Bored During the Holidays?
Style Editor Sherell Williams

Around this time of year, there is rarely a shortage of exciting and fun activities for students, friends and families. From Fairfax to Baltimore, there are a ton of events going on that are sure to get even the meanest of holiday grinches geared up for the season. Here are a few events taking place in our area that might be of interest.
New York City lit their Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center this past week, but the National Christmas Tree lighting ceremony in Washington, D.C. will happen on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5 p.m. at 1600 Constitution Ave. NW.  Tickets for the ceremony were issued on Nov. 3, but non-ticket holders can watch the free tree lighting from the sidewalks around the Ellipse.

If you’re still feeling the holiday spirit after the ceremony, you can head over to the National Zoo and check out their “ZooLights” display. Tickets for the family-friendly and environmentally conscious LED display of lights are $10. The National Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW. “ZooLights” will be on display until Dec. 30, 2007.
           
Several guest choirs will be performing holiday carols at the National Gallery of Art from Dec. 15 to Dec. 23 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday’s and Sunday’s. This free event will be held in the West Building of the Rotunda. Before the carolers arrive, visit the National Gallery for a tour of various holiday-themed works of arts. Tours will be given at 1 p.m. throughout December until Dec 24.
           
For fun outdoors, there are plenty of opportunities to go ice-skating in the Metro area. The skating rink at the National Gallery in D.C. is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sundays. One two-hour session is $6 for students, children 12 and under, adults 50 and over, and $7 for adults. Rental skates are available for $3 with a valid ID, 50-cent locker rental and $5 deposit.

Pershing Park Ice Rink at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is another great place to skate outdoors. Patrons can view the works of art placed throughout the garden while skating in their own winter wonderland. Pershing is open Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Adult admission is $6.50 and $5.50 for kids 12 and under. Skate rental is $2.50.

If you’re looking for something a little closer to campus, the Reston Town Center Pavillion will also be available for two-hour skating sessions from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturdays. Rental skates at $4 while admission is $9 for adults and $7 for those aged 12 and under and 55 and over.

From Dec. 6 to Dec. 23 at the Warner Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Washington Ballet will perform one of the biggest and most anticipated productions of the holiday season, The Nutcracker. Artistic Director Septime’s Webre eccentric vision of the novel-turned-ballet has George Washington as the Nutcracker and King George as the Rat King. Tickets can be purchased through www.ticketmaster.com or through the Warner Theatre box office. Prices range from $30-$90 and vary by seating area.

If you’re looking to incorporate a little activism into your holiday celebration, then you should check out the Holiday Darfur Fast hosted by Project Nur. Participants are being asked to give up one luxury item for the day as a testament of their support for solidarity in Darfur. There will be a 10 minute movie screening, Zainab Al Suwaij from the American Islamic Congress will speak, and guests will be treated to a Sudanese dinner. The Holiday Darfur Fest is Tuesday, Dec. 4 at 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in the Johnson Center third floor Room C.

If you’d rather spend the season at the theater, there are plenty of theatrical productions happening in the area. From Dec. 28 to Feb. 24 at Arena Stage, Tina Fabrique will perform in “Ella”, a musical based on the life of the first lady of song, Ella Fitzgerald. The show will feature Fabrique’s rendition of Fitzgerald’s classics "That Old Black Magic," "A-Tisket, A-Tasket," "How High the Moon" and "They Can't Take That Away From Me."

Also at Arena Stage, playwright James Magruder’s puts his spin on the classic Dickens tale in “Christmas Carol 1941”, a play set during Pearl Harbor. Ticket prices range from $7 to $66 and can be purchased at the Arena Stage box office or by calling 202-388-3300.