Arvest Bank branches will CLOSE at 5:00 PM on New Year’s Eve, December 31st, and will remain CLOSED on New Year’s Day, January 1st.  We will be taking this time to celebrate the New Year with our families, friends and loved ones.  We hope you also have a wonderful and safe holiday, spending time with your families, friends and loved ones.

The only exceptions to this closing time are the following branches in Southwest Oklahoma, which will remain open on New Year’s Eve until 6:00 PM.  The Duncan North, Chickasha, Lawton – Cache, Gore, Lee and Flower Mound branches will CLOSE at 6:00 PM on New Year’s Eve, December 31st.

All of our branches, except the Service Station branch at Conoco-Phillips in Bartlesville, will be OPEN for their normal business hours on Monday, January 3rd.  Come in to any of our other branch lcoations and let us help you with your banking needs.

Of course, don’t forget that we are always available online at Arvest.com.  You can login to Arvest Online Banking 24 hours a day.  Or if you are on the road for the holiday, make sure you have the Arvest Mobile Banking app installed on your mobile device.

Arvest Bank branches will CLOSE at 2:00 PM on Christmas Eve, December 24th, and will remain CLOSED on Christmas Day, December 25th.  We will be taking this time to celebrate the Christmas holiday with our families, friends and loved ones.  We hope you have a wonderful holiday, and that you get to spend time with your families, friends and loved ones, too!

The Service Station branch at Conoco-Phillips in Bartlesville will actually be CLOSED both December 23rd and 24th, and our Tulsa area branches inside the different Walmart Supercenters will remain CLOSED on Sunday, December 26th.

All of our branches will be OPEN for their normal business hours on Monday, December 27th.  Come in to any of our branches and let us help you with your banking needs.

We will have more details about our New Year’s Holiday closings next week, but in general our branches will CLOSE at 5:00 PM on New Year’s Eve and will remain CLOSED on New Year’s Day.

Of course, don’t forget that we are always available online at Arvest.com.  You can login to Arvest Online Banking 24 hours a day.  Or if you are on the road for the holiday, make sure you have the Arvest Mobile Banking app installed on your mobile device.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, from all of us at Arvest Bank!

On December 15th and 16th Fort Smith Arvest employees took cookies and cocoa to Tilles and Spradling Elementary Schools and served them to the students as they waited to visit with Santa and Mrs.  Claus.

Every student had the chance to talk to Santa himself and let him know what they wanted for Christmas.  Mrs. Claus sat at his side and greeted the children, giving them all peppermints and wishing them a Merry Christmas.

Arvest employees also mixed hot cocoa and fixed a place setting for each student with a cookie and cup of hot cocoa.

'Tis the season to spend more?

It definitely can be, especially if you don’t have a holiday budgeting plan in place. In fact, according to a recent Associated Press poll, one in five Americans plan to pay for the majority of their holiday shopping expenses with credit cards. This seems fine initially, but when the bills start to roll in later, paying of that debt can be overwhelming. That’s why Arvest Bank wants to help you stay on track with your money during the holiday shopping season.

Devising your own smart spending plan can seem daunting at first, but it’s actually easier than you think. Arvest recommends the following tips to get you on your way to spending wisely this holiday:

• Budget- Create a realistic budget that you can follow by establishing a dollar amount and sticking to it. Remember to allow a little “wiggle” room for unexpected expenses, such as an impromptu Secret Santa exchange at the office, and other miscellaneous items, like gift wrap and cards. Also, consider categorizing necessary expenses versus unnecessary expenses.
• List- Making a list of all those you buy for and determine how much you can spend on each person. Don’t hesitate to talk with family and friends to establish reasonable purchasing limits.
• Credit- If you use a credit card to buy gifts, use the card with the lowest interest rate and plan to pay off the balance as soon as possible. A good rule of thumb: Never charge more than you can pay off in three months.
• Spending Card- The Arvest Spending Card is a reloadable, prepaid debit card that can be used to get cash from an ATM, as well as a debit card for in-person and online purchases. Simply load the amount of your holiday budget on the Spending Card and go shopping with the peace of mind that you won’t overspend.
• Mobile Banking- Arvest Mobile Banking is the perfect way to keep track of account balances and transaction history while you’re on the go. It allows you to access your accounts anytime, anywhere and make transfers between Arvest accounts. This safe and simple tool can definitely help you stay on top of holiday spending.
• Bargains- It never hurts to check the local paper and online coupon sites in order to find discounts at your favorite retailers.
• Last Minute Shopping- Many stores reduce prices in the days leading up to Christmas as a way to move merchandise out and create room for new inventory. This is one time waiting until the last minute just might save you some dough!

For more tips on creating a holiday spending plan, check out Arvest Money Skills, which contains helpful articles and budgeting tools for consumers of all ages.

