Fairmont Scottsdale Princess Brings Holiday Cheer With “Christmas At The Princess”

As the warm, desert air begins to cool with the fresh, crisp fall breeze, signaling the end of the long Arizona summer, the anticipation for the holiday season begins to grow as winter slowly approaches Arizona’s doorstep.

And what an exciting holiday season this will be as the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess resort celebrates another magical and enchanting season during the annual “Christmas at the Princess” festival. The festival, which runs from Nov. 27 – Jan. 6, 2013, will transform the Fairmont Princess into a winter wonderland with some new and exciting activities and treats.

Kicking off the festivities, guests and visitors can attend the Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony and Grand Opening of the Desert Ice Holiday Rink on November 27. The special ceremony will take place in the Princess Plaza at 6:30 p.m. and the centerpiece of the night will be the grand, four-story musical Christmas tree as it springs to life with Christmas music. The special tree contains 65,000 LED lights, which all twinkle and dance to 10 different holiday songs and are sprinkled with beautiful, glistening snowflake decorations.

Accompanying the tree lighting will be the debut of the Desert Ice Holiday Rink. Nestled in the quaint Cactus Garden, the ice skating rink will make its debut with professional performers demonstrating cool ice tricks before it opens to the public. The price per skating session is $15 for adults, $10 for children 12 years old and younger, and $5 for skate rentals. A portion of the skating proceeds will benefit the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The evening will also include musical performances, carolers, sugar cookies and spiced cider, which all will surely invigorate the holiday spirit for anyone who attends.

To top off the splendor of the evening, the Princess Express Train will open, offering guests a chance to take a journey through a winter wonderland landscape and Lagoon Lights. While exploring the lagoons, visitors can see swans floating on the water, a buccaneer pirate ship and 14-foot poinsettias, among other fanciful displays.

Another important aspect of the evening will be the start of the Fairmont Princess’s toy drive for Toys for Tots. The Scottsdale Fire Department will be present to accept gifts and donations on opening night, and the resort will hold a drop-off location through Dec. 20 in its lobby.

And, of course, the Christmas season would be incomplete if Santa weren’t at the party! People of all ages can have a visit with Santa as he joins the Fairmont Princess on Friday and Saturday nights to make all wishes and dreams come true. Patrons can take a photo with Santa as a keepsake of the visit and can whisper to Santa what they’d wish to see underneath their Christmas tree.

Whether its marshmallow roasting, drinking hot cocoa, decorating stockings or making dreidels, the Fairmont Scottsdale Princess has something for everyone to enjoy. So bring the family down this holiday season to experience all the magic that the resort has to offer.