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I hope everyone is enjoying these last few days of 2017. While the Carson City Library is getting a much-needed refresh, you'll find limited services at the Adams Hub on Proctor. Get your fill of twinkling holiday lights while you can, the displays at Carson Valley Inn and at Nevada Christmas only run through Friday night.

WEDNESDAY: Dec. 27

The long holiday weekend has ended, but the school district’s winter break has just begun. The Carson City Library invites everyone to participate in their Winter Read-a-thon; cuddle up with a book during these cold winter days. New Year’s Eve is just days away and the annual Black Tie Gala thrown by the Friends of the Carson City Library still has tickets available. Go HERE for more information and to buy tickets.

Before you break into the cookies, you might want to consider a morning bike ride with Muscle Powered; it won’t do anything for the calories, but it may assuage some guilt. If you’re over 21, then test your luck at the Senior Citizen’s Center. BINGO today raises money for the Meals on Wheels program that feeds home-bound seniors. You’ve got one last chance to see Santa Claus. Find him at the Carson Mall until 5 p.m. and then he’s off for his midnight ride.

If you’re anything like me, there are still plenty of last-minute preparations for the holiday. Luckily the shops and businesses around Carson City are there with open arms. Find something one of a kind at the Carson Mall Craft Fair, drop it off at the Rainbow Girls Assembly #7 gift wrapping booth, and grab lunch while you wait. Breakfast with Santa at the Fox Brewpub serves as a toy drive for area kids and as no-fuss way to get start the day with a full belly. Read on for a weekend full of holiday happenings.

SATURDAY:

There are some fairly excited kids throughout the valley. This last Friday before Christmas marks the beginning of winter break. The Carson City Library invites everyone in the community to participate in the annual Winter Read-a-thon with a goal of 90,000 minutes read (or listened to) over the next two weeks. Sign up on-line or at their kick-off event this afternoon. Comedian John Mencarelli headlines Carson Comedy inside the Carson Nugget, and you’ll find the Rebekah Chase Band on stage in their Loft. Even more awaits, so read on and have a great day.

Friday, Dec. 22

Thursday, December 21 is the winter solstice, making it the longest night and the shortest day of the year. With Christmas just a few days away, the holiday activities are still going strong. Share your wish list with Santa at Red’s Old 395 tonight and you’ll walk away with a free photograph. Your ugliest sweater is invited to make an appearance at the Carson Cigar Company; bring a white elephant gift if you’d like to participate in the gift exchange.

On a morning like this, I realize that I need to ask Santa for some windshield wipers. Stay safe out there, Carson City, the roads are wet. The Carson Library is usually a great place to retreat on days like this, but you’ll find their doors closed for the next few weeks: time for a makeover. If you’d like to check out a book or use the wireless internet, you’ll find a ‘pop-up’ library in the Community Center this week, and in the Adams Hub on Proctor Street next week.

Winter is settling in, even if our mountains are lacking their snowy blanket. It’s chilly out there, but the members of Muscle Powered head out for a walk and a hike every Tuesday unless the rain or snow is falling. Join them tonight for a walk around downtown Carson City to take in the twinkling lights and decorations; there will even be a stop afterward for a warm beverage. If you’d rather exercise your brain, the Geeks Who Drink Pub Quiz at Sassafras and DJ Trivia at the Fox Brewpub are your choices.

It may be Monday, but the next one on the way is Christmas. If you still have some loved ones on your holiday shopping list, the Craft Fair at the Carson Mall is sure to have something for everyone. Monday also means football. Watch the Falcons take on the Buccaneers at Living the Good Life. You’ll find good food, good drinks, and the game on all of their screens. Put some swing in your step at Carson Lanes. The High Sierra Swing Dance Club meets weekly to learn some new dance moves and put them into action. Santa has been spotted at Red’s Old 395: from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.

