in person.

 

This is a closeup of the roof portion of the calendar and I just love the way it turned out.  I had the candy cane and snowflake ornaments in my stash and I included them just for fun and to add a little color.  I also had the snowflakes in my stash and they were included as a nod to my upbringing in North Dakota/Minnesota.

 

More snowflakes on the roof. 

So there you have it.  This is my first attempt at an Advent calendar.  It was a lot of fun to make and I'll likely try another one next year.  Below are some ideas for items to use when filling your own calendar.  The things I've included are for smaller advent calendars but, depending on the size of the openings (the bigger your openings the more flexibility you will have), the possibilities are endless.

 

For the coffee and/or tea drinker:

• Sample sizes and single use coffees and teas in assorted flavors.  I used both of these for the Advent calendar I just created.
• For a person who owns a Keurig machine, you could provide a different flavor K-cup for each day.
• Coffee beans in assorted flavors. 
• Candied sugar and crystal sugar sticks.
• I don't use flavored powdered creamers but they are probably available.  It might be fun to pair them up with different flavored coffees.  

For the crafter:

• Rubber stamps
• Ribbon
• Embossing powder
• Beads and crystal gems for jewelry making
• Small bunches of flowers and greenery
• Embellishments for mini scrapbooks
• Paint in small containers

Beauty items: 

• Deluxe samples from Sephora and high end samples from places like Benefit and Kate Sommerville
• EOS lip balms
• Small specialty soaps
• Mini bottles of nail polish
• Small pots of lip gloss
• Hair accessories
• Single eye shadows

 Food Items: 

• Different types of nuts such as cashews, pistachios, and walnuts wrapped in air tight packaging and tied with a ribbon
• Small packages of spices for someone who likes to cook a lot
• Raisins and dried fruits
• Different types of chocolates such as truffles, assorted chocolates, chocolate covered raisins, homemade fudge, Lindor chocolates
• Peanut brittle
• Almond bark
• Hot chocolate in assorted flavors

Candles and Home Fragrance

• Tealights in a variety of scents
• Small vials of scented oil
• Wax tarts in assorted scents.  For someone who typically uses wax tarts on a daily basis, you could include a different scent for each day of the calendar.  

Miscellaneous Items

• Poems and sayings
• Bible verses
• Scratch off lottery tickets
• New recipes to try
• Seeds for flowers and herbs
• Quotes from the Bible
• Jewelry

For Men:  (This is a little tougher, especially when you are limited to smaller items, so if you are making an Advent calendar for a man, I recommend making one with larger openings.  That said, here are some ideas for a smaller Advent calendar.)

• Fishing lures
• Single use coffees
• Mini candy bars and other sweets
• BBQ spice blends - you could include a number of different blends for different days
• Smoke chips for the BBQ - you could include just a few from a large bag to put in the calendar
• Gift certificates 
• Hair care, cologne, and aftershave samples

So there are some ideas for your own Advent calendar.  Use your imagination and have fun!!
 

 

 

 

    

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I heard a cute one this morning - "An Irishman is never drunk as long as he can hold onto a blade of grass to keep from falling off the Earth."  LOL!

Halloween 2013

I'm very late posting this but have been busy since Halloween.  Halloween in my neighborhood is so much fun.  By the time October 31st rolls around we're finally out of the triple digits so everyone sits outside in their driveways to hand out candy and enjoy the relatively cool weather.  Everyone is so busy these days so it's a nice chance to catch up with some of the neighbors I don't get a chance to talk to often.  This year, I had probably around 125 -150 trick or treaters in all.  I handed out all 80 of the goody bags I had made up and then there were plenty of kids who were either too old or too young to be "sorted" so I had plenty of candy on hand for them as well.  Below are some pictures of Halloween decorations in the neighborhood.  Some I took while taking a walk the night before and some I took on Halloween in between groups of kids and when I went for a walk around the neighborhood after things slowed down.  

This is actually a large bush on which they arranged lights to look like a huge pumpkin.

This is the same house.  This is a really weird dog house type of thing with a fence around it.