More than one dozen Shawnee High School seniors received academic letter jackets Dec. 9. Pictured in the front row are Shai Konnar Hodges, left; Kara Van Antwerp; Kristen Clingan; Taylor Haddad; Bethany Hall; Kara Laster; Sarah Cullison; and Whitney Hamilton. Standing are Cooper Ansell, left; Chris Banner; Rijul Gupta; Benjamin Whitmore; James Coppock; and Aaron Bushong.

Laqueda Steward, executive vice president and sales manager at Arvest Bank in Shawnee, said the reception is held to celebrate a group that is a bit different than those typically honored.  "We often celebrate athletic achievements but this acknowledges academic achievements," Steward said.

Chris Clark, President and CEO of Arvest - Shawnee, echoed Steward’s words and said the 14 were “excellent students at Shawnee High School.”

"Normally, there are only two or three young men but this year there are several," he said. "Our hats are off to you young men and the women this year who make up the 14 recipients. We know some of you will go to colleges away from here but you’re the type of folks we want to come back to Shawnee. You’re the future and can move our community forward."

Shawnee Public Schools Superintendent Marilyn Bradford shared with those in attendance the current success stories of some former academic letter jacket recipients and said it was hers and other board and staff members’ "honor and privilege to recognize your success."

"You're here because of the positive support of your family and teachers, your home family and your school family," she said. "You're following a very prestigious group and we are proud of you."
Larry Walker, school board member, said the reception and presentation of the jackets was a "great convergence of our community."

"It's what our public schools should be about," he said. "It's also an opportunity to say thank you to the parents and teachers."

Last year, 16 SHS students, including seven men and nine women, received academic letter jackets from Arvest.

Students honored with the jackets are those ranked in the top 5 percent, academically, in their graduating class.

Arvest is always looking for ways to give back to the community, especially during the holiday season. Over the past several years, Arvest has been invested in the growth of downtown Little Rock, providing loans for homes and commercial real estate in the area. It was this commitment to our local community that led Arvest to be the title sponsor of Little Rock’s main winter celebration, Arvest River Market on Ice!

The rink has been open four weeks and has already attracted nearly 10,000 skaters of all skill levels to participate in the holiday activity. But, there are many other activities for people to enjoy if you don’t want to slip on a pair of ice skates.

• Visitors can browse local arts and craft vendors each Saturday for unique gift ideas for friends and family
• Movies in the Park is back for a special, wintertime run with films on Wednesday, December 22 and 29

The rink will be open until January 9, so throw on your jacket, scarf, and mittens and head to Arvest River Market on Ice!  For information about all of these and upcoming events as well as specific hours of operation, visit www.holidaysinlittlerock.com.

The holidays are fast approaching and it’s time to start buying gifts for your friends and family. It’s no doubt that this is one of the most special times of the year, but the holidays can also be one of the most stressful. I’m probably not the only one who cringes at the thought of standing in line for hours in crowded stores or driving all over town trying to track down that “perfect gift”.

This year, let Arvest help take the stress out of your gift buying with the Arvest Visa Gift Card and free, stylish Holiday Tin!

It’s no surprise that gift cards are increasing in popularity more and more each year. *In fact, it’s estimated almost $87 billion was spent on gift cards last year in the U.S.; a trend that will only continue to grow in future holiday seasons.

The Arvest Visa Gift Card is a prepaid card that lets the card holder shop anywhere Visa is accepted. This allows your friend or loved one to get the gift that they really want this year, whether it’s a shirt from a trendy new store or a tank of gas for the car. Even better, the recipient can register his or her Gift Card online to ensure maximum security of the card, making this a much safer option than giving cash.

Finally, there’s no need to worry about fighting the crowds on Black Friday. Arvest is happy to announce that we will be open on Friday, November 26 with our regular business hours. And gift wrapping? There’s no need to worry about that either.  Your Arvest Visa Gift Card comes with a sleek houndstooth print tin, free with the purchase of the card!

Safer than cash, more flexible than a store-specific gift card and complete with a shiny tin? Why wouldn’t this be the gift on everyone’s list this year?

Visit an Arvest branch today to get your gift cards and finish your holiday shopping early!

*according to TowerGroup, a financial services research consulting firm

Arvest associates invite you to celebrate the season with us by visiting a local branch open house.  Whether it is a visit with Santa Claus or an opportunity to enjoy some seasonal refreshments, we hope you will come by and see us.  We'll be adding event dates as they are available, so check back often for an event in your area!

