After a tumultuous couple of months, aren’t we all ready to welcome the holiday season? Regardless of how, when or with whom you celebrate, November, December and the New Year provide the perfect opportunity to take stock, give thanks and appreciate the many gifts we enjoy living in this wonderful community.

One of the reasons I love living here so much is the plethora of arts and culture readily available to us, and Gainesville really does bring it during this joyous season. I think it is safe to say there is something for everyone, whether you enjoy performance, dance, music, a festival or simply shopping and eating, you can have it all right here.

For many, the holidays would not be complete without The Nutcracker, and our very own national dance company, Dance Alive, will offer 21 performances of this classic ballet this year, including two free performances at Legacy Park Multicultural Center in Alachua. Of particular note, Dance Alive offers several opportunities for children of all abilities to take a class with the dancers, as well as offering several school shows and many day and evening performances. We are very fortunate to have a dance company of this caliber so accessible to all.

Another local treasure is our Hippodrome Theater, which also brings the season alive every year with two shows: the newer Ebenezer Scrooge’s Big Gainesville Christmas Show, a mashup of the traditional Christmas Carol, and A Christmas Carol, a more than four-decade tradition, for those who prefer the classic Dickens’ tale.

With our great weather this time of year, a parade is another way to ring in the holidays and for the second year, the City of Gainesville will present A Very GNV Holiday Parade, with Grand Marshal Shaquille O’Neal at its helm. The Parade kicks off at noon on Saturday, December 7th, and is followed by an entire afternoon of festivities for kids of all ages, including a dance party at Bo Diddley Plaza, holiday lights and horse-drawn carriage rides and luminaries after dark.

Santa Fe College is hosting the “Holiday at Santa Fe” festival this year, with a focus on “community, collaboration and education.” The College’s Fine Arts, Planetarium, Teaching Zoo and Little School all come together for this celebration, with diverse performances, arts- and-crafts activities, meet-and-greets with live animals and photos with Santa and Frosty.

And of course, many of our wonderful local retailers, restaurants and breweries will be offering up specials and events throughout the season. Taking in an event or a performance and buying local are two ways you can support our hard-working organizations, who spend 365 days a year enriching our community with their vision and creativity.

It truly is a perfect time to give thanks and celebrate what makes our community special and how great life is in Greater Gainesville.

Editor’s note: This is the latest in a series of business columns sponsored by Pavlov Media.