Good evening, Vegas! It’s been awhile. The nights are getting longer, the air is finally cooling off and the whole valley is starting to glow. As the days get shorter, it's natural to turn inward. This time of year also has a way of reminding us how much we need the people around us. So we rounded up some of the best ways to spend the season with them.

✨ A million lights in a cactus garden
⛸️ Free skating and a drone show on the Strip
🎲 Two Guild game nights to close out the year

Here’s what’s worth your time this month:

Family in town and everyone's asking where to eat? Here's where to take them.

The Corner Store
📍 Monday, the 9th @ The Cosmopolitan
The New York SoHo hot spot opens its first West Coast location. Expect a crowd.

SMKD
📍 Now open @ Henderson
Barbecue smoked over post oak and hickory, courtesy of "Top Chef" alum Alex Reznik.

Butcher & Thief
📍 Now open @ The Bend
Steak without the Strip price tag.

How Ya Dough'n
📍 Now open @ The BLVD
Thin, crunchy sourdough pizza on an open-air deck. Every dinner at an independent spot helps keep it around for next year.

Here's something I've noticed about outings like these. It's a lot easier to open up to someone when you're doing something together. Wobbling around an ice rink or walking through a tunnel of lights takes the pressure off. You laugh at the same things, you share a moment, and before you know it the small talk turns into a conversation.

Ethel M Holiday Cactus Garden Lights
📍 Now through January 3 @ Ethel M Chocolates, Henderson
Lit up for its 33rd season, with more than a million lights wrapping three acres of cactus. Admission is just $3 a person (free for kids under two and guests 65+). Pro move: book a chocolate tasting, then wander.

Glittering Lights
📍 Now through January 3 @ Las Vegas Motor Speedway
It's priced per car, so pack the back seat, cue the holiday playlist and cruise. Some of the best conversations happen at five miles an hour.

Oasis Ice Rink Tree Lighting
📍 Wednesday, the 18th @ Fontainebleau
The rink kicks off at 5 p.m. with a drone show, free admission, free skate rentals and free hot chocolate. After opening night, locals skate from $15 on select dates through January 4, and Nevada residents park free. Ice skating in the desert? Pure Vegas.

Enchant
📍 Friday, the 20th @ Las Vegas Ballpark
Season six brings back the giant Christmas light maze and a new take on "The Great Search." Watch for theme nights like Friendsgiving and Paws 'n' Claus for the pups. Popular nights sell out, so grab tickets early.

Magical Forest
📍 Friday, the 27th @ Opportunity Village
Expected to run through January 1 (closed Christmas Day). Every ticket supports the nonprofit's work with people with intellectual disabilities here in Vegas. Feel-good lights for a good cause.

Ethel M Trivia Nights
📍 Friday, December 4 and Saturday, December 12 @ Ethel M Chocolates
$5, bring your phone. Perfect for the friend group that gets a little too competitive.

Ethel M Live Music & Winter Wonderland
📍 December 20, 22 and 29 @ Ethel M Chocolates
Live music at 6 p.m. on the 20th and 22nd, then a Winter Wonderland night on the 29th ($5). A cozy way to close out the year.

The holidays can feel weirdly lonely, even in a city that never sleeps.

Guild Social Club is our fix: board and card game nights at local spots, where we bring the games, teach the rules and save you a seat. Every night starts with Flip 7, an easy card game that gets everyone comfortable fast. Most people come solo, so you'll fit right in.

Pours & Play at Crush Pad Wine Bar
📍 Saturday, the 14th, 2 p.m. @ Crush Pad Wine Bar, 7865 W Sahara Ave
An afternoon of wine and easy games on the west side. A daytime game session with a glass of wine? Sign us up.

Game Night at Petite Boheme
📍 Wednesday, December 2, 5:30 p.m. @ Petite Boheme, 1407 S Main St
Velvet couches, cocktails and a table full of card games in the Arts District. The perfect midweek break from holiday shopping.

Both are free to attend, and every round you order helps keep these local spots going. Spots fill up, so RSVP on Meetup and follow @guildsocialclub for new dates.

Your voice matters! Got a holiday event, pop-up or new local spot we should know about? Pick one thing on this list, text a friend (or go solo and make a new one) and get out there. These are the nights we end up remembering.

The season flies by, and it's easy to let it pass in a blur of errands and screens. Pick one thing on this list, text a friend (or go solo and make a new one) and show up. Years from now, we won't remember most of what kept us busy. We'll remember who we sat next to.

Know a holiday event we should add? Let us know.

🔗 Follow us on [Instagram]
✉️ Got a tip or a hidden gem? Reply to this email or DM us on Instagram!
📈 Interested in featuring your business in the Newsletter? Fill out THIS form.

The Vantage LV | Curated by locals, for locals.