WEDNESDAY, DEC. 25 2013 >>>
1. There's nothing worse than awakening from a long winter's nap, rolling out of bed and discovering it's Christmas morning - and not a creature is stirring his coffee, not even your favorite coffee house. But you'd better not cry, and you don't need to pout, because Spanaway Park has zapped 12 million watts of power to its lights. Take a driving tour of Fantasy Lights in Spanaway Park, where carloads of travelers can see more than 300 stunning displays of lights and imaginative animation over a two-mile stretch of Spanaway Lake Park. Tune in to a special holiday radio station for a little holiday music to add to the mood.
2. Whether you want to channel your inner Winter Olympics sports nerd, capture the magic of the season in a vibrant urban venue or just have a wintery and sporty adventure, break out the ice skates, people, because the Franciscan Polar Plaza, in partnership with the Tacoma Art Museum, is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Bring family and friends to Tacoma's holiday ice rink for holiday fun and a good time right in the heart of downtown Tacoma.
3. Have your kids - ham-stoked and spinning amok with sugarplums, Barbie dolls and Yu-Gi-Oh! action figures - drilled a hole through the roof yet? There's a reason they switch on the holiday light exhibits Christmas night, so why not take advantage of the thoughtful gesture? Lights on from 5-9 p.m. at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium.
4. If "attending more cultural events" is on your list of 2014 resolutions, why not kick it off a bit early. Temple Beth Hatfiloh and the Olympia Film Society present Hava Nagila (The Movie), a documentary about the song played at millions of Jewish weddings and bar/bat mitzvahs every year. (We trust the filmmakers delve into hard-hitting statistics about how many injuries occur during the chair-hoisting hora dance.) So quit kvetching and get to it at 7 p.m. inside the Capitol Theater.
5. Olympia drummer Jerry Zeigler will be playing his annual Merry Fitz-mas show at McCoy's with Fitz of Depression raging two sets beginning at 10 p.m. Never seen Fitz play? Well, expect to get ripped a new one. The band seriously tears into the nether-regions and squiggle their reverb around, getting all deep and fast and punk rock. Also, this is a good time to see Zeigler turn into a full-fledged octopus on the drums. Enjoy.
PLUS: Holiday Events Calendar
PLUS: South Sound Holiday Command Center LINK: Wednesday, Dec. 25 arts and entertainment events in the greater Tacoma and Olympia area