Between now and the first of the year is probably my favorite time of year. The weather in Phoenix is great and there is comfort knowing it will be this nice for the next 5-6 months. It’s also my favorite time of year because it’s holiday time, things at my place of work tend to slow down a bit, people’s moods generally seem to be lighter, and there are lots of parties and festivities. I also enjoy skiing, and most major resorts in the West open around Thanksgiving. To get myself in the mood for the holidays, one thing I’ve enjoyed doing since I was a child is driving around to look at Christmas lights. AZCentral.com has published a pretty extensive map of the best light displays in the Valley, which you can access by clicking here. There are some people in the Valley who take their light displays quite seriously, so this can make for a very entertaining evening out and about with the family.