With how crazy life has been lately, this Christmas season has felt different and it’s honestly been a bit hard to get in the Christmas spirit. I guess being away from family will do that, and being in a completely different climate makes it all feel a bit strange. But we’ve had a great time seeing what fun things Arizona has to offer this Christmastime!

Just driving around the city, there’s tons of lights and decorations to spot. Even Christmas lights strung on cacti! A lot of the shopping centers local to us have some beautiful Christmas trees and lights too. We had a few new friends and acquaintances help us with recommendations for what else to see in Phoenix.

Our landlord emphasized that we should make it a priority to check out Hallmark’s “Enchant” event in Scottsdale. It’s held in a stadium where they host a Christmas market and fill the field with Christmas lights that make up a maze complete with an 100 foot tall Christmas tree. There’s also an ice skating rink that weaves it’s way through and around the maze, an ice bar, and of course tons of spots to fill up on hot chocolate and sweet treats. We went on one of the coldest nights we’ve had since we got to Phoenix and it almost felt like we were back in New England by the time we left with frozen toes and noses.

The other Christmas adventure we took was to the Christmas capital of Arizona, or so it’s called, the city of Prescott. Each year, the town fills the historic Courthouse Square with lights, covering every tree and filling the gazebo. It was beautiful and the most festive town square I’ve ever seen by a long shot. We had a great time exploring the shops lining the square, checking out local art galleries, doing a little shopping, and sipping on some delicious hot cocoa. The lights turned on right at sunset which turned out to be the most beautiful sunset we’ve seen here in Arizona so far. It was a magical day.

We would definitely recommend both Enchant and Prescott to anyone visiting Arizona at Christmastime! Check out our video capturing the lights in Prescott here!

what are your favourite places to go or things to do around Christmastime?