Elementary students from Keystone Montessori School in Ahwatukee spent hours this past holiday season visiting local area assisted living centers. Students, ages 9-12, sang Christmas carols, decorated resident homes and played musical instruments at both Desert Garden Assisted Living in Ahwatukee and Sunrise Senior Living in Chandler.

The hit Broadway musical, “Avenue Q,” is considered an adult version and parody of the popular television series “Sesame Street.” Many of the characters and puppets are spoofs of the children’s TV show and utilize adult situations, themes and language.

Celebrate Recovery started up again last month. What is this class? Is this a class for me? Will I fit in? It helps people who have hang-ups, hurts and/or habits, while resuming a relationship with God. Where would I fit in? The flier says no issue is too small or too large, it also says that everyone is welcome.

Sheila Coonen from Connecting to Serve and Andi Pettyjohn decided to help foster youth this holiday season. Many churches and the Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee helped with collection boxes to aid in their efforts. With help from the Camelback Kiwanis Club, Friendship Village, Pecos Senior Center and other Ahwatukee Foothills residents the result was 47 troubled boys, ages 8 to 17, receiving a Christmas celebration.

The city of Phoenix offices will be closed beginning at noon on Monday, Dec. 24, for Christmas Eve and remain closed for Christmas Day, Tuesday, Dec. 25.

I love Christmas music — all kinds of Christmas music, traditional, piano, pop, rock — if it is spreading holiday cheer, I listen to it. Christmas music is played in our house from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year’s. It puts me in the mood to decorate the house, bake cookies and wrap presents. Yes, Christmas music puts a smile on my face.

In Germany, “Weihnachtsgottesdienst” or “Christmas Worship” is generally celebrated in an evening service on Christmas Eve. Traditional German carols are sung, the story of Jesus’ birth is told, and the pastor tells of how the Christ child’s birth opens the door to “Peace on Earth, Good will to all.”

Dear Mikey,

Ahwatukee Preschool once again hosted its annual breakfast with Santa on Dec. 8. The children were dressed in beautiful holiday clothing eating muffins and fruit anxiously waiting for Santa. Around 8:45 a.m., the sound of jingle bells rang as Santa entered the Family Life Center at Mountain View Lutheran Church in Ahwatukee, to the delight of the children.

NEWTOWN, Conn. — A man opened fire Friday inside the Connecticut elementary school where his mother worked as a teacher, killing 26 people, including 20 children, as youngsters cowered in their classrooms and trembled helplessly to the sound of gunfire reverberating through the building.

Danny Zelisko presents Brian Setzer’s Christmas Rocks! Extravaganza, with special guest Totsy, at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Celebrity Theatre. 

For free and festive light displays Ahwatukee Foothills residents don’t have to go too far. Many residents have decorated their homes with lights and inflatables to bring in the holiday spirit.

December, holidays, family, and giving thanks.

In its biggest event of the year, Desert Vista High School’s orchestra will be accompanied by the symphonic band, guitar classes, and the Pointe Club for the annual holiday concert next week.

When I hear the words “Holiday Spirit” I get a flood of great memories and an eagerness to continue traditions of giving. I can remember, when I was younger, the day after Thanksgiving we would start decorating for the upcoming Christmas holiday. I loved hanging the lights outside with my dad, drinking hot cocoa, watching holiday movies, trimming the tree with family and friends, shopping for that perfect present to bestow on someone.

Here are The Associated Press’ reviews of selected holiday albums:

“The Spirit of Christmas” show at Chandler Center for the Arts is as much fun for the performers as it is for the audience.

In its second year, Mountain View Lutheran Church is aiming to kick off the Christmas season with a Renaissance-style “feaste.”

There are Christmas lights, and then there are ZooLights. There is just something about these things that everyone is buzzing about. And, according to the man in charge of the annual production, the show is revamped to be bigger than ever before.

You don’t have to drive to northern Arizona for New England-esque fall color worth photographing. A pocket of it exists just 50 miles away, at Boyce Thompson Arboretum in Superior.

Even people without coffee tables enjoy coffee table books as gifts, especially if they’re thoughtfully chosen rather than hastily snatched from a store shelf at the last minute.

Have you heard of Pinterest? If you are somewhat crafty (or want to be) then you know what I’m talking about. Pinterest is an online bulletin board that has idea after idea, after idea, after idea.

Foothills Baptist Church in Ahwatukee Foothills is gearing up for its sixth year of The Living Christmas Tree event next month.