Happy December OC!

Well, it's December 1st, and that means the Christmas season is officially upon us. We at the Gazette would like to wish you a very merry holiday season! We'd also like to encourage you to avoid getting stressed about shopping and finding the perfect gift (check out our holiday gift guide in the magazine for anxiety-easing tips!), and remember to relax and spend time with those you love. Whether that means chuckling over hot apple cider while watching A Christmas Story, or handmaking some new ornaments, the important thing is to do it together. As much as we want the whole year to be focused on quality family time, let's face it: life gets busy. So make a commitment this month to celebrate your family and good friends.

My current favorite way to do this= HOLIDAY LIGHT TOURS

1) In about a week, I plan to take a night drive with some good friends through Nellie Gail Ranch to check out the houses all lit up with holiday lights. I'm hoping at least one house will go buck wild and have multiple inflatable Santas, lighted reindeer on the rooftop, and flashing icicle lights. Add some hot cocoa in a thermos and call it complete. Yes.

2) In case you haven't heard, there are a boatload of tree lightings going on. Yes, "a boatload" is pretty accurate; these trees are ginormous and probably would take up a boat. There's a tree lighting at the Tustin City Hall and in San Juan Capistrano this Friday, one at San Clemente's Community Center and in Fullerton on Saturday, one tonight and tomorrow night in Anaheim, a pier lighting in Huntington Beach on Sunday, and tons of other cool holiday events going on throughout the county.

3) I keep hearing about the DWP Holiday Light Festival at Griffith Park in LA. Apparently every year, they deck the park out with an excess of lights and it becomes a magical wonderland. They even play music. It sounds fantastic, and I plan to rope a couple family members into checking it out with me. It's a bit of a drive, but it is supposed to be well worth it.

Also, I received a tip from a local that there will be a cool event happening this Saturday, Dec. 5th from 7-9pm in downtown Santa Ana:
Holiday Projection: A Visual Tour through Imagination, Distorted Perception, and Holiday Ambiance. Using unique animated modules, multiple projectors will illuminate the facade of the Spurgeon building, creating a spectacle of light and shadow!
Sounds super cool, huh? For more info, visit: www.downtownoclife.com

Check back over the next few weeks for more Holiday tips from the Gazette bloggers!

-Blythe

On my iTunes: Sufjan Steven's "Put the lights on the Tree"