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Continue the New Year's party into the next day at Frankford Hall. (Photo courtesy Frankford Hall)

Frankford Hall is giving you a great excuse to roll out of bed on New Year’s Day.

The Fishtown beer garden is screening College Bowl games all day on the 60” flat screen at the bar inside, as well as their 8 ft. by 8 ft. projector in the courtyard, based upon the weather.

There will be Happy Hour prices all day long. That means half liter drafts are $5, liter drafts are $10, Bavarian pretzel with a half liter of Vitory Prima Pils is $6, a choice of sausage with half liter of any draft is $8 and french fries with delicious house-made curry ketchup is $3.

Six brand new, seriously impressive burgers created by Chef Jim Davidson have been added to the expanded menu, so if you need a real food fix, you’re set.

And not only are there 18+ heat lamps outside, complemented by an awesome new fire pit, the ping pong tables are still in full effect, as are the perfect-for-groups card and table games like Jenga and Uno.

Plus: if you wear your pajamas, Bloody Mary’s are just $2. We’re there.

New Year’s Day at Frankford Hall
Where: 1210 Frankford Avenue
When: January 1, all day
Cost: Pay as you go
More info: www.frankfordhall.com

Mallard ducklings are often reared at the Academy and used in live animal presentations. They make great education animals because they are a good size, hardy and recognizable. (Photo courtesy ANSP)

In honor of its 200th birthday, the Academy of Natural Sciences has been publishing a countdown of 200 stories that provide a glimpse into the institution’s rich history and amazing discoveries.

Story 110: Duckie, a long-time resident of the Academy’s Live Animal Center, might soon acquire the official record for being the world’s oldest duck!

Duckie arrived at the academy in June 1990 by accident, a lone mallard duckling in a shipment of chicks intended for feeding to the Live Animal Center’s snakes and birds of prey (shudder).

Luckily a staffer took a liking to Duckie and decided she’d be great as one of the academy’s many educational ambassadors. 21 and a half years later, Duckie has not only far surpassed the mallard duck’s average life expectancy, 10-15 years in captivity and only 5-10 in the wild; she also has outlived several of the mallards that ANSP has adopted since her arrival.

The oldest mallard duck on record is Desi, who was 20 years, three-and-a-half months at the time of her death in August 2002. It remains to be seen whether Philadelphia’s Duckie will find herself inscribed in history as the world’s oldest duck.

Stay tuned to 200 Stories for an update on Duckie’s contention for world-record fame. In the meantime, you can stop by the Academy’s Live Animal Center to pay a visit to the newest resident ducks, Lily and Daffodil.

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway
www.ansp.org

Christmas in Philadelphia is once again eco-friendly this year, with a tree-cycling program running Tuesday, January 3 through Saturday, January 14.

Since trees put out curbside will be collected as trash, you’ll want to be sure you help Philadelphia stay green and drop off your tree for recycling.

The Streets Department Sanitation Convenience Centers located at 3033 South 63rd Street; Domino Lane and Umbria Street; and State Road and Ashburner Street will be collecting trees from 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.

Christmas trees brought to the site should be free of all decorations, untied and without plastic bags or other wrappings.

You can contact the Customer Affairs Unit at (215) 686-5560 for further information.

You have a few additional options for treecycling, included below.

2012 Christmas Tree Recycling Program [Phila.gov]

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Ring in 2012 with two fireworks shows on the Delaware River as SugarHouse Casino once again presents Twice the Fireworks! Twice the Fun! (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

As we’ve mentioned, Penn’s Landing is once again hosting two spectacular fireworks shows this New Year’s Eve, one at 6 p.m. and one at midnight.

Take in the 6 p.m. show and spend the rest of your night out on the town, or enjoy a special dinner in the evening and conclude your night with the traditional midnight showing.

The displays, along the Delaware River, are about 15 minutes each, set against the beautiful backdrop of the Philadelphia skyline with fun soundtracks tailored to the shows. But where exactly is the best vantage point?

Leave that to us to help you decide. Here are our top picks for fireworks-viewing spots. You can also check out Visit Philly’s guide to fireworks-watching.

• Blue Cross RiverRink: Columbus Boulevard & Market Street. Winter sports enthusiasts cam celebrate at the Blue Cross RiverRink’s New Year’s Eve Party on Ice, a family-friendly affair that boasts one of the best views of the city’s breathtaking fireworks displays over the Delaware River. Skaters can catch one of two sparkling shows during the early (5-7 p.m.) and late (11 p.m.-1 a.m.) parties. Tickets are $30 for skaters and $20 for spectators.

• Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing: Chestnut Street and Columbus Boulevard. Head to the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing for a front-row view of the fireworks backed by a synchronized soundtrack during the spectacular show.

• Race Street Pier: Race Street and Delaware Avenue. This is an amazing spot to watch but we recommend you get there early, as it’s probably going to fill up fast. Also keep in mind that alcohol, BBQ and glass containers are not permitted at the Pier.

• Village Belle: 757 S. Front Street. Get a spectacular view of the New Year’s Eve fireworks at Penn’s Landing and a delicious four-course meal at Village Belle featuring lobster bisque, strip steak and cheesecake spring rolls with raspberry sauce. Choose from two seatings: 6 p.m. ($75 per person) and 9 p.m. ($125 per person). An open bar package is available for $50 per person.

• Independence Seaport Museum: Columbus Boulevard at Walnut Street. A maritime New Year’s Eve celebration is on deck at the Independence Seaport Museum along the waterfront. Grab a complimentary party hat and noisemaker before heading outside to the second-floor terrace to watch the fireworks spectacular over the Delaware River at 6 p.m. The museum comes alive at 8:30 p.m. during the Buccaneers Ball, a swashbuckler-themed New Year’s Eve celebration with live music, drinks, dinner and dancing ending with the fireworks show at midnight.

Continue reading, below.

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Great news, hockey fans!

We got our hands on two more tickets to the Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Citizens Bank Park on January 2, 2012 — and we’re giving them away to one lucky fan.

Ashley S. was the lucky winner of our first Winter Classic ticket giveaway and if you missed out on that, we have one more chance for you to win tickets to the big game

To enter, just fill out the form below by noon on December 29. You may enter once per day per email address, so enter all three days to increase your chance to win. The contest ends this Thursday. Click here for the official rules.

Good luck and GO FLYERS!

NHL Winter Classic: Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers
When: January 2, 2012 at 1 p.m.
Where: Citizens Bank Park, Citizens Bank Way and Pattison Avenue
More info: www.nhl.com/winterclassic

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The hallmark (so to speak) of Christmas is presents. That fact is no less true of the adorable animals at Camden’s Adventure Aquarium.

Check out the video above to watch a giant pacific octopus, penguins, hippos, terrapins and a porcupine receive their Christmas gifts from biologists at Adventure Aquarium.

We hope you enjoyed your gifts as much as these guys did!

Adventure Aquarium
1 Riverside Drive, Camden
www.adventureaquarium.com

New Year's in Philadelphia is huge this year, with an action-packed week starting December 26 through January 2. (Photo credits clockