Free and cheap family events
After all the eating this Thanksgiving and the potential for lots of spending on Black Friday, you will definitely want to get up and active for as little as possible. So check out these free and cheap family events.
You can be thankful on Thursday that there is some place to take the kids either before or after the big feast. You and the family can check out the festively decorated Christmas trees and homes at Heritage Village, 11909 125th St. N, Largo. The Trees and Traditions exhibit will be open on select dates through Jan. 4. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. And if you can't get enough of seeing pretty Christmas trees, check out the UPARC Festival of Trees at the Harborview Center, 300 Cleveland St., Clearwater. The trees are decorated by artists and businesses and then sold for charity. The festival, which runs through Sunday, started in 1984 and has raised nearly $1.3-million. Fee is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $4 for ages 3-16 and hours vary.
If you want to run off a few calories before the big feed, check out the St. Petersburg Times Turkey Trot, a Thanksgiving tradition in its 30th year that 
begins at 7:15 a.m. Thursday at Jack White Stadium at Clearwater High School, 540 S Hercules Ave. There is still time to pre-register for the run, which includes two 5K runs, a 1K and the 10K. Online registration has ended but you can register at the Turkey Trot Kick-Off Party from 5-7:30 p.m. Wednesday night at the stadium. The free party will include snacks, live music, fun and games. If you don't want to run, you can cheer on the participants. I feel healthier just thinking about it.
On Friday, a pair of tree lightings will certainly get your family in the mood for the season. The Enchanted Tree Lighting at Old Hyde Park Village, 742 S Village Circle, in Tampa will begin at 6 p.m. and is free. Santa will be on hand to light the 30-foot tree and there will be musical performances, carriage rides, carolers and children's activities. An hour later at 7 p.m., the jolly tall one, Mayor Ricker Baker, will be on hand to light the holiday tree in St. Petersburg's Straub Park, Fifth Avenue NE and Bayshore Drive. And after you see the tree in St. Petersburg, you can enjoy a free showing of the original Miracle on 34th Street on movie, which will be shown on the exterior wall of the museum. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets and jackets.
Continuing on the holiday theme of this week's Free and Cheap, Beginning Saturday through Jan. 4, there will be a Holiday Garden Lights display at the Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. The exhibit is open from 6 to 10 p.m. each night and features more than 425,000 lights. It's free so head over and be thankful you aren't paying for the electricity for that display.
Finally, Mrs. Claus gets her due in the Wacky Tales Children's Theater production of Mrs. Santa Saves the Day at 1 p.m. Sunday at the St. Petersburg Little Theater, 4025 31st St. S. Admission is $4 and children under 2 are free.
Now, Santa has arrived at bay area malls so you can always have fun doing that. And this is only the first week of holiday events. There are plenty more events to carry you through to the big day.
Now, eat a turkey leg for me and make a wish on the wishbone that all your dreams -- clean house, giving to charity, fun with the kids -- will come true.
-- Sherry Robinson
[Photos: Festival of Trees Web site; Turkey Trot poster; Miracle on 34th Street handout]
Sharon Kennedy Wynne has sunscreen in her blood. She may have been born in Buffalo but she got here as fast as she could, in time for kindergarten. She grew up in St. Petersburg, graduated from the University of Florida journalism school, and even got married at Sunken Gardens. She's one of the few adults we know who actually loves taking her kids to the beach. She has two sons and with 10 years of parenting under her belt, she's starting to feel a little less out of her league. She comes from a large family and loves to debate, so brace yourself when the hot topics come up.
Amy Hollyfield is a workaholic mother of two young
daughters, blessed to have a work-at-home husband who makes their life possible. She was born in Detroit and moved around a lot as a kid (read: Air Force brat). She has lived in Florida since the month after she
graduated from Northwestern University. She lives for the yelps, hugs and kisses that greet her on nights that she makes it home before bedtime.
