With the holiday season approaching more quickly than ever, many look for fun ways to entertain themselves and guests over the break.  It is not uncommon to spend lots of free time on smartphones and laptops, but the DMV is filled with Holiday activities of every kind, for everyone, many of which are inexpensive or free.

Must-see Holiday Movies:

 Movies are a popular option, especially with the highly anticipated sequel of the Hunger Games, Catching Fire, coming to theaters Nov. 22.

 Junior, Natalie Corbo, who is curious about the film said, “The only reason I want to see it is because I watched the first one, and even though it got a lot of criticism, I liked reading the books.”

 Others to see include the Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (opening Dec. 13), Anchorman 2 (opening Dec. 20), and for the little ones,  Disney’s Frozen (opening Nov. 27).

Outdoor Ice Skating at Reston Town Center Pavillion:

Reston Town Center is another festive option because not only it is a great place to go shopping for gifts, but it offers outdoor ice skating throughout the winter at their pavillion as well (adults pay $10 to skate plus $5 for skate rentals, bringing your own skates is also an option).

Wolf-Trap Holiday Sing-Along:

 For those seeking a classic family event, there is the Wolftrap Holiday sing-along on Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 4 p.m.  This is a free event, however, it is recommended that you bring a toy donation for the Salvation Army’s, “Toys for Tots.”

Shopping in Georgetown:

 For the ladies, a trendy shopping experience awaits at Georgetown, where you can explore everything from Anthropologie, to Zara, to Steve Madden, and end the day at Georgetown Cupcake.  For select Saturdays during the season, there will be free pedicab rides offered from 12-5 p.m.

Display at United States Botanical Garden:

 While in the D.C. area, you can visit the United States Botanical Garden for their “Season’s Greetings” event, which features the largest indoor-decorated Christmas tree in D.C., a massive poinsettia display, and a fantasy train display, which is great for children.  The display will be open to the public from Nov. 28 to Jan. 5.  In D.C., you can also view the National Christmas Tree located on the mall.

Festivities in Historic Leesburg:

 If you are near Historic Leesburg, you can enjoy the fine arts holiday craft fair on Saturday, December 7 from 9-4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10-4 p.m.

 On Dec.14, Leesburg will also be having a rock n’ roll holiday concert called “Jingle Jam” for two shows, one starting at 2:30 p.m. and one at 8 p.m., the cost is $20 for a ticket.  For a milder show, there is the “Jr. Jingle Jam” starting at 11 a.m.   All proceeds benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

  If Virginia experiences an irregularly snowy winter, or you simply cannot bring yourself to leave bed, nothing beats watching ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas with a cup of hot chocolate, and spending the days with loved ones.