There’s a chill in the air and crisp leaves are falling to the ground. This can only mean one thing: the holiday season is approaching.

Spreading holiday cheer can be a bit tough when you don’t know what to do. Living in Chico for school is great, but finding stuff to do around the holidays can be tricky if you don’t know what to look for. Luckily, this handy guide can give you and your friends some ideas to create a memorable holiday season.

The beginning of December starts off the holiday season with Downtown Chico’s Hometown Holiday Hospitality. This is a series of events that starts off with Shop, Dine and Save Fridays. The downtown event includes:

• Free parking
• Open-late shops and restaurants
• Free buttons and candy from greeters
• Entertainment held inside and outside of stores

The remaining Shop, Dine and Save Friday events will take place on Dec. 11 and 18. This is the perfect time to shop for various loved ones and give back to local businesses.

Along with these Friday events, Chico Performances will put on shows throughout the month of December. Among these events is a classic that is sure to please parents— Handel’s Messiah. This choir performance will be held on Dec. 20. Tickets can be purchased online at the Chico Performances website or at the University Box Office on the corner of West Third and Chestnut streets. Hours of operation are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday.

The holiday season is a time to spend hard-earned money on gifts to give to friends and family. Although this is true, it is also a time to take a step back and enjoy all that you do have. Spend time with loved ones and make those memories that will last a lifetime.

Madeline Merlic can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @MMerlic.