This is also the same house as the two pictures above.  They really have some different types of decorations in their yard.

I think this is one of the creepiest things I've ever seen in someone's yard.  Sometimes these "creepy" decorations come off as cheesy, but there's something about this that is just disturbing.  lol!  I was talking to my neighbor in whose yard it's in and I was telling him how disturbing I found it and he said it even creeped him out and he made it!

This is a view looking down the street.

These are the pumpkins I had on my porch this year.  The one on the left is a real one that I carved, and the one on the right is a ceramic pumpkin.

This is a picture of a wooden cross that's in the same neighbor's yard as that very disturbing decoration pictured above.  They also had a really rickety fence put up.

Also in the same yard as the creepy decoration.

Another shot of the creepiest decoration I've ever seen.

This guy goes overboard with the decorations every year and they usually have a haunted house as well but he didn't this year (something having to do with football).  You should see his house at Christmas!

Buh-bye triple digits!  People outside everywhere.

This thing startled the heck out of me.  I was standing in front of it not knowing that it is motion activated.  I suddenly felt (and heard!) a blast of air coming from that hole in its mouth.

This was really a bizarre decoration.  It's a huge crib with a bunch of really creepy looking babies hanging all over it.  

Hogwarts Halloween Goodie Bags

This year for Halloween I thought I'd put together a Hogwarts theme for the kiddos.  Over the course of about the past five years, I've made a number of Harry Potter related craft projects including a model of the castle that takes approximately 30-35 battery operated tealights to light up.  I've also made a Forbidden Forest, a little Hagrid's Hut, Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, a Portable Swamp, and a Monster Book of Monsters (which was really a lot of fun to make).  I also made a "mountain" out of boxes for the castle.  They took so long to make because I would pull them out when I had a little bit of time here and there.  The castle also ended up being a much bigger project than I originally thought.  I ran out of time this weekend, but if I get the chance, I'll take pictures of all these projects and post them.  

In the meantime, here are some pictures of the goodie bags I put together for the kids.  

   

This is a picture of the card I made for the bags and because I made eighty of them, I started quite awhile ago.  They really didn't cost much to make as I had most of the materials on hand.  The only thing I had to purchase were a few more of the maple leaves as I didn't have enough left over from a previous project I had done.  I used leftover cardstock from a mini-album I just did that combines my interest in the sinking of the Titanic and other liners of the early 1900s with my first time seeing the Atlantic Ocean.  To make the Hogwarts card, I cut each piece of paper in half and distressed the edges to give it an aged look using Distress Ink in Vintage Photo.  I then took a maple leaf and added some eyes to it.  I put a foam mounting square on the back of the tag to raise it up a bit and make it more interesting.  I distressed the edges of that as well to give it an aged look. 

For the inside of the card, I wrote a poem, printed it off my computer, outlined it in black, and then pasted it onto the left part of the card.  I designed the right side of the card so that the tag could be removed and used as a bookmark.  I put a simple stamp on both sides of the card.  I made different bookmarks for Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw using the house crest and the relevant portion of the Sorting Hat song from the book for each house.  I didn't make any for Slytherin because I thought it might be too mean and make a kid feel bad.  The crest looks a little dark in the photo but is actually much lighter.

 

 The poem on the left side of the card.  It reads: 

Wee little witches,

And wee little wizards,

In search of some candy,

Through the desert they roam.

With their wands at the ready,

They look here and there, 

For that rascal Lord Voldemort, 

To give them a scare. 

 

But he's nowhere in sight, 

On this night full of fright, 

For the fine folks at Hogwarts

Have put up a fight.

So with bags full of goodies, 

And all sorts of candy,

They say to themselves, 

This night's been just dandy!

  The bookmark taken out of the card.

For the treats in the goody bags, I made them Hogwarts related.  Here are a few of the things I came up with.  I'll probably try to come up with some more.  It shouldn't be too hard.  That or else I'll just throw some more candy in the bag.  After all, that's what Halloween is all about for the kiddos.  :-)

A pencil from Hermione, who always knew the importance of doing her homework!

