Community gifts

Nothing takes your mind off politics like a child’s holiday smile.

Sunday night at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve, children were bundled up like Ralphie Parker’s little brother in “A Christmas Story.” But they were still able to move their arms as much, as they bounded down a path glowing green under a brightly lit Joshua tree.

The inaugural Winter Lights Festival is akin to Ethel M’s beautifully illuminated cactus gardens, albeit at $4 for adults and $2 for children older than 4. The chocolate factory attraction is still free. A variety of desert trees, shrubs and cacti are lighted along with the actual sustainable buildings of the new preserve on Valley View Boulevard at Alta Drive.

The highlight of my family’s visit was spending an additional $5 apiece to ride a horse-pulled carriage in a long loop through one of the desert trails at the preserves. This is as close to a sleigh ride Las Vegans can get, with jingle bells on the horses’ harnesses, lights around the carriage and the clop clop of hooves. A strong whiff of juniper filled us with the desert’s classic holiday scent as we started our 10-minute ride.

Sure you could see neighboring houses topped with satellite dishes, and there was little escaping the Stratosphere and Strip in the distance. But the ride was quiet, and if you kept your eyes from gazing upward, you could still take in some of the desert’s beauty in the heart of the city.

My own budding scientist somehow expected all the lights at the preserve to be solar-powered. The preserve used electricity, but decorated with half a million LED lights, which last longer than traditional holiday lights. In that sense, it is a greener light display. The Springs Preserve also held workshops this month about how to celebrate the season in a more sustainable way.

The Winter Lights Festival is open weekends until Dec. 24, when it runs nightly until Dec. 30. It’s destined to become another holiday tradition, perhaps the yin to the Opportunity Village Magical Forest’s yang.

Meanwhile, this year’s production of “The Nutcracker” by the Nevada Ballet Theatre is the best since the troupe returned to UNLV after a two-year gig at the Rio. My son and I were lucky enough to score tickets in a lottery for Review-Journal employees, and we attended Friday’s opening night.

The cameo by Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman and his wife, Carolyn, was well-received, but clearly didn’t steal the show. This being “The Nutcracker,” it was again the littlest dancers who brought childlike spirit to the crowd. The student performers are as delightful to watch as the ballet masters and principals.

It was an artistic “Bravo!” without the added spectacle of the snow or the flying sleigh. The show runs through Dec. 27 at the Judy Bayley Theatre on the UNLV campus. Tickets start at $39.

The biggest local holiday event also supports the city’s “favorite charity”: Opportunity Village. The Magical Forest, which drew 150,000 people last year, blazes forth in millions upon millions of lights. This is a key fundraiser for an organization that employs those with intellectual disabilities and helps them transition into the work force.

The walk-through forest has displays from a variety of local businesses and civic organizations. Trains also pass through the forest, and there’s a beautiful holiday carousel. Rides are unlimited if you purchase the “passport” ticket. Tickets are $9 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. Passports cost $14 and $12, respectively. Tickets can also be purchased at CVS Pharmacies if you want to avoid the line at the gate. The forest is on Oakey Boulevard, behind the West Charleston campus of the College of Southern Nevada. It runs nightly through Dec. 30.

If you want to stay warm, the drive-through Gift of Lights is your ticket. Sunset Park becomes a scenic drive each night thanks to some 8 million lights. You can even buy cocoa before you set off, with proceeds benefiting the Boy Scouts. The display, presented by US Bank, runs nightly through Jan. 1.

Tickets are sold by the vehicle ($13) no matter how many people you can squeeze in. You can also get in for $11 with a donation to Goodwill Industries. (The men and women staffing the donation sites around Clark County have coupons, so ask for them if you are making an end-of-year donation.) The arches are the highlight of the drive for my little Griswolds.

Every year it seems harder to carve out enough time to prepare for the holiday, let alone take in the community’s gifts. The foreclosure crisis and economic downturn haven’t just put additional strain on community food banks, shelters and toy drives, they’ve also made numerous businesses rethink spending lavishly on holiday parties or supporting community holiday events.

Thankfully, the Las Vegas Valley is still rich with holiday opportunities sponsored by local businesses. If you have a chance to support one of these events, you’ll be giving back, too.

And if you visit with kids, you’re sure to feel like one yourself again.

Contact Erin Neff at (702) 387-2906, or by e-mail at eneff@reviewjournal.com.