Holiday cheer fills the beautiful valley where Moab, Utah rests from the tourist season. In the winter months, the La Sals turn white and snow clings to the sandstone arches. During this time, while the clamor of tourism ebbs, a different type of magic is present. The community comes together to be entertained and in good spirits during the darkest time of the year. The holiday season kicks off in Moab with a flurry of festivities the first weekend in December. 

On Friday, December 6th at 5pm, the Moab Chamber of Commerce will lit a large pine tree in Swanny Park. Children and their parents can visit Santa Clause, snack on cookies, and sip hot chocolate. 

The holiday craft fair took place at the Moab Arts and Recreation Center (111 E 100 N) on Friday December 6th and Saturday December 7th . Artists presented their handmade goods and townies made get a jump start on Christmas shopping from their crafty neighbors. Featured artisans displayed photography, paintings, ceramics, textiles, sculpture, jewelry, glass work, woodwork, metalwork, candles, soaps, salves, and baked goods.  

Local groups such as the BEACON kids string ensemble and the Valley Voices Choir fill the building with holiday cheer. While you won’t find a Walmart in town, you are sure to find unique gifts here and at the storefronts that line historic Main Street. 

On December 7th , Main Street was shut down for a night as the community came together for the Electric Light Parade, presented by the Moab Chamber of Commerce. Various groups in the community decorated floats and passed out candy and hot chocolate to the whole town. A group of bicyclists known as the ‘Moab Bike Party’ decorated their bikes with lights and pedaled together as a many-wheeled float, congregating at a traffic stop for a few dizzying laps around the normally traffic-filled intersections of Highway 191. 

The third annual gathering for this float will feature the theme ‘Holly, Jolly, and Gaudy Holiday’, and riders are asked to wear tacky tinsel and goofy holiday decor. Partnering with Moab Trail Mix, they will represent a people-powered float. It’s good, clean fun for everyone. 

Townies enjoy gathering at The World Famous Woody’s Bar, sharing the coolest beer in town and warming up by socializing and dancing. On the Christmas kick-off weekend, live music filled the space hosted by the well-loved local band, Stonefed. According to Jon Olschewski — long-time Moab resident and lead singer — December marks the true end of the tourist season, though he’s seen the town transition over the years to accommodate more visitors even in the winter months. 

Back in the day, a trip to City Market served two purposes — sustenance and socializing. Now, Gloria’s Cafe stays open all winter, and Pasta Jay’s only closes for two weeks. While Moab may not be known for its snow — in fact, tourism seems to drop when heavy snowfall brings the masses to the slopes of the Wasatch — Olcheski laughs thinking of one winter when 18–19 feet of snow buried the town “not practiced in the art of snow removal,” and laments, “Why did I not just leave?” as many others do during the winter. 

The hearty folk that stay around for the season are rewarded with community gatherings galore. For example, the Moab Locals 10K (MoLo) is a fan favorite race for those wishing to continue Turkey-trotting into the next holiday. Restarted last year, this annual event, sporting a six-mile downhill race with runners in costume, heads out from the Golf Course and finishes by the hospital. The fun and festive race was held on December 7th. 

Other informal events keep Moab locals active in the depths of winter. These include caroling at the Senior Center and harvesting Christmas trees in the La Sal mountains (with a permit from the Forest Service, of course). Many residents take to the ice to keep moving and warm, playing hockey at Ken’s Lake when it freezes over. 

The sun sets early in Moab as it snuggles below the valley rim. Hikers, jeepers, mountain bikers, climbers, and canyoneers should be aware of the fast fall of night, as temperatures in the desert can drop dramatically. However, even at night, the guiding light of candles at the various churches celebrate the traditions of the holiday season. Those wishing to celebrate the nativity tale can gather at the Community Church of Moab which offers a traditional candlelight service December 24th at 7pm. 

A local tells her tale 

For long-time, nearby Castle Valley resident Christy Williams, Christmas is a time to come together. With Nordic blood running through her veins, she celebrates the season with the ideals of Hygge — a Swedish term rooted in coziness. 

Williams, a self-proclaimed “free-stylie,” and owner/builder of her abode in Castle Valley, recalls a time when being grateful for electricity was paramount. Her property evolved from an empty lot with a school bus and a recycled movie prop teepee to the barebones beginnings of a home just in time for Christmas Eve in 2002. Her family of four celebrated with maple syrup snow cones around a sprig of juniper for a tree and shared lots of laughter to brighten the day. While today’s fast-paced holiday season can be dizzying for many, Williams appreciates the solitude of her rural lifestyle, after making the most of what she had. 

“If I pay attention to the quiet of the snow and of the night and of the infinite ticking of the clock, it’s as simple as it ever was,” she said.

Listening to music was a staple of her childhood, collecting records at age six and working as a DJ by the time she was a teen. Combined with her irrepressible optimism and community spirit, Williams established the local radio station KZMU. Around the holidays, she hosted a Christmas show called ‘A Very Christy Christmas.’ The airwaves allow Moab residents, like business owner and renowned fossil hunter Lin Ottinger, to share their experiences. One year, Ottinger recited a poem he wrote for his grandson that invokes the special spirit of Christmas in Canyon Country. 

As the Grand County Hospice Chaplain, Williams reflects deeply at this time of year around the meaning of life, and who matters to us. She’s part of an interdisciplinary care team that offers a much needed grief counseling session at the Grand County Library for anyone who has been touched by loss. She harnesses the power of story as a tool to combat depression, which seems to creep in when the light is far away. She cites Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Story, The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful Life as ways to bring us back to simple human kindness. And for Williams, that’s the pure Christmas spirit that is demonstrated by Moab’s accepting community. While the tune of Christmas may have changed over the years, the true magic for townies is the celebration of community.

Feature Image: Moab’s Electric Light Parade starts the holiday season. Photos by Holly Lammert.