I wrote another poem and put it in a baggie along with a plastic spider and a piece of gum.  It's a little bit hard to tell in the picture, but the wrapper looks like a bloodshot eyeball.  The poem reads:

One is for potions, 

And one is for eating.

If you can't tell the difference, 

You've clearly been cheating.

                         Happy Halloween,

                 Professor Snape

(The inability of any given 

student to differentiate between

a cavity-inducing confection

disguised as an eyeball and 

what is clearly a real potion

ingredient from the Apothecary

in Diagon Alley will result in that

student being given a week's 

detention consisting of the

removal of calluses from 

Professor Umbridge's feet

without using magic.)

 This is a goody bag inside a goody bag, so to say and is from Ron and Harry.  The bag is really cute - little orange and purple spiders with eyes and some cobwebs printed on it.  I found some stickers in a box and added some foam stickers that I had left over from a craft project.  I also had some leftover purple curling ribbon from a previous project and it fit perfectly with the purple spiders on the bag so I added that to the tag.

The tag on this one reads: 

Happy Halloween

Mate - See ya on the

Quidditch Pitch!

Harry and Ron

Yes, these are little plastic Easter eggs, but everyone who has read the Harry Potter books knows that Hagrid once hatched a dragon in his hut so I thought it would be cute to include this.  The tag reads: 

Ya didn't think there was 

gonna be a dragon egg in

here, now did ya?

Happy Halloween, 

Yer pal, Hagrid

So those are the goody bags that I've made up.  I have amazing memories of Halloween growing up - running around with pillow cases full of candy until at least 10:00 p.m. with my siblings (and it wasn't considered rude to be knocking on doors at that hour!), the smell of fireplaces and lit pumpkins, the cool night air, the costumes, and sorting all our loot when we got home.  Good times, good times.  :-)   

 

Christmas Celebrations Around Arizona

Christmas will be here soon, so I thought I'd provide a listing of some of the holiday celebrations taking place around Arizona this year.  Arizona is made up of seven regions - The Valley of the Sun, including Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Glendale, and Cave Creek; Grand Canyon Country, including Kingman and Flagstaff; Central Territory, including Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Sedona; Indian Country, including Holbrook and Winslow; High Country, including Show Low; Old West Country, including Tombstone, Tuscon, Sierra Vista, and Willcox; and West Coast, including Bullhead City/Laughlin, Lake Havasu City, and Yuma.  

I've categorized the forty events I've included according to region.  The events are separated by the reindeer so that you can easily move on to the next if any given event does not interest you.

Of course, there are many more events and celebrations that take place around the state, and it would be next to impossible to list them all here.  Check any given city's website, Chamber of Commerce, or Visitors Bureau for information on additional upcoming events.  Happy Holidays!

THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

1) Las Noches de las Luminarias - Phoenix

The Desert Botanical Gardens is celebrating its 75th anniversary and is once again bringing "Las Noches de las Luminarias" and "Chihuly in the Garden" to the public.  From the Desert Botanical website: 

"Each night of Luminaria, the Garden will come to life with the soft glow from more than 8,000 hand lit Luminaria bags, thousands of white twinkle lights and Chihuly’s vibrant works of art. As you walk the paths with a warm cup of cider, the sounds of hand bells ringing and Dickens Carolers singing remind you of what the season is all about. Make plans with family and friends to attend this year’s very special Las Noches de las Luminarias."

Dates:  November 29th and 30th; December 1st through the 4th, 9th through the 23rd, and 26th through the 31st. 

Visit the Desert Botanical Gardens website for more information. 

Desert Botanical Garden Noche de las Luminarias 

2) Zoo Lights - Phoenix

I go to Zoo Lights most every year.  At the time of this posting, the zoo didn't have any information on their website regarding this year's celebration, but last year it ran from November 22nd through January 6th from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.  They will post information on their website when it is available.  

