Krohn Conservatory horticulturist Tracy Fryburger waters plants for the holiday display. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        It doesn't get much better than this: a major holiday, the promise of good weather, the kids off school and a four-day weekend for most parents.

        Lots of time to unwind and play after a Thursday spent hovering over a turkey waiting for juices to run clear.

        Decent weather will hang around most of the weekend, says AccuWeather meteorologist Carl Babinski. Look for a high of 56 and sun Thursday, light clouds and a high of 56 on Friday, a chance of rain Saturday with a high of 52, and a slightly cloudy, 54-degree Sunday.

Fountain Square's Christmas tree will be lighted for the holiday season starting Friday. The switch will be flipped at 6:30 p.m. (Dick Swaim photo) | ZOOM |

        That means you can play outdoors at scads of Christmas season kickoff ceremonies. Like Friday's switch-flipping on Fountain Square's Christmas tree (6:30 p.m.), or Saturday's Balluminaria (5-7 p.m.) filling Eden Park with hot air balloons glowing around Mirror Lake.

        Then again, you can opt for girl singers with hair biggerthanthis doing the Beehive thing, raise your own voice in a mighty alleluia at a Messiah Sing-In, head for Indiana and get a jump on Christmas shopping in Metamora's 100 funky shops, spend some quality time with Harry Potter, run off that turkey dinner — before you even eat it — at the 92nd Thanksgiving Day Race, or curl up on the couch and watch a miracle unfold on 34th Street.

        And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Check out what our Enquirer experts recommend, block out some time and go for it.
       

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