I love december in flagstaff 851 x 315

Flagstaff is the Place to be in December

At the turn of each season, I tell myself that this new season is my favorite in Flagstaff. I do especially love winter and enjoy the festivities of December. There’s something especially enticing about the gratitude and generosity demonstrated throughout the month. I try to get out and enjoy all the holiday celebrations, support local artists and businesses, and pay special attention to all the wonderful non-profit organizations who are feeding, comforting, and sheltering our neighbors.

Three great online sources for event information are: Downtownflagstaff.org, Flagstaff365.com, and Flagstaffpubliclibrary.org.

A few events that I’m looking forward to include:

Elf: The Musical (Nov. 29 – Dec. 22)
Handmade Holiday Market (Dec. 5)
First Friday ArtWalk (Dec. 6)
Nutcracker Ballet (Dec. 6 and 7)
Science Saturday: Sustainable Gift Making (Dec. 7)
Winter Wonderland and Tree Lighting (Dec. 7)
Fort Valley Rd. Winter Artisans Markets (Dec. 7 and 8)
Free Winter Movie Series (every Saturday)
Carols in the Mountains (Dec. 14)
Holiday Card Project to make cards for those hospitalized (Dec. 12)
Holiday Parade of Lights (Dec. 14)
Holiday Movie Night in PJs (Dec. 20)
Riordan Mansion Luminaria Walks and Tours (Dec. 21-23)
Grand Menorah Lighting at City Hall (Dec. 26)
Pinecone Drop (Dec. 31)

Flagstaff has a plethora of talented artists and small businesses—all of which are deeply committed and invested in our community. The Market of Dreams on 4th Street (2136 N 4th Street) will reopen this month. This small business incubator sells goods made by many local entrepreneurs and boasts the incubation of Tres Amigos food truck. Many small businesses have opened along 4th Street and it’s well worth a visit. Several art galleries and small businesses are located in downtown Flagstaff. The Downtown Business Alliance offers a Holiday Shopping Passport you can get stamped in various businesses and be entered into prize drawings in addition to many holiday events including the New Year’s Eve Pinecone Drop.

Flagstaff has so many hard-working nonprofit organizations that work year ‘round to feed, clothe, shelter, and support thousands of our neighbors. During the holidays, many of them double their efforts to ensure the children of our community have new clothes and toys. We can all demonstrate compassion and care by supporting these groups through donations of our time and money. There are “giving” trees where you can select an elder or a child and purchase gifts. Three of these trees are located in downtown businesses: Adopt-A-Senior through Coconino County and pick up a tag on the tree at the Tourist Home All Day Café; pick up a tag at Rainbow’s End Boutique and purchase gifts for the children living at Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona’s Sharon Manor; and/or support a family through Northland Family Help Center by picking a tag off the tree at Mountain Sports. Both Walgreens stores have trees where you can pick a tag or two and “adopt a grandparent” through Angels Care Home Health. You can also find Toys-for-Tots boxes all over town (including the lobby of city hall, here’s the full list) where you can donate new, unwrapped toys. A fun way to donate to several local organizations is through the “Giving Machine” located in Heritage Square Dec. 18-Jan. 1.

Flagstaff Adopt a Local Senior 2024
Rainbows End 1
Rainbow’s End
12 E Route 66
Adopt a grandparent
Flagstaff LTW Giving Machine Flyer
Toys for Tots photo
Mountain Sports

If you don’t know about Arizona’s charitable tax credits, please take a minute to learn more. Any Arizona taxpayer can make donations to a public school, qualifying charitable organization, and/or qualifying foster care organization and receive a dollar-for-dollar credit on your taxes. These are three separate tax credits available to you and you have until April 15, 2025 to make these donations and claim the credits on your 2024 taxes. Local qualifying charitable organizations formed the Flagstaff Tax Credit Coalition Flagstafftaxcreditcoalition.org, for more information and to donate to one or several of the local organizations. You can find more information and see which foster care organizations quality on the Arizona Department of Revenue’s website, AZDOR.gov/tax-credits.

There are so many ways to celebrate our community and get involved with the good work of our local nonprofit organizations and my lists above are far from exhaustive. I’ll link all the flyers and websites I can locate on my website, BeckyDaggett.com. Thanks for being an active participant in all the good things Flagstaff has to offer!

Nonprofit organizations that feed, clothe, shelter, and support:

Catholic Charities
Coconino County Health and Human Services
Community Assistance Teams of Flagstaff
Flagstaff Family Food Center
Flagstaff Shelter Services
Habitat for Humanity
Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona
Native Americans for Community Action
Northland Family Help Center

Article originally appeared in the Flagstaff Business News.

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