The best moment of my life, so far, happened more than 15 years ago at a hospital in Mesa. Like many “best” moments in our lives, it came after some of the worst.

For years the Ahwatukee Foothills community has been connecting and collaborating to serve its neighborhoods. Now, eight advocacy teams have been formed and they’re gearing up for another successful year of serving.

“If growing up means it would be beneath my dignity to climb a tree, I’ll never grow up, never grow up, never grow up, Not me!”

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.

There’s something magical about a Christmas tree. Blinking lights, cherished ornaments, and handmade decorations from baby hands that are now grown big, all promising the anticipation of Christmas future.

Now that all the fun of Christmas is over the Phoenix Fire Department is encouraging residents to get serious about fire safety by recycling dying Christmas trees.

The Phoenix Public Works Department will partner with Keep Phoenix Beautiful and other local organizations for the “I Recycle Phoenix Festival” from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Dec. 28 at the Christown Spectrum Mall, at 19th Avenue and Bethany Home Road.

Friends: Since there’s next-to-no chance I’ll send out Christmas cards this year, this will have to do. If you don’t see this before the 25th all the better, because I usually can’t muster the energy to find a box of Christmas cards, print address labels, write a letter that doesn’t sound bragging, smarmy, or maudlin, and then find stamps before New Year’s anyway.

There are so many beautiful Christmas lights everywhere this time of year. Martin Luther is credited with having been the first to put candles on an evergreen tree because he wanted to show his children how the lights reminded him of stars twinkling in the night sky.

Christmas is approaching and while we are all getting our homes ready for guests, and shopping for presents, let’s not forget about those that are not able to do so this year.

Words spoken more than 4,000 years ago — it was written, and prophesied, that Jesus would be born of a virgin. Isaiah 9:6 — “For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulders; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Here’s the thing about decorating for Christmas. It should be fun. It should be an occasion. It should involve delicious food.

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.

The act of giving clearly doesn’t go out of style.

As the tree goes up, the holiday decorations come out and homes fill with family and friends, the Arizona Humane Society (AHS) is reminding pet owners to please keep their pets away from the following hazards this holiday season:

Thriving families remain the hope of America. And when one does well, it’s a very good thing to put it out there as a paradigm of choice. Many are looking for better ways.

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.

Let your light shine.

These are a few of Chicky Winkleman’s favorite Hanukkah things: ironic, ugly sweaters adorned with Stars of David, his roommate’s Christmas tree and making latkes, alone in the afternoon.

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 advent calendar, which eases anxiety by counting down those pesky 24 days until Christmas Eve, is as much a holiday tradition for my family as the tree.

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.

Saturday, Nov. 24