The next two months are filled with opportunities to create memories with loved ones and spread joy around the community. The holiday season sneaks up on us quickly, and sometimes it is hard to buy in to the season right away. The quick turnaround from the autumn holidays to Christmastime can leave many people unprepared, but there are resources to help you get a head start in many different areas.

We spoke to employees from businesses around the Omaha area to get their insight on how to embrace this time of year.

Hanging Lights and Creating Memories

You may be ready for the holidays, but how about your home? Decorating can be time-consuming and creatively draining, but Santa’s Elves Lighting has everything you need to get your home shining bright.

Santa’s Elves Lighting (santaselveslighting.com) offers Christmas light decorating. They consult, design, install, remove, and store lights for their customers. This year, they are offering lights where each bulb turns eight different colors. They are one of the first companies in the United States to offer this new type of lighting. In addition to holiday lighting, they also provide patio lighting, weddings, graduations, proms, and other decorating lighting.

Dennis Zabawa
Santa’s Elves Lighting

As a small business owner, Dennis Zabawa knows the importance of giving back to the community. Santa’s Elves Lighting does charity work such as decorating a few homes for veterans for free every year. In this way, they are not only putting up lights but also creating memories. Actions like these emphasize the amazing contributions local businesses give to the community.

“The importance of spending locally is that a majority of the money is kept in our community. Not only that, but we love to connect to our clients and make sure they are happy with not only the decorating but also how the employee did while at their house,” said Dennis. “That’s something you can’t get from a box, or a big corporation selling these services online.”

Another perk of working with a small business is knowing that their employees are trained specifically for the service they’re providing. Santa’s Elves Lighting makes sure their employees are experts on all things lighting before heading to your home.

“You won’t see us mowing your lawn, washing windows, or anything else in the off-season, just to be putting up Christmas lights to help keep our staff in the winter and hope that they have the skills and desire to ensure the house is the best looking it can be,” shared Dennis. “We train them to present the best final product for the only service we provide. We also have a guarantee that using us we have a warranty of no lights ever out, and if any problems with our product we will replace it free of charge, season after season.”

For those that are tired of untangling masses of lights and precariously hanging off of a ladder in order to make your home ready for the holidays, Santa’s Elves Lighting will be there for you from start to finish.

Look and Feel Your Best

The last three months of the year should be approached like a marathon, not a sprint. Pushing hard on the gas pedal early could result in burnout or disdain for the holiday events to come. To avoid this, it is important to take care of our bodies during this exciting and stressful time.

At Harmony Med Spa (harmonymedspa.net), they have everything needed to get you feeling great throughout the season. They offer immunity IV drips and immunity injections to boost your immune system and keep you healthy, along with other types of infusions and injections to meet your health needs.

While many people associate the holidays as a busy time of the year, not everyone has plans or events to attend, and that’s okay. Making sure to take time for yourself is equally as important throughout the year.

Molly Florent
Harmony Med Spa

“For those whose loved ones cannot be near, it’s important to participate in some self-care to show yourself kindness and love this holiday season,” suggested Molly Florent, RN. “We have many services to promote the health and wellness of your mind and body. Don’t forget to be your best self this holiday season.”

Molly and the team at Harmony can not only help you feel your best but also look your best.

“To prepare for the holiday season I make sure to stay hydrated, get Botox and facials at least two weeks before an event, and remind friends and family to schedule with me at Harmony Med Spa,” said Molly. “I am passionate about what I do and I want everyone to approach the holidays this year by feeling and looking their best.”

A new offering from Harmony this year is the Semaglitude weight loss program. Semaglutide is a once-a-week injection that has been shown to be more successful for weight loss than any other medication on the market.

Putting a lot on your plate, literally or figuratively, during the holiday season can have adverse effects on your mind and body. Trust Harmony Med Spa to provide you with the best care to get you on your feet and ready for all the joy that comes with the holidays.

Shooting For the Perfect Gift

Having an outdoors lover in your life to shop for can be a blessing and a curse. There is so much stuff out there to buy for someone who enjoys hunting, camping, fishing, or anything in between, and new products and technologies are being released every day. However, how do you know what they already have? What’s the difference between a bowie knife blade and a Wharncliffe knife blade? These are things you can’t exactly ask your loved one without them getting a clue about what you’re planning on putting under the tree for them.

Luckily, the employees at DEGUNS (deguns.net) can help you find the best gifts that will impress all of your family members on the 25th.

DEGUNS is an online and retail dealer and distribution center. They have over 1,000 guns on display and over 10,000 in stock. In addition, their inventory includes clothing, hunting gear, ammo, body armor, sporting goods, knives, safes, tools, and more. The knowledgeable staff will help you find exactly what you don’t know you’re looking for.

If you aren’t looking for a physical gift, DEGUNS in Lincoln also boasts an impressive gun range on their property. They offer experiences like a self-defense demo range where you can try out guns without committing to a purchase. There are also occasional classes focusing on different types of guns and how to operate and store them safely.

The 110,000-square-foot store and its vast variety of offerings can be overwhelming, and you can always count on a trusty gift card from DEGUNS to get the job done!

Memories You Can See and Hear

When you’re at a busy event, you want to stay in the moment without worrying about capturing it. Photo booths can be a great way to remember the night and can also be an exciting activity for guests. Grab your friends, a prop or two, and your best smile, and get ready to make memories that you’ll have for a lifetime!

