Happy Holidays, Bellarmine! Are you looking for something to fill your days and evenings during the long Christmas break? Of course, the obligatory BPS holiday homework load and family time can only fill so much of your precious leisure time. So, we on The Lion staff have done our research, and have come up with some awesome ideas to help fill your days with holiday spirit.

Light shows are always a great way to start the holiday season, and there are no shortage of displays to take in locally. Zoolights is a fan-favorite, and a great place for a date night. Strolling through the cheerful holiday displays will put a smile on most anyone’s face. Be sure to get a picture with the Panda! If you would rather take in the lights from the warmth of your vehicle, the Fantasy Lights at Spanaway Lake Park is a fantastic display of holiday cheer and music. If you are up for a bit of a trek, Wild Lights at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, or Snowflake Lane in Bellevue are great choices after a day of shopping. Of course, local neighborhood displays are a solid choice, and offer a more homespun (i.e. tacky) appeal.

If a holiday concert or performance is on your to-do list, consider the annual Nutcracker Ballet performances at either the Tacoma City Ballet or Pacific NW Ballet. It’s a holiday tradition! The Christmas Revels at the Rialto Theater offers folk music, dance and stories, and the ACT Theater in Seattle’s performance of A Christmas Carol is sure to put you in the spirit of Christmas present.

Speaking of a Christmas Carol…how about it? Why not bundle up, put on your best holiday swag, and go door to door spreading the gift of song? It doesn’t matter if you are not a gifted vocalist, everyone cheers up when they hear their favorite Christmas carols, no matter who is singing them! Nursing homes are also a terrific place to go caroling, and raise spirits.

If ice skating is your thing, check out the Polar Plaza at Tollefson Plaza in downtown Tacoma. It is open until Jan. 6, and guarantees a fun (if not awkward) outdoor skating experience. Grab a coffee or hot chocolate afterward at one of T-town’s great coffee houses featured in last month’s issue.

How about a Christmas movie marathon at home? Snuggle up with hot chocolate, marshmallows, and a special someone, and laugh, cry, or sing along with your favorite Christmas flicks. It’s cheap too!

The Holiday Carousel at Westlake Center in Seattle is a fun adventure, and all the proceeds go to benefit the Treehouse Organization which supports foster kids. If you are thinking philanthropically, how about volunteering your time at your favorite charity, food bank or church? Isn’t that what the Christmas spirit is all about?

Other options….Hit the slopes at one our local ski resorts, go sledding, or stroll through a Christmas tree farm. Use your imagination. So we have done the leg work for you, and now you have no excuse not to have a joyful and merry Christmas break. Cheers.