It’s beginning to look, and sound, a lot like Christmas. Let the Tintabulations Handbell Ensemble entertain you with the in the warmth and magic of the holiday season during their free Winter Wandering concerts. ‘Elf’ is a modern holiday classic, and you’ll find it on the big screen today and Wednesday at the Galaxy Theater. Track down Santa at the Children’s Museum of Northern Nevada; a family membership to the museum makes a great gift for anyone with little ones. Keep reading for even more Sunday fun day activities.

One thing was evident as the special Polar Express Train departed the depot east of Carson City: You don't have to have kids with you to enjoy the annual holiday favorite on the historic V&T Railroad.

Santa comes in all shapes, sizes, and apparently, vehicles. Hop aboard the Santa Train at the Nevada Railroad Museum. It’s an out-of-this-world Alien Santa at the annual Zen Christmas at A to Zen. A cookie-loving Santa can be found at Adele’s during their annual toy drive for the Ron Wood Resource Center. If your ‘kids’ are the four-legged kind, then head over to PetSmart or Paws to Pur-fection Dog Grooming for your holiday photos. In addition to the Santa-mania, you’ll find a downtown Carson Beer Crawl, two plays at the Brewery Arts Center, and plenty of music.

Friday has finally arrived, and it has brought some nightlife with it. Enjoy the Trippin King Snakes on stage at the Max Casino. The Carson Nugget gives you comedian John Hilder in Carson Comedy and the band Adrenaline playing in ‘The Loft.’ Kids will love the Wild Horse Children’s Theater production of ‘Honk, Jr.’, while ‘Love/Sick,’ performed by the Proscenium Players, is meant for an older audience. Let Roska Entertainment take you into late-night with their weekly dance party in Battle Born Social’s Sage Lounge.

FRIDAY:

Time to make some joyful noise in the capital city. The annual community holiday show at the Brewery Arts Center features John and Cherie Shipley, with the special addition of the Joyful Noise Children’s Chorus. These chilly December evenings are perfect for checking out the lights and decorations around the area. Candy Cane Lane, the drive-thru display at Carson Valley Inn in Minden, runs every night. Nevada Christmas, a private home in the Stephanie Way neighborhood, goes all out with a light show that’s choreographed to music.

Welcome to Wednesday. If you haven’t had a chance to tell Ole’ Nick what you’d like to see under the tree, then wander over to Red’s Old 395 for a complementary picture and a moment on his lap. See what our local crafters and artisans have to offer at the Christmas Craft Show inside Carson Mall. It’s karaoke night at Caterpillar’s Hookah Lounge for those over 18. Families with younger ones will be interested in the Polar Express playing on the big screen at the Galaxy Theater.

WEDNESDAY:

The Nevada State Railroad Museum in Carson City will conclude its 33rd year of Santa Train this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 16-17.

I’m always surprised at how busy Tuesdays can get around here. Every week you can discover a new trail with Muscle Powered, get your boot-scootin’ boogie on at Carson Lanes, or test your trivia knowledge at Sassafras Eclectic Food Joint and at the Fox Brewpub. Today, however, you can also enjoy the monthly Mile High Jazz Band gig at Comma Coffee, with a special serving of poetry. Christmas Beers are on tap at Cowboy Liquors for their weekly tasting event.

It’s the beginning of another work week, and a chilly one, at that. Take an hour to get yourself grounded and ready for what life throws your way during ‘Motivation Monday’ Yoga at the Adams Hub. Learn something new in the kitchen at this month’s cooking demo and dinner at the Dayton Community Center.

MINDEN, Nev. – The East Fork Professional Firefighters Association raised over $18,350 for local families and cancer research in 2017.

You are in for a Holiday Treat today; the annual Carson City Symphony Winter Concert with Victorian Dancers in beautiful costumes takes to the stage. Take in a play at the Brewery Arts Center or play BINGO at the Senior Center. The Santa Train, the Living Nativity at the Methodist Church, and a remembrance ceremony at Walton’s Chapel are on the list, too. Sunday’s aren’t sleepy this time of year, so read on and take a look at your options.