Phoenix Zoo

3) Electric Light Parade - Phoenix

The theme of this year's Electric Light Parade is "Wild West Holiday Roundup" and will take place on Saturday, December 7th, at 7:00 p.m.  For more information, see the City of Phoenix Official Website. 

City of Phoenix - Electric Light Parade 

4) Glendale Glitters

Glendale Glitters is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.  This is also a yearly tradition for me.  From the City of Glendale website: 

"The stunning display of 1.5 million lights will illuminate 16 blocks of Historic Downtown Glendale, making it the largest free holiday light display in Arizona, and it all kicks off Nov. 29 and 30 from 5-10 p.m. each evening."

"Visitors of all ages will delight in holiday entertainment, delectable food, hand-crafted holiday gifts, a children’s winter wonderland and petting zoo, horse-drawn carriage rides, shopping and, of course, visits with Jolly Ol’ St. Nick. The always-entertaining stage show will feature a tribute to special moments and guests from the past 20 years, as it counts down to the lighting ceremony on Friday evening, Nov. 29, beginning at 5:30 p.m."

You can get more information about Glendale Glitters at the City of Glendale's website.

City of Glendale - Glendale Glitters 

During the month of December and as part of Glendale Glitters, you can also attend "Glendale's Spirit of Giving Weekend (December 6th - 7th), Glendale's Winter Wonderland Weekend" (December 13th - 14th), and Glendale's Jingle Bells Rockin' Nights (December 20th - 21st).

It all ends with a block party that takes place on January 11, 2014, complete with a number of hot air balloons in the streets. 

You can see some photos that I took at last year's block party here,

5) Annual Indian Market - Pueblo Grande Museum - Phoenix

The 37th Annual Indian Market will take place on December 14th and 15th.  For more information, you can visit the Pueblo Grande Museum Auxiliary website. 

Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Market

 

6) Performances for The Nutcracker with the Phoenix Symphony at Symphony Hall are scheduled for December 6th - 24th.  For more information, you can visit the Ballet Arizona website.

Ballet Arizona

 

7) Holiday Harmony - Scottsdale

This event will take place on December 7th, from the hours of 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m.  There will be a tree lighting at 6:30 p.m.

From the Experience Scottsdale website: 

"Holiday Harmony Snow and Glow will take place on Saturday, December 7^th in Old Town Scottsdale (Main and Brown) from 3pm to 8pm with the Tree Lighting happening at 6:30pm.The event offers arts & crafts, real snow, Santa, entertainment and this year since we are right on Main and Brown, we have the opportunity to engage with the downtown merchants!"

For more information, you can visit the Experience Scottsdale website.

Experience Scottsdale 

 

8) McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Holiday Lights - Scottsdale

From the McCormick-Stillman Railroad website: 

"All Aboard Arizona’s most unique holiday event!  Take a train ride through many festive holiday lights and displays turning the Railroad Park into a winter wonderland.  Opening night festivities will include a tree lighting ceremony, entertainment and a visit from Santa.  Santa will be at the park through December 23.  Train ride is $3.00 and carousel ride is $2.00 each with children under three riding free with a paying adult." 

December 13, 2013 – January 4, 2014 (excluding December 24th, 25th, and 31st), 6:30p.m. – 9:00p.m. 

For more information, you can visit the McCormick-Stillman website. 

The Railroad Park Events 

9) 61st Annual Desert Foothills Christmas Pageant at Spur Cross Conservation Area - Cave Creek

The Spur Cross Conservation Area is one of my favorite places and I've hiked out there many times.  This year's event will take place on December 7th and 8th at 7:30 p.m.  From the Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce website: 

"The Desert Foothills Christmas Pageant was started by the local 4-H Club in Cave Creek in 1952, as a re-enactment of the Christmas story showcasing the 4-H Club members’ animals. The tradition continues on December 7 and 8, 7:30 p.m. at Spur Cross Ranch Conservation Area in Cave Creek.   Area residents perform in the choir and in pantomime. There is a live, occasionally stubborn, donkey for Mary, and the Three Kings travel on horseback. A majestic-voiced narrator presides over the Christmas story with beautiful musical accompaniment provided by the Pageant choir. Locals enact the roles of Mary, Joseph, infant Jesus, angel, townspeople, shepherds, and Kings."

