Living in LoCo correspondent Tom Regan writes about the Lovettsville area and has this dispatch for us.

Christmas is coming, and we face the yearly problem of how to keep the kids entertained for the two-week-long winter break. (Two weeks! Back in the day, we got off on maybe the 23rd and then had to be back the first school day after New Year’s Day.)

This is not like the summer break, when we have several months to plan how to keep four children entertained for prolonged periods. It’s easier in the summer when you can just tell them, “Go outside and play” and that’s that. It’s hard to do that when the temperature is below freezing. Regardless of any “Canadian-ness” my children may have inherited from me, they appear to be more like their mom who, coming from the South, regards any form of cold as a personal affront.

My daughters Bobbie (second left) and Peri (third left) make Christmas candies with friends Irene (left) and Ella (far right). (Photo by Tom Regan)

We’re not traveling anywhere this December. Although the plummeting price of gas makes a trip an attractive idea, the souring economy is behind our “staycation.” So my wife and I sat down to plan. After a lot of back-and-forth, this is what we came up with:

1) Movie Marathon: We don’t get cable TV on Taylorstown Road. And I won’t buy a satellite dish, because I’ve always believed they look like carbuncles. We have a new digital receiver, but what they don’t tell you about digital receivers is that unlike analog signals, you either get a signal or you don’t. That means I had to buy a 32-foot cable in order to move the antenna around my living room, trying to pick up various stations. And that’s why I love movies. I would suggest a “movie marathon day.” Do an entire Christmas movie selection. I would suggest “Elf,” “The Santa Clause,” “The Polar Express,” “Scrooged,” “A Christmas Story,” to finish with the 1951 version of “A Christmas Carol.” (It’s still the best.) Or the entire “Harry Potter” series. Or “Star Trek.” Or “Indiana Jones.” Make lots of popcorn and settle in for a movie feast.

2) Holiday Hiking: Many people like to go skiing at Christmas. Meh. My family and I love to hike, which is both better exercise and a lot less expensive. Yes, this means going out into the cold, so you have to bundle up. But there are lots of lovely trails about the Lovettsville area that build up a great appetite for Christmas dinner or leftovers.

3) Stargazing: This time of year is not just for trying to catch a glimpse of Santa. It’s the winter solstice, when the dark nights end and the days start to grow longer. So it’s a great time to get out the astronomy maps - there are lots and lots of them online, if you do a quick Google search - and spend an evening stargazing at the winter sky. Follow it up with lots of good hot chocolate and you’ve got yourself a cozy evening. (You can get lots of star gazing info at StarDate Online or at Astronomy.com.

4) Making Movies: You have the movie camera out for Christmas, so give it to the kids and let them shoot and edit their own movies. (You can fine free software online, or if you’re on a newer Mac, it’s already part of your system.) Don’t have a video camera handy? Give the kids the digital camera and let them shoot, print and create a Christmas album on the spot! Capture all those relatives while you have ‘em!

5) 21st-Century Christmas Cards: Have an electronic Christmas Card-Sending Day. It’s hard to get kids to write cards. But using one of the many electronic cards services can keep them occupied for hours as cards are browsed, selected and sent.

6) Parents Out of the Kitchen Day: The day after Christmas, let the kids take over the kitchen. They can play and cook dinner. Hey, it’s leftovers! How hard can it be? You’ve done enough.

7) Board Game Night: Let the kids haul out all the board games in the house to see which have all the necessary parts. Toss the ones missing crucial bits and then pick from among the ones that are intact to play. (This one is great, because you manage to get the kids to clean out the house a bit, too!)

8) Take in the Lights: This is one of our family’s favorite Christmas activities. We just hop in the car early in the evening and drive around our town or area to look at Christmas decorations. (Check out LoudounExtra.com's holiday decorations map for some suggestions of where to go.)

9) Make Christmas Candies: This is a favorite activity in our house. We get all the neighborhood kids together, melt a little chocolate (we buy different colored chocolates from a place like Michael’s), get some inexpensive candy molds, a few paint brushes and make chocolate masterpieces. (It’s a bit messy, but who cares.) Mind you, none of them last too long.

10) Organize a Neighborhood Levée: In this French-Canadian tradition for New Year’s Day, families and friends go from home to home on the first day of the new year for a drink of eggnog, a cookie and some good cheer. It’s a great way to celebrate the New Year. Families can organize a schedule of when people will be “in.” The kids can help plan, organize the schedule and decide on the goodies.

How about you? How do you keep your family happy and occupied during the winter break? Suggestions are welcome in the comment section below.