‘Tis the season: The Chronicle’s holiday activity favorites

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Many members of the Studio City community choose to decorate the fronts of their homes with bright and colorful lights throughout the holiday season.

Eden Conner

It is the most wonderful time of the year, Wolverines, so if your eyes are currently staring at a textbook instead of the giant blow-up snowman in your neighbor’s front yard, here is a list of fun holiday activities to look forward to this December.

Ice Skating

Maybe all your mom’s friends haven’t gotten concussions while ice skating and you won’t be matching with my Hello Kitty bike helmet on the rink this year. Whatever your safety measures, ice skating is a great way to get outside and live out your Olympic free-skating dreams or master your rail-clutching abilities. The LA Kings sponsor a rink at LA Live. Tickets are $25 a person ($20 if you attempt to pass as under six), which the bike helmet could help with.

Christmas Light Shows

Did your neighbors give up during COVID-19? Is everyone around you the kind of family that turns out their lights and watches you from the window as you knock on their door Halloween night? Never fear: light shows around LA are sure to get anyone in the holiday spirit. The Irwindale Speedway has a light show through December with a fully decorated NASCAR track. For a free experience, the Venice canals are decked out for the holidays and Newport Beach does an annual boat parade.

Christmas themed desserts

If the holiday “break” means absolutely no work for you, including the age-old tradition of baking, stores all over Los Angeles have you covered. If any of the following establishments would like to sponsor The Chronicle, we would be welcome to forming a longterm partnership (payment in desserts, please). Primo’s Donuts makes some mean Star of David donuts and really cute red and green ones too. Plus, their cinnamon rolls are truly the angel on top of the tree and deserve some love over the holidays. Joans on 3rd is the spot for mitten-shaped cookies and if you still don’t feel like doing anything for the holidays, they also supply full Christmas dinners.

Visit Santa

Okay, just hold on a second. Maybe it sounds crazy, but it’s time to revisit the slight childhood discomfort of sitting on a random stranger’s lap and telling them your wildest dreams for the holiday season. Still, it’s easy to forget the most important part of the holidays: gifts! The only man that can help you with that lives in the North Pole and at Santa Monica Place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. all week. You could also bring a younger, cuter family member to serve as your liaison, but the man needs to see your wish list before it’s too late.

Charity Run

The Turkey Trot is not enough, people! Get some holiday cheer out of destroying your family in a 5K with a time so fast Coach K will show up and demand that you join the cross country team. The Christmas 2 Give 5k run/walk is not only a way to prove to your siblings that you got the athletic genes in the family— it’s also an awesome charity event that sponsors Support Solutions Homeless Services. The race is Dec. 15, so you’d better start training.

Movie Marathon

We all know that Elf is the best Christmas movie of all time, but if you decide you are willing to stoop below the cinematic masterpiece and venture toward a wider palate of Christmas movies, there are outdoor screenings all month of some classics! Rooftop Cinema Club is doing it right with almost daily Elf screenings with a couple of Home Alone and Die Hard Days as well. The Melrose Rooftop theater has dinner and movie options and, of course, will be screening the best Christmas movie of all time as well.