FotoFunSpot (fotofunspot.com) has the perfect inventory of photo-capturing technologies to make your event memorable and extremely fun. FotoFunSpot provides premium attended and unattended photo booth services that can create entertaining, unique, and memorable experiences.

If you have photos covered, FotoFunSpot has recently added a new service to their ranks, Fonetastic 402. When you’re getting all of the family together this holiday season, reminisce in the moment with a phone from Fonetastic at your event.

Mitch Miller
FotoFunSpot

“Instead of signing a physical book, guests leave their messages as they would on a real voicemail for the hosts, sharing their favorite family memory, or leaving advice for younger generations,” said Mitch Miller, owner. “After the reception, the guest messages are paired with a photo and turned into a video suitable for sharing on social media platforms.”

Getting together with loved ones to celebrate the holidays is one of the best gifts one could ask for. Make sure those special moments at your next event are remembered for years to come with FotoFunSpot.

Are You a Little Rusty at Gift Giving?

Gift-giving can feel like a high-press situation but think outside the box to expand your options. More importantly, think about practical gifts that your family members or friends really need. For example, some people are in need of car repairs. A gift card from Cars R Us Auto Body / Krown Rust Control (carsrusautobody.com) could help your loved one finally get that fix they need or improve the look of their vehicle by getting rid of unwanted rust.

Krown Rust Control is a line of rust control products provided by Cars R Us. Cars R Us is your local Krown dealer and friendly hometown auto body shop that puts forth the extra effort to ensure customers’ cars are fixed and restored to their pre-accident condition. The business has experienced craftsmen as auto body technicians who have the ability to do far more than simply change car parts. They provide collision repair, including estimates, priority space for collisions, and insurance relations; and headlamp reconditioning to increase safety while driving your vehicle.

Small businesses are some of the biggest contributors to the local community, so choosing to support them during the busy holiday season can not only help them, but can improve the community in general.

Chris Hunke
Cars R Us Auto Body

“Supporting local merchants keeps the dollars circulating in your area through wages and other spending,” Owner Chris Hunke said. “Giving back to the community can help you understand what the holiday season actually means to you, and how you’ll decide to spend it. Reach out and connect with someone you have been thinking about and catch up with them. It’s all about building a community.”

Ditch the flashy, trending gifts this season and get your loved ones something personalized and thoughtful. Some of the best gifts are the ones that we don’t think about asking for, but really need. Fixing up their car will make a lasting impact on their day-to-day life for years to come.

Make Your Home Shine

We all love to make our homes cheerful, inside and out, around the holidays. This could mean putting up Christmas decorations around the house, or it could just be basic lawn care associated with the fall and winter seasons. Call in Deluxe Landscape Design (deluxelandscapedesign.com) to make your home shine with a healthy yard and beautiful outdoor look! Especially if you are hosting the holiday festivities at your home this year—take something off your already-busy plate and let a professional do the heavy lifting. Your guests will be in awe!

You can also gift landscaping services to someone in your life this Christmas. If you’re shopping for someone who definitely doesn’t need more “stuff”, this could be a perfect, practical option.

Since the holidays usually have us bundled up inside and our yard might not be the number one priority right now, thinking ahead and reserving service for the summertime can be a huge help once the snow melts away. Deluxe Landscape Design offers a wide range of services for lawn care and landscaping, including seeding, sod, fertilization, aeration, mowing, trimming, mulching, and retaining walls.

Chris Ansell
Deluxe Landscape Design

“No job is too small or too large, and we will get the job done right the very first time,” said Owner Chris Ansell. “Our team prides ourselves on providing outstanding service in a timely manner, and giving you a finished product to be proud of.”

Holiday lighting is another thing that Deluxe Landscaping Design can help you check off your list this season. They offer holiday lighting services as a distributor for Brite Ideas Decorating and Holidynamics, allowing them to wholesale LED Christmas lights at a reduced price.

“We use only the highest quality LED lighting to ensure that you are receiving the best service,” said Chris. “In addition to distribution, we also provide installation, removal, and storage of your holiday lights, plus we offer hundreds of different decorating options. We can help both residential and commercial clients with their holiday lighting. I encourage you to take advantage of this service much sooner than later, and to call our office to learn more about all of our amazing options!”

Whether you’re ready to get your home shining for the holidays or preparing to beautify your outdoor space this summer, Deluxe Landscape Design wants to be a part of your holidays this year.

Mouthwatering Treats for Everyone

When in doubt, you can never go wrong with giving someone the gift of something delicious to eat. No better place to go for a warm, delicious treat than The Omaha Bakery (theomahabakery.com). You only have to take one step inside this charming bakery to inhale delicious aromas and feast your eyes on a beautiful display of cakes, cookies, cheesecakes, and more.

Their menu includes intricate cakes, a variety of cheesecake flavors, soft breads that come in rolls or loaves, and brownies and bars that can be custom designed to fit the occasion. The Omaha Bakery also offers ketogenic desserts for those who are on a low-carb diet but want to indulge for the holidays. From cookies to pumpkin loaves, The Omaha Bakery always has something sweet and healthy up their sleeve.

Getting into the holiday spirit and turning up the cheer is a whole lot easier with the help of friends, family, and the community around us. Remember to embrace this time of year and make memories highlighted with gifts and services from these local businesses!