Sherry Robinson was born in the Sunshine State but she feels more comfortable inside a mall than outside at the beach -- thank goodness her husband is the outdoorsy type. He takes their two sons on night hikes, beach runs and bug hunts while Sherry does her best to take care of the homestead -- and find out what is new on the store shelves. A graduate of the University of South Florida in 19noneofyourbusiness, Sherry has been at the Times for nearly 20 years. And with nearly 10 years of parenting experience, Sherry is eager to offer up some great dish on raising kids and keeping your sanity.
Guest blogger Tracey Henry, a.k.a. Suburban Diva, is a frantic, slightly frazzled mother of four. She is a freelance humor writer and author which is the only thing that parenting four children ages 12-1 trains you for, except perhaps court jester and professional bull rider. She and her husband have lived all over the country, but settled in Florida eight years ago because the beachcombing is so much better here than on the banks of the Mississippi. Their family time includes a lot of sport -- both watching and playing -- and fun in the sun and surf. Catch her in Whoa, Momma! and on her site, 
Sherri Day and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world in early 2008. So far, she describes parenthood as exciting, exhausting and exhilarating. A self-described Southern belle with small-town values and big-city idealism, Sherri was born in rural Georgia. She received her bachelor's degree in journalism from Clark Atlanta University and her master's of journalism from the University of California at Berkeley. She is the Brandon bureau chief for the Times. Sherri moved to Tampa from Brooklyn four years ago.
Oh, one more thing.
How to dress for bicycling in Pinellas' winter:
What get's you is the cold wind. So, wear a top layer of clothes to break the wind and bottom layer to insulate against the cold.
Head: you can buy a skull cap at a bicycle shop. The cap is made thin to fit under your helmet and has a tight weave to block out the wind.
Torso: wear a windbreaker jacket with one or two sweaters under it.
Hands: wear windproof gloves that have a layer of insulation in them.
Legs: Wear one or two leg warmers. If your legs are still cold, put a plastic or paper bag between the leg warmers to block the wind.
Feet: A pair of thick or two pairs of thin socks with tight weave work. If you need more, put your feet in plastic bags. If just your toes need more assistance, cut a corner off a plastic bag and fit the corner over your toes.
Later in the day when the weather warms up, you'll be able to remove some of the layers. So, carry a bag to put the stuff you remove.
Posted by: Kimberly | November 27, 2008 at 07:01 AM
And there are always the Free Annual Holiday Bicycle Rides on major holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day, etc.) and Free Bicycle Rides each Saturday.
Info for all rides:
Who: ask for the Gib's Ride Group. The group is just right for people who do little or no exercise, people whose exercise is walking, and children. The group has a sweep who rides at the back to make sure slower bicyclists don't get left bicycling alone.
Where: North Shore Pool parking lot, 9th Avenue NE and North Shore Drive NE in St. Petersburg
When: the ride starts exactly at 8:30 AM. So you'll need to get there in sufficient time to get your bicycle out, find the Gib's Ride Group, and find out a little about the group so you don't accidentally get into one of the other groups. The ride starts so early because there are a lot fewer cars on the roads.
The ride ends about 10:00 AM. Then if there's a restaurant open, those of us who want to have breakfast together. Can't afford breakfast? Feel free to just get a cup of coffee or other beverage.
Must:
Bring bicycle helmet, bicycle, and water bottle for each rider.
It's good idea to bring a spare tube so we can help you change your flat tire if you get one.
Kids can come in trailers, on tandem extensions, or in child seats.
Minors must bring an adult to supervise them and written permission from a parent/guardian.
Obey all road laws.
If you get caught at a red light or stop sign, wait until it's safe and legal to proceed. The Gib's Ride Group riders who made it through are very good about stopping on a side street or slowing down so you can catch up.
Since the group rides on the roads, here are some things to tell your children before the ride:
Always ride in a straight line so you are predictable to other bicyclists and road users.
Never cut corners, especially on blind corners. Be sure to tell your child why.
With few exceptions, operate your bicycle like you would operate a motorcycle or car because bicycles are required to follow the same rules as motorcycles and cars.
There are other details that we can save until they come.
If you need advice about teaching your child to safely ride on the roads, ask Gib. He taught his kids and helped his grandchildren learn, too.
Posted by: Kimberly | November 27, 2008 at 06:48 AM