For more information, you can visit the Chamber of Commerce's website. 

Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce  

 

10) Christmas Lights - Arizona Temple Visitors Center - Mesa

At the time I'm posting this, there is no information on this event on the Temple's website, but here is an online article from 2012.  I'm sure it will be back as it's an annual event.  For more information, here is the article from About.com Phoenix. 

About.com Phoenix

GRAND CANYON COUNTRY

11) Very Merry Parade of Lights - Kingman

According to the City of Kingman website, this parade takes place the first Saturday of December in Historic Downtown Kingman down Beale Street.  From the City of Kingman webstite: 

"The Very Merry Parade of Lights is held on the first Saturday of December in Historic Downtown Kingman. Marching bands, jolly elves, classic cars and floats with colorful displays take off from Locomotive Park and parade down Beale Street to the delight of thousands of spectators."

The following is a link to information about last year's parade.  It will likely be updated for this year. 

City of Kingman Event Details 

12) The North Pole Experience and Little America's 19th Annual Christmas Lighting - Flagstaff

This is Little America Flagstaff's second season partnering with the North Pole Experience.  This event kicks off on November 23rd and runs through the holiday season.  I've never been to this, but it sounds interesting.  You can read much more about this event on the North Pole Experience's website.

North Pole Experience 

13) Riordan Mansion State Historic Park - Flagstaff

It's my understanding that the massive log cabin that is the Riordan Mansion is decorated throughout the month of December and tours are available.  At the time of this posting, I did not see any information on it for this year, but you can check the Arizona State Park's website for updates. 

Arizona State Park - Riordan Mansion

14)  The Polar Express - Williams

From "The Train" website:

"Here is a very special chance for you and the entire family to experience the magic of The Polar Express™, the classic children’s book by Chris Van Allsburg.

Every winter the Grand Canyon Railway’s Polar Express comes to life on a journey from the nighttime wilderness of Williams, Arizona, to the enchanted beauty of “the North Pole”—where Santa Claus and his reindeer are waiting with a keepsake present for every good boy and girl. You’ll be smiling from ear to ear, as you watch children’s faces light up when the train arrives, and enjoy hot chocolate and cookies while listening to this timeless story.

Make this a family holiday tradition, and call today to make your reservations (because space is limited to those who truly believe in the spirit of Christmas). The ride lasts a little over an hour, with the train leaving each night at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., as well as select days that feature a 3:30 p.m. matinee departure. Book online for 2013 now, or call 1-888-848-3511."

For more information, you can visit "The Train" website. 

The Train Special Events 

CENTRAL TERRITORY

15) Annual Christmas Parade - Cottonwood

This year the city of Cottonwood will be celebrating the 59th year of their annual Christmas parade.  This year's theme is "Patriotic Christmas" and will take place on Saturday, December 7th, 2013.  For more information, you can visit the Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce website. 

Cottonwood Chamber of Commerce 

16) 2013 Prescott Christmas Parade - Prescott

This year's parade will take place on Saturday, December 7th at 1:00 p.m.  The parade will be followed by the annual lighting of the Courthouse Square Christmas trees.  For more information, you can visit the City of Prescott website. 

City of Prescott Events

17) Frontier Christmas Open House - Sharlot Hall Museum - Prescott

This event takes place Saturday, Dec. 7th from 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. immediately following the Courthouse Lighting.  You can find more information by visiting the Sharlot Hall Museum website.

Sharlot Hall Museum Events 

18) Gingerbread Village - Prescott

You can see the World's Largest Gingerbread Village in the lobby of the Prescott Resort and Conference Center.  It appears the write-up on the Resort's website is from last year, but appears to be an annual event.  For more information, you can visit the Prescott Resort and Conference Center's website. 