A Carson City Christmas tradition for more than three decades, the annual Santa Train has hit full steam at the Nevada State Railroad Museum (NSRM), located at 2180 South Carson Street.

The Carson City area is awash in entertainment, shopping, and family-friendly options this weekend. Santa Claus is popping up all over, including at Benson Feed for the annual CASI Pet Photos with St. Nick and aboard the train at our Railroad Museum’s Santa Train. The musical ‘Honk, Jr’ for the young ones and Love/Sick for the older crowd are on the stage at the Brewery Arts Center. Spend the day at the Silver Saddle Ranch: their annual Holiday Open House is the perfect time to explore their trails and learn more about the working ranch’s preservation.

We’ve got one heck of a weekend on its way, and it’s starting right now. Start off with a trip to the Governor’s Mansion with something non-perishable for the annual Share Your Christmas Food Drive: you won’t even have to leave the warmth of your vehicle. Break a leg to Wild Horse Children’s Theater and to the Proscenium Players. Both troupes begin the run of their winter plays tonight at the Brewery Arts Center. It’s a Christmas Shopping Extravaganza at Fuji Park. You’ll find a plethora of vendors, crafters, and artisans waiting to help make your holiday shopping hassle-free.

The air may be brisk, but the view from C-Hill is rewarding. Meet up with Muscle Powered in the Curry Street parking lot behind the Railroad Museum for their afternoon conditioning hike. Get the little ones to the Carson Library for story time today; the Library will be undergoing some much needed sprucing up and will be closed for up to two months starting Dec. 10. Community Roots in Dayton hosts an open house to show off their collection of gifts, flowers, and more.

THURSDAY:

The weekend is coming and bringing with it the annual Silver Saddle Ranch Open House, the Methodist Church’s Drive-Through Living Nativity, the return of the

If you’re looking for a new career, it may be time to head back to school – Carson High School, that is. The Carson City School District is looking to fill a number of positions and is holding a job fair this afternoon. See what the talented students in the Symphony Youth Strings program have been up to at tonight’s "Around the World in Music" concert at the Community Center. A special candle lighting ceremony to remember loved ones takes place this evening at Fitzhenry’s Funeral Home. All those who have lost someone are welcome to participate. Don’t let a little Bah Humbug ruin your day.

Jack Frost definitely has his icy fingers wrapped around today. It’s going to be a chilly one, so bundle up. With Christmas morning just three weeks away, the holidays are in full swing. Get a look at all of the seasonal fun that’s on it’s way in my list of holiday happenings HERE.

With December arriving we are counting the days until Christmas. So deck the halls, get some jingle bells and wassail away this holiday season. Here's what's happening now through Christmas around Carson City, Carson Valley, Dayton and Virginia City areas.

Even Santa Claus enjoys his time aboard Carson City's famed trains. With appearances at the Brewery Arts Center, Santa can be found throughout the area, including the Nevada Railroad Museum. Elsewhere, let the arrows fly during the Clearcreek Bowmen’s Holiday with a Hero fundraising 3-D shoot. Enjoy a Small Town Christmas in Dayton this evening. The festivities take place in ‘Our Park,’ at the western edge of town. An ugly sweater contest, hot chocolate, caroling, tree lighting and home-town fun are on the menu. Keep reading, there’s even more in store for today.

The rumors of Santa Claus coming to town are true. The jolly old man is making several appearances today, and is feeling photogenic. Take a ride with him at the Nevada State Railroad Museum, join him on the ‘Elf Crawl’ from the Capitol to the Carson Mall, or tell him your wish list at Debug Computers. Adults have a hard choice to make: the monthly downtown wine walk and the Holiday with a Hero Pub Crawl both take place today, and I’m not sure I’d recommend attempting both.