The official countdown to Christmas begins soon, with Advent starting Dec. 1.
Advent — the four Sundays before Christmas — has deep religious meaning for Christians. But annual Advent calendars have gained popularity within communities of faith as well as outside them. The calendars come in a variety of forms, from chocolates to nativities to a toy dinosaur-a-day treat.
The calendars are designed for kids and adults alike, and offer a way for people to celebrate the Christmas season.
🎄 Read more to see a few that we found intriguing. There’s something for everyone — and you can even get countdown treats for your hamster or dog.
From hoops to Highland cows: The unusual origin story of Golden Hour Farm
Spencer Butterfield is perhaps best known to Utahns for playing basketball at Utah State.
He finished his time in Logan in 2014 as one of Utah State’s top 3-point shooters with a 44.7% shooting percentage from beyond the arc, according to the university.
Inside the start of Golden Hour Farm
He and his wife Chelsey shared with Krysyan Edler how they traded in a life of professional basketball in Europe for a life raising Highland cattle in Cache Valley with no prior agriculture experience.
When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the world to hit pause, the Butterfields thought Spencer’s basketball career had been paused for good along with it.
They didn’t have plans for animals at the time, but they knew they wanted land — something they didn’t have in Europe — so they returned to Utah and purchased the land that would be their future home.
Growing Golden Hour Farm
Following injuries and other obstacles, Spencer decided it was time to call it a career and go all-in on the farm in 2023.
What started as Chelsey’s yearning for a hobby farm after reading about and falling in love with the farming lifestyle has grown into a full-blown Highland cattle operation and the couple’s second act.
“It really just evolved from like a tiny little hobby farm to everything you could do with a farm: beef, horses, breeding,” Chelsey said.
Golden Hour Farm now has 100 to 150 cattle at a time that roam the 160 acres they own and the couple hundred additional acres they lease.
🐮 Read more about the Butterfields' unlikely journey from professional basketball to ranching in Utah.
More in Sports
Utah State graduate guard Drake Allen provides a lesson in resolve (Deseret News)
Former linebacker wants to see BYU defense do a little more (Deseret News)
Inspiring Ogden High football coach Erik Thompson calling it a career — and what a career it was (Deseret News)
Ashley Hatch reflects on season after NWSL championship loss (Deseret News)
Local artists unveiled six one-of-a-kind candy window displays made from hundreds of pounds of candy at Macy’s City Creek last week, providing a sweet start to the holiday season and a sneak peek at the holiday displays Utah has to offer in its capital city.
“These are one-of-a-kind creations that are sure to surprise and delight the Salt Lake City community and its visitors with hundreds of pounds of sweet treats arranged in unique designs," Macy's City Creek store manager Sung Su said about the 13th annual candy window tradition.
"This year’s candy windows celebrate togetherness and festive nostalgia. The beloved tradition couldn’t be possible without the incredible, talented crew of artists.”
Other holiday displays include:
Tracy Aviary Lightwalk
Christkindlmarkt at Heritage Park
Festival of Trees
Grand America
Zoolights at Hogle Zoo
🎄 Read more to see the Christmas displays in the Salt Lake City area.
🎅 Read this for the holiday festivals and Christmas markets around Utah.
✨ Read here to discover live nativities and other faith-centered activities for this holiday season in Utah.
Save big on live theatre with Utah Shakespeare Festival’s Cyber Monday sale on December 2. Get $10 off each ticket to the 2025 season. Best seats at a discount make incredible holiday gifts. 2025’s season includes Macbeth, Steel Magnolias, The Importance of Being Earnest, and more. Visit bard.org/cyber
Utah
Pacific Islander advocacy group launches effort to aid Utah prison inmates (KSL)
Bee Wilson Reveals the Secret of Cooking (RadioWest)
Car trouble? Big O Tires is giving away $6K to help Southern Utahns stay on the road this holiday season (St George News)
Nine indoor playgrounds to visit when it’s too cold out for the park (Salt Lake Magazine)
Cedar Hills woman wins Food Network's 'Christmas Cookie Challenge' (KSL)
Health
Vaping immediately affects vascular health and oxygen levels, study shows, even without nicotine (CNN)
First new asthma attack treatment in 50 years (BBC)
10 Tips to fall back asleep after waking up at night (Healthline)
Faith
What’s available for Christmas at Temple Square in 2024? (Church News)
The truth about religious disaffiliation depends on a long view, according to BYU researchers (Deseret News)
Politics
The religious makeup of Trump’s proposed administration — and how it relates to the 2024 faith vote (Deseret News)
Should Utah grocery stores charge restaurant taxes on some food purchases? Why a state senator says yes (Deseret News)
Gov. Cox announces policies to aid Trump’s deportation of migrants with criminal behavior (Deseret News)
The Nation and The World
Parade in photos: A wet but joyful Thanksgiving Day celebration (NBC News)
Russia launches 'massive' drone and missile energy blitz across Ukraine (ABC News)
Come for the roller coaster, stay for the shops: Can malls be fun again? (NPR)
Crimson Cliffs players celebrate with their cheerleaders and student section after their victory over Spanish Fork in the 4A football state championship game at Rice-Eccles Stadium on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024.
🗓️ Events Calendar
We put together a calendar list of events and activities going on around the state of Utah the next month. Check it out and let us know if we are missing anything!
Here are some highlights for events in Utah today:
Star Party at Flight Park | Flight Park State Recreation, Draper
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