MONDAY, DEC. 24, 2012 >>>

1. After 17 years of Stardust holiday schmaltz-fests, Harlequin Productions director Linda Whitney outsourced her holiday revue-writing to James Hindman and Ray Roderick of Miracle or 2 Productions, authors of 2003's A Christmas Survival Guide. From a critical standpoint, it's a welcome change, especially since this anthology's aimed squarely at cynical adults weary of the hustle, bustle, and rabid commercialism of 21st-century holidays. It plays to the Whitneys' principal strengths: live pop music, technical design and intelligence (in no particular order). It also introduces diminutive spitfire Amy Shephard, newly returned from grad school at Exeter, to the Harlequin stage, where she joins revue regulars Antonía Darlene and Christian Doyle. It hits the stage for a special Christmas Eve performance at 2 p.m. Read Christian Carvajal's full review of A Christmas Survival Guide in the Weekly Volcano's Arts section.

2. If you didn't get all the holiday adrenaline out of your system fighting for your life during the holiday shopping season, lace some jingle bells into your sneakers and make a run for it today at the Just For Fun, Jingle Bell Run at 1:30 p.m. in Wright Park. The 5k run or walk costs $10 to participate. Bring non-perishable food for the food bank or old running shoes for the mission. The first male/female finishers will win shoes from South Sound Running. WAIT! It's sold out! Well, go grab a coffee and listen to the bells bounce by.

3. As you know the Franciscan Polar Plaza outdoor ice skating rink in downtown Tacoma is open to those who want to travel in circles. What you might not know is it's open on Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

4. At 4 and 6 p.m. Capital Christian's presents a "Come As You Are" Christmas Eve service at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Olympia. This celebration of Christmas is a free, fun-filled night of music and celebration for all ages.

5. Mosquito Hawk - after half the band rocked the Scorpions last night at the Brotherhood Lounges 10^th Anniversary Bash - will join Gunslinger at 9 p.m. inside the Le Voyeur in downtown Olympia.

LINK: Monday, Dec. 24 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area