Prescott Resort and Conference Center

19) Holiday Festival of Lights - Prescott Valley

This event will take place on December 6th from 5:00 - 7:30 p.m. The Liberty Chamber singers will perform, Mayor Harvey Skoog will speak, and their will be story time for children.  The Civic Center lights will be turned on around 5:50 and the Night Light Parade will begin, among other activities.

You can visit the Town's website for more information. 

Town of Prescott Valley 

20) Various Events - Sedona

There are a number of events taking place in Sedona this year, including the Festival of Trees, Holiday Central Sedona, Holiday Tree Lighting and Santa Visit, Breakfast With Santa and Jingle Bell Run, and Festival of Lights.  You can find more information on all of these events by visiting the Visit Sedona website.

Visit Sedona

INDIAN COUNTRY

21) Parade of Lights - Holbrook

The Parade of Lights in Holbrook will take place on Saturday, December 14th.  See the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce for more information. 

Holbrook Chamber of Commerce

22) Santa Train - Winslow

This event will take place on Saturday, December 7th at 5:30.  From the Winslow Chamber of Commerce website:

"Come watch Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive in Winslow at the 1st Street Pathway on a highly decorated BNFS train engine! Kids sit on Santa\'s lap and meet Mrs. Claus and go home with a free toy."

Winslow Chamber of Commerce Calendar of Events  

HIGH COUNTRY

23) Christmas Light Parade - Show Low

The light parade will take place on Saturday, December 7th at 6:30.  For more information, you can read the article about it in the White Mountain Independent. 

White Mountain Independent Article

OLD WEST COUNTRY

24) Lighting of the Luminarias - Tombstone

This event takes place once a year in December from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park.  They do not give a specific date, but there is contact information on the Arizona State Park's website if you would like more information. 

Arizona State Parks 

 

25) Winterhaven Festival of Lights - Tuscon

This year's Festival of Lights will take place beginning on December 14th and ending on December 28th.  This is the 63rd year for the festival.  Much more information can be found on the Winterhaven Festival of Lights website.  

Winterhaven Festival of Lights

26) Annual Christmas Parade - Sierra Vista

The theme of the 55th Annual Christmas Light Parade is "Cowboy Christmas" and will take place in Sierra Vista on Saturday, December 7th at 5:30 p.m.  For more information, you can visit the Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce website. 

Sierra Vista Chamber of Commerce 

 

27) Christmas in Tombstone - Tombstone

This will take place on December 13th at 6:00 p.m. and December 14th at 9:00 p.m.  From the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce website: 

"The Tombstone Courthouse State Park Museum, the City of Tombstone and the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce invite you to come and spend a delightful holiday weekend in Tombstone.
The Annual Tombstone Courthouse State Park Museum Open House and Luminaries, Christmas tree lighting, Light Parade, and Fireworks are on schedule for the 'Winter Weekend in Tombstone' celebration."  

You can get more information by visiting the Tombstone Chamber of Commerce website. 

Tombstone Chamber of Commerce 

 

28) Christmas Apple Festival - Willcox

This year, the Christmas Apple Festival will take place on December 6th and 7th.  From the Willcox Chamber of Commerce's website: 

"A country crafts fair featuring handcrafted arts and crafts and quality reproductions. Entertainment, door prizes and lots of fun. Held at the Willcox Community Center, 312 W Stewart St. from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday."

For more information, you can visit the Willcox Chamber of Commerce website.

Willcox Chamber of Commerce 

29) Christmas Lighted Parade - Willcox

This event will take place on December 7th.  From the Willcox Chamber of Commerce's website: 

"Kick off the Christmas season with a lighted parade in downtown Willcox. Free hot dogs for the kids, free hot chocolate for all. The parade begins at 6:00 p.m. at the Willcox Community Center, 312 W Stewart St." 

For more information, you can visit the Willcox Chamber of Commerce website. 

Willcox Chamber of Commerce

30) La Fiesta de Tumacacori - Tumacacori National Historical Park

This event will take place on Saturday, December 7th from 10:00 until 5:00 and Sunday, December 8th from 10:00 until 4:00. 

From the Visit Tuscon website: 

"Celebrate the culture of the Upper Santa Cruz River Valley at Tumacacori National Historic Park, the oldest mission site in Arizona.  The fiesta features around fifty food and craft booths, live entertainment on stage, and children's activities each day. On Sunday, at 10:00 AM in front of the Visitor Center, there will be a procession through the Fiesta grounds to the historic church, followed by a traditional Mariachi Mass in front of the church. The mission grounds and park are open throughout the weekend and admission is free."

For more information, you can visit the Visit Tuscon website. 

Visit Tuscon  

31) A Southwest Nutcracker - Tuscon

The Tuscon Regional Ballet will be performing "A Southwest Nutcracker" on Saturday, December 14th at 2:00 and 7:30 and Sunday, December 15th at 2:00.  For more information, you can visit the Tuscon Regional Ballet website. 

Tuscon Regional Ballet

WEST COAST

32) The 4th Annual Voices of the River Christmas Gala - "A Royal Yuletide" - Bullhead City/Laughlin

The 4th Annual Voices of the River Christmas Gala - "A Royal Yuletide" will take place on Friday, December 13th at 7:00 p.m.  From the Bullhead City Chamber of Commerce website: 

" 'A Royal Yuletide' is the theme of the 4th Annual Christmas Gala, presented by the 75-member VOICES OF THE RIVER community choir. This year's show is a Renaissance themed performance, featuring elegant costumes, and a variety of lively Christmas music from the Renaissance Era, all for the entertainment of the audience who, indeed, are the royal guests!  Proceeds from the show benefit Mohave Community College Foundation's Student Educational Scholarship program/Bullhead City campus."  

For more information, you can visit the Bullhead City Chamber of Commerce website. 

Bullhead City Events Calendar

 

33) 31st Annual Boat Parade of Lights - Lake Havasu City

From the Lake Havasu website: 

This year's boat parade will take place on December 6th and 7th at 6:30 p.m.  From the city of Lake Havasu's website: 

"For the past 31 years the Annual Boat Parade of Lights has been the must-see event of the holiday season. Up to 50 boats brightly decorated in their holiday best will delight children and adults alike. Cozy up with family and friends and create treasured memories of a favorite holiday tradition!"

For more information, you can visit Lake Havasu City's website. 

Lake Havasu City 

 

34) Ken and Betty Borland Holiday Pageant and Tower Lighting - Music Event - Yuma

This event will take place on November 30th from 6:30 until 9:00.  You can get more information by visiting the Yuma Calendar website. 

Yuma Calendar

35) 11th Annual Dorothy Young Memorial Electric Light Parade - Yuma

The parade will take place on December 7th from 6:00 until 9:00.  You can get more information by visiting the Yuma Calendar website. 

Yuma Calendar

36) A Swingin' Christmas - Yuma

This event takes place at the Historic Yuma Theater on Tuesday, December 10th at 7:00.  From the City of Yuma website: 

"Christmas music never had it so good as when it was being crooned by Bing Crosby and The Andrews Sisters, Andy Williams, Nat King Cole, Perry Como, and so many more. You’ll be yearning for days gone by with classics including "Happy Holidays," "Sleigh Ride," "It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year," "White Christmas," and more!"

For more information, you can visit the City of Yuma website.

City of Yuma 

37) Foothills Parade of Christmas Lights - Yuma

The parade will take place on December 13th and 14th at 6:00.  For more information, you can visit the Visit Yuma website.  

Visit Yuma Events Calendar

38) Irish Christmas Time - Yuma 

This event takes place at the Historic Yuma Theater on December 20th at 7:00 p.m.  For more information, you can visit the Visit Yuma website. 

Visit Yuma

39) 20th Annual Children's Festival of the Arts - Yuma

This will take place on November 2nd from 10:00 until 3:00.  

For more information, you can visit the City of Yuma website. 

City of Yuma

 

40) 25th Annual Cowboy Christmas Poetry Gathering

This event will take place from December 6th through December 8th.  For more information, you can visit the Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce website. 

Wickenburg Chamber of Commerce