Tag: Los Alamos Winterfest

I know. You’re thinking to yourself that it’s ONLY the very beginning of October. You don’t want to think about how many shopping days are left before Christmas and you REALLY don’t want to think about the kids being off school for the holidays either.

But come on. Let’s be real. We are ALL looking forward to the end of 2020. Why not focus on one of the seasons that is by far a GREAT thing about living in our community. If there’s something that Los Alamos does well, it’s the holiday season. And I’m here to tell you that Covid hasn’t changed that. Promise.

Monster Madness and Big Time Munchies!

Oh yes. Los Alamos Halloweekend is ON! Scheduled for October 29th through the 31st, the Arts Council has us covered, Los Alamos. Get the full schedule of events HERE. But what I can promise you is that while things are going to look a little different than they have in past years, we are still going to have a Pumpkin Glow, a Scarecrow Contest, and of course, Trick or Treating in the Main Street District. This year will be Monster Munchies to avoid the crush of humanity that we’ve all become accustomed to for Trick or Treat Main Street. Grab a hanging bag or two of goodies from an obliging tree on Friday or Saturday all day long.

Now. I think we’re all waiting to see what traditional Halloween trick or treating is going to be like in this Covid world. So, I cannot promise that the neighborhoods of Loma Linda in Los Alamos or Brighton Drive in White Rock will be offering their usual mega candy treats. But if you’ve never truly experienced Halloweekend in Los Alamos, check out this wonderful article by Kate Nelson of NM Magazine that describes just how awesome it is to celebrate Halloween in “the city on the hill”.

A Place to be Thankful

As the season of thankfulness approaches, it’s a perfect time to be grateful for what we have here in Los Alamos. As of September, our community was ranked the No. 1 Healthiest Community in America. You can read the article HERE, but I’m sure as you look over the criteria and read the testimonials from residents of our beautiful town, you won’t be surprised by what they’ve got to say. We are truly blessed to call this home. Sure. It’s not all wine and roses, but it’s pretty darn awesome.

With this in mind, and also given that it might not be the greatest plan to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday. It might be time to focus on what we have and do some donating or some volunteer work with one of the many organizations here in our community.

Stuck at home? Why not organize the family and put together a Thanksgiving Purge Project? Local Charity Shop Casa Mesita has just moved to a new storefront near the Bradbury Science Museum, which means they have more space for your unwanted stuff. Or, maybe its time to pass on some of the items you might have over purchased during the initial pandemic. CALL LA Cares and check with them about donating paper or canned goods.

This is a chance to come together as a family and talk about priorities and necessities and maybe even have a chat about accumulating too much stuff. Period. Goodness knows we’ve all been stuck at home with our stuff for long enough now that we might have some really new ideas about what’s important and what isn’t. If you want to know my thoughts on stuff, check this blog post from back on August 20, 2020. But seriously, at the end of it all, let’s take a moment to be grateful for our homes and the opportunity to live our lives in this beautiful community.

Winterfest Los Alamos

Never fear, Covid didn’t kill off our beautiful holiday lights parade or Winterfest Los Alamos. Some of the events are still up in the air, but one thing is certainly scheduled. Winterfest has been officially scheduled for December 4-6 with the Holiday Lights Parade on Saturday December 5. The theme this year is Toyland on the Mesa and there’s no doubt that a chance to get outside and celebrate will be more welcome than ever as 2020 draws to a close. Check out the details of Winterfest HERE.

The Holiday Lights Parade, the tree lighting at Ashley Pond, ballets, concerts, and the annual Creche Show at the Church of Latter Day Saints are all part of the Christmas Season in Los Alamos. While it’s uncertain whether or not all of these events will go on or be unchanged by this new Covid reality, there are a few things I think we can probably count on.

Over on Garver in White Rock, there will be a Santa peeking through the attic window in the garage. North Mesa will be lit by the glow of Luminarias on Christmas Eve. And we might even have another bonfire and lights set to music over on Brighton Dr. As we all contemplate the upcoming Holiday Season, I encourage all of you, friends, neighbors, and fellow residents of Los Alamos County, go all out this holiday season. Decorate your homes and businesses, your barns, your cars, and maybe even yourselves (if you’re inclined to wear an elf hat). This will be a year to climb in the family car or SUV and enjoy some hot cocoa as you cruise through the neighborhoods enjoying the displays and feeling warm and cozy as we bid farewell to the Year 2020.