Arkansas

• Bentonville - Thurs, Dec 9 from 10-4 at 405 S Walton Blvd
• Lowell - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at 103 S Bloomington
• Rogers - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at 220 W Pleasant Grove Rd
• Centerton - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House from 11-1 at 770 W Centerton Blvd.
• Bella Vista - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at Highlands Branch
• Bella Vista - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at Town Center Branch
• Bella Vista, - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at Sugar Creek Branch
• Pea Ridge - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House from 11-2 at 132 N Curtis
• Rogers - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House from 11-2 at Village on the Creeks Branch
• Gravette - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House from 10-2 at 506 First Avenue SE
• Fayetteville - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House at all Fayetteville branch locations from 10-2
• Mountain Home - Wed, Dec 15 - Open Arm's Learning Center Kids to sing, 9:30am at 2619 Hwy 62 East
• Mountain Home - Wed, Dec 15 - Noah's Ark Preschoolers to sing, 9:30 at 819 Wallace Knob Road location
• Bentonville - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 2-4 with SANTA at Downtown branch on the square
• Rogers - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 2-4 at Rogers Downtown Branch
• Rogers - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 11-2 at 1801 W Walnut Street
• Rogers - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House 11am at 4302 W Olive Street
• Berryville - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 2-4 at 401 W Trimble
• Siloam Springs - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 12:30-4:30 at 1645 Hwy 412 W
• Conway - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House and SANTA from 1-4 at 2850 College Avenue
• Alma - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 9-5 at 408 Hwy 64W
• Bryant - Sat, Dec 18 - Open House from 9-1 at 3217 Reynolds Road
• Gentry - Monday, Dec 20 - Open House from 10-4 at 251 E Main
• Fort Smith - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Pictures with SANTA from 10-2 at 5000 Rogers Ave
• Fort Smith - Wed Dec 22 - Pictures with SANTA from 10-2 at 5000 Rogers Ave
• Van Buren - Wed Dec 22 - Open House from 11-2 at 1930 Fayetteville Rd, Van Buren
• Rogers - Thursday, Dec 23 - Open House from 1-3 at Walmart Supercenter location
• Mena - Thursday, Dec 23 - Open House from 10-2 at 1608 Hwy 71 N
• Siloam Springs - Friday, Dec 24 - Open House from 10-2 at 2730 Hwy 412 E
• Siloam Springs - Friday, Dec 24 - Open House from 10-2 at Downtown Branch
• Fort Smith - Wed, Dec 22 - Open House all day at 3200 Rogers Ave
• Clarksville - Friday, Dec 31 - Open House from 10-4 at 708 W Main

Oklahoma

• Vinita - Wednesday, Dec 15 - Open House with SANTA from 9-11 and 12-3
• Bartlesville - Thursday, Dec 16 - Arvest manning the Gingerbread house from 6-10pm in Johnstone Park
• Westville - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 10-4
• Stilwell - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 10-4
• Kansas - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 10-4
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-5 at 200 E Main Street
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 1375 SE 12th Ave
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 601 NE 12th Ave (inside Walmart Supercenter)
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 3615 W Main
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 1355 W Lindsey
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 333 N Interstate Dr (inside Walmart Supercenter)
• Norman - Friday, Dec 17 - Open house from 8-8 at 3601 W Tecumseh Rd
• Moore - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 8-8 at both Moore locations
• Stillwater - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 8-8 at both Stillwater locations
• Yukon - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 8-8 at 915 S Cornwell
• Del City - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 8-6 at 4600 SE 29th Street
• Midwest City - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House form 8-6 at 1900 S Douglas
• Choctaw - Friday, Dec 17 - Open House from 8-8 at 14900 SE 29th Street
• Shawnee - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Open House from 10-2 at 201 N Broadway
• Shawnee - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Open House from 10-2 at 1700 N Kickapoo
• Shawnee - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Open House from 10-2 at 4500 N Harrison
• Ada - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Open House from 10-2 at 930 N Country Club Road
• Jay - Tuesday, Dec 21 - Open House from 10-4
• Chickasha - Tuesday, December 21 - SANTA appearance, refreshments 3 - 6 pm

Missouri

• Noel, MO - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House 9am - 202 West Main Street
• Anderson - Friday, December 10 - Open House from 10-2 - 607 HWy 71 North
• Kansas City - Friday, Dec 10 - Open House from 10-3 at 127 W 10th Street
• Lee's Summit - Monday, Dec 13 - Open House 1pm at 360 SW 150 Hwy

Kansas

• Leawood - Saturday, Dec 11 - Open House holiday pictures from 9-12 at 10685 Mission Rd
• Overland Park - Monday, Dec 20 - Open House from 8-6 at 7401 W 135th
• Overand Park - Monday, Dec 20 - Open House from 8-6 at 14300 Metcalf
• Lenexa - Dec 20-24 - Open House from 8-6 at 11150 Pflumm Rd
• Mission - Dec 20-24 - Open House from 8-6 at 6300 Nall Avenue

As a reminder, Arvest Bank locations will be closed on December 25 to allow our associates to celeberate Christmas with their families.  Have a safe and happy holiday season!