It’s time to replace the scarlet and gray for the red and green, the keg beer for some eggnog and Saturdays at the ‘Shoe for one of many signature holiday events throughout the area.

Football season might be the most wonderful time of the year in Central Ohio, but when the holidays roll around, we Columbusites are just as festive. As we at publish our fourth special issue celebrating CityScene’s 10th anniversary, we commemorate Central Ohio’s devotion to the holiday spirit.

Columbus honors this spirit with timeless classics such as BalletMet’s The Nutcracker and CAPA’s A Christmas Carol, and with local favorites including the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s Holiday Pops, Franklin Park Conservatory’s Holidays at the Conservatory and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra’s “Home for the Holidays.” These traditions make our community special.

We can enjoy a glimpse into history with the Ohio Historical Society’s Charles Dickens’-themed events, or conjure up some romance in a carriage ride through Easton Town Center. We can partake in bright and cheerful events from Gahanna’s Winter Wonderland and the German Village Lights to the Short North Holiday Hop and all the way to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s Wildlights.

In addition to having a full and festive calendar, our city is also especially benevolent this time of year. We tour decorated homes to help the needy, bowl to help the uninsured, collect for toy drives facilitated by community firefighters and participate in the fifth largest Jingle Bell Run for arthritis in the country.

When the LeVeque Tower becomes aglow in Christmas colors, and Nationwide unveils a “Happy Holidays” message in the windows of its headquarters, we know it’s officially time to make merry. And it makes our community special.

Throughout 2009, CityScene has dedicated additional issues to our city’s extraordinary style – focusing on the arts, the entertainment and the milestones – and we’re proud to do the same this issue while focusing on our giving spirit and sense of community as well.

We’re also excited to announce that, in 2010, we’ll increase to nine issues in response to your positive feedback.

We continue to look forward to narrating all of our city’s distinctive arts and entertainment stories and to finding countless examples of what makes our community special.

Alicia Kelso is editor of CityScene.