SATURDAY, DEC. 24, 2011 >>>

1. It's Christmas Eve (finally, finally, finally).  Having exhausted all financial resources barring the sale of various vital organs or offspring, you drive the streets, dejected, unsure of what to do now.  You venture into Spanaway, and you see stars - white stars, red stars, blue stars, in fact all sorts of colored lights. It's Peace on Earth. Your mouth forms a wondrous "Oh." You reach out for your loved one's hand. He/she slaps it and tells you to stop being so sarcastic.   It seems to be coming from Spanaway Park.  Yes, you're sure of it.  Well, God bless us, everyone, it's Fantasy Lights.  From 5:30-9 p.m. the whole park is one big ol' jolly drive-through light display, animated mind you.  The windows fog up.  OK, we have to stop there.

2. Several local theater companies stage 2 p.m. holiday shows, including Tacoma Little Theatre's A Christmas Carol, Capital Playhouse's Scrooge: the Musical and Harlequin Poductions's Stardust Serenade.

3. The Tempest Lounge will be open 4-9 p.m. with favorite Christmas TV classics on the screens and plenty of free hot cocoa and cider to the kids.

4. Christmas Eve is typically reserved for plenty of things - baking cookies for Santa, wrapping last minute gifts, sitting alone drinking the pain away - but there's nothing that says seeing Myles Crew perform ‘70s classic pop rock and Jimmy Buffett-ish tunes at the Hub can't be on that list. Even better? Watching Crew while wearing an ugly-ass holiday sweater. Yup, the Hub has added an Ugly Sweater Contest with cash prizes to its annual Christmas Prefunk Party. Two dollar pints of Harmon brew add to the excitement. The party begins at 7 p.m.

5. Jazzbones on Tacoma's Sixth Avenue hosts a Drummer Vs. DJ battle featuring DJ Switch and Wiggles beginning at 9 p.m.

LINK: More arts and entertainment events in the South Sound

LINK: Santa Says Blog