Happy Friday, Lubbock. In today’s edition: Digital identity safety tips, Slaton Small Town Christmas, Ronald McDonald House holiday open house and Santa’s Village, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Protect your digital identity: Lubbock police are warning South Plains residents about online impersonation and AI-driven deepfakes targeting images on social media, emphasizing privacy settings and reporting of cases, especially among younger users — get safety tips and reporting info.

Transparency questions spark friction: After a Wednesday LGC Q and A on county bonds, the expo center proposal heads to a December 10 meeting to debate and vote on a recommendation to Commissioners — read the full story.

Rebuilding lost childhood routines: Lubbock’s Horizon Heights Children’s Home offers stability for foster kids after multiple placements. It cares for five with capacity for eight, as more than 830 children remain in foster care — learn how you can help.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Ribbon cutting launches U Can Share
• Salute veterans at Lubbock’s Windmill Museum
• Groove at Caprock Jazz Festival
• Explore windmills, model trains, Christmas villages
• Experience Ballet Lubbock’s sensory-friendly Nutcracker
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

Local dessert scene shifts: Abbott’s Frozen Custard in Lubbock has closed, shortly after celebrating its first anniversary. The shop at 11112 Slide Road is marked “permanently closed” on Facebook. EverythingLubbock.com has reached out to the local shop for comment. Time to find a new spot for a custard fix. Read the full story.

Beloved Lubbock date-night staple: Café J will serve its final meals after Texas Tech’s graduation Dec. 12 and 13, then its 19th Street building will be demolished for a student housing project. Owner Chris Bourne says retail is planned and he’s been asked to return, but the restaurant’s future remains undecided. Read the full story.

Local pints, patio vibes: Whether you’re grabbing a quick post-work pint or easing into the weekend, Two Docs Brewing Co. keeps it easy with fresh pours, rotating food trucks, live music, and a truly dog-friendly patio. Kids can hang, craft sodas pop, and your evening plans… basically plan themselves.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🎨 First Friday Art Trail| Friday (12/5) at 6:00pm – First Friday Art Trail is taking over the Cultural District with a free, self-guided stroll through galleries and museums, plus live music, food trucks, and art from local, national, and international artists. Grab the map at ffat.org, bump into neighbors, call it culture with tacos.

🍷 DIY Wood & Wine Workshop @ Board & Brush | Friday (12/5) at 8:00pm – Nothing beats power tools with Pinot, especially when everyone gets to pick their own project, stain, and paint. It is a three-hour, BYOB DIY workshop with sanding, distressing, assembling, and yes, glitter. Like therapy you can hang, and you keep the bragging rights.

This weekend

🎄 Slaton Chamber of Commerce Small Town Christmas| Saturday (12/6) at 5:00pm – Nothing beats Christmas under the Slaton lights, with food trucks, roasting marshmallows, and hot cocoa that forgives questionable holiday shopping. Downtown shops stay open late for gift hunting, Santa is at the Harvey House, and the Grinch lurks at Heirloom Flowers & Goods, so behave.

🍪 9th Annual Cookies & Carols @ McPherson Cellars Winery | Saturday (12/6) at 6:00pm – Think carols are just for kids on a sugar high? At the 9th Annual Cookies & Carols, Jenni Dale Lord Band rolls out a blend of country, rock, and blues, Free Whiskey in tow, Joe Ely approved. Grab a cookie, tap a heel, and sing.

😈 Bad Santa @ Little Woodrow’s Lubbock | Saturday (12/6) at 6:00pm – If your holiday spirit needs a sugar rush, this gingerbread competition and auction delivers, and it benefits the Children’s Home of Lubbock. Marvel at edible architecture, outbid your neighbors on cookie real estate, and leave with crumbs, bragging rights, and a warm conscience.

🎮 Sunday $5 Game Cards for Kids @ 50th Street Caboose | Sunday (12/7) at 11:00am – Sundays at 50th Street Caboose mean one thing: the kids get $5 game cards with every Kid’s Meal, and you get a hot minute to eat in peace. Think burgers, skee-ball, and minimal whining, all under one roof. Local parenting win.

🍷 Christmas @ Adelphos Cellars | Sunday (12/7) at 12:00pm – Holiday shopping with a glass in hand, now that is efficient. Adelphos Cellars on Indiana turns into a cozy market with local vendors, award-winning Texas pours, live music, and food trucks, so you can tackle the list, support small, and stay merry. Admission is free.

Next week

🎄 Doily Tree Craft @ Godeke Branch Library | Monday (12/8) at 2:30pm – Holiday nesting season calls for a low-stress craft at Godeke Branch Library, where you’ll paint and arrange doilies into little tabletop trees. It’s surprisingly therapeutic, delightfully kitschy, and for ages 16 and up. Embrace your inner grandma, then brag about it.

✂️ Ribbon Cutting – South Plains Food Bank – U Can Share| Monday (12/8) at 4:00pm – Feel like doing some good without overcomplicating your calendar? Join the ribbon cutting kicking off South Plains Food Bank’s U Can Share, bring a single dollar that stretches to three meals, and help feed neighbors, swap hugs, and pretend you cut the big ribbon.

✂️ Ribbon Cutting – Ronald McDonald House Holiday Open House and Kick off of Santa’s Village| Tuesday (12/9) at 3:30pm – Pop by Ronald McDonald House for a ribbon cutting that kicks off the holiday open house and Santa’s Village. Bring the useful cheer: teen kits or headphones, baby basics, gift cards, and those unsexy MVPs, gift bags, wrapping paper, tissue, and tape.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/5 Upon A Burning Body and more @ Soggy Dog – 6:30 pm
• 12/6 Hunter Hicks @ Kitalou Gin – 4 pm
• 12/6 Kate Watson and more @ Blue Light – 7 pm
• 12/8 Distant and more @ Jake’s Sports Cafe – 7 pm
• 12/10 LYLVC and more @ Jake’s Sports Cafe – 6:30 pm
• 12/11 David Phelps @ Victory Life Church – 7 pm
• 12/11 Travis Roberts @ Blue Light – 7 pm
• 12/12 Grady Spencer & The Work @ Blue Light – 9 pm
• 12/14 Ballet Lubbock’s The Nutcracker @ Buddy Holly Hall – 11 am