5 Things to do This Weekend (Christmas Style)

I wonder if Santa likes working on Saturdays? , Ferndale resident and Santa's helper.

Anyway, here we are: Christmas is tomorrow. It's a Christmas weekend. Not everything is closed, but most things are. There's not a ton of stuff to do as far as events go, but there's plenty to do in the warmth of your own home. And, if you really need to get out, there's always the 18th annual Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival (No. 5).

So, here are the five things you can do this weekend:

1. Watch A Christmas Story on TBS: Seriously, why wouldn't you? (Unless you don't have cable.) No movie captures a child's Christmas mania like this flick. It plays for 24 consecutive hours, starting at 8 p.m. Christmas Eve. If you miss one viewing, you can always grab the next one, or the next one, or the next one. — that's how much we recommend it.
2. Tear open some presents: This is obvious, but come on, what else are you going to do on Christmas morning? But the key word here is "tear." Don't lightly pull the tape off, unfold one end, unfold the other, slide the gift out and then neatly fold the wrapping paper. Who are you trying to kid? It was wrapped to be unwrapped, so unwrap it! Pretend you're 10 again and tear the paper to shreds. Trust me, you'll feel energized.
3. Hang out: Might as well! Most things are closed, it's cold outside, and you probably have to go back to work Monday. So enjoy the holiday, play with your children, eat a Christmas breakfast, stare at the tree and enjoy the snow while it is still festive — because four weeks from now, we'll be cursing Michigan weather and these "ridiculous" winters.
4. Eat a Christmas ham: It doesn't have to be a ham. Maybe your family makes a turkey. Maybe you're vegetarian or vegan and eat something completely different. But have a nice Christmas dinner. Sit around the table, talk with the family, have a plateful and maybe have seconds — four weeks from now, you may be cursing the calories from those 25 sugar cookies and that second helping of ham, but this is Christmas! Enjoy the food and don't worry about how much you'll weigh in a month.
5. : This will not take place in your home — unless you live at the Magic Bag. For the 18th year, the Magic Bag is putting on Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Animation Festival. It's a mashup of various animated shorts and snippets that aren't exactly G-rated. It's a fun time, as long as you're 18 or older. So, on Dec. 26, get out of the house and check it out. Tickets cost $8, and the show runs through Dec. 31.