For the first time in years, the city of Flagstaff and NAU students are working together to create a Winter Wonderland Celebration.

Members of ASNAU and Mortar Board, a service organization for senior students, are planning the event, which will be held on Dec. 4. Unlike past years when Flagstaff’s winter celebrations took place during NAU’s finals week, the university and the city are combining their efforts this year to create a community-wide event.

Deborah Harris, the associate dean of Student Life, said working with the city is a positive way to bring the celebration to more people.

“It’s really nice that we can coordinate the events,” Harris said. “It’s always nice to have NAU and Flagstaff as one community.”

The celebration will begin with the lighting of thousands of luminaries in downtown Flagstaff and along Route 66 at 5:30 p.m., then make its way over to NAU’s north campus with a tree lighting ceremony at 7 p.m.
Harris said the celebration will serve as a chance for students to relax and take part in a university tradition.

“It’s been a long, stressful semester, and this is the time of year when people should stop and reflect,” Harris said. “Any student can participate in the event. It doesn’t have a religious affiliation.”

ASNAU members will manage the lighting of the luminaries along north campus. Kimberly Melchor, a junior political science major and the special events coordinator of ASNAU, said students will enjoy the experience.

“I think NAU students should come out and be a part of this event because it is a tradition,” Melchor said. “I loved being a part of keeping the tradition alive and working with others to make sure all students have the opportunity to do the same.”

In addition to the luminaries, NAU features its annual tree-lighting ceremony on north campus next to the Blome Building, and a free showing of The Polar Express is at Prochnow Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.
Christine Yamanaka, a senior elementary education major and vice president of Mortar Board, said members of the organization will serve hot chocolate and cookies to guests, as well as distributing books to children attending the celebration.

“We went to a Flagstaff neighborhood and collected books to give to kids that come to the event,” Yamanaka said. “We collected over 100 books. The extras that we don’t hand out will go to the Flagstaff Family Food Center.”

After more than a month of planning, Yamanaka said she is looking forward to seeing results of all the work that has been put into the event.

“I really hope it snows,” Yamanaka said. “Then it will be a true winter wonderland. I just want to see a bunch of people there drinking their hot chocolate, munching on free cookies and enjoying the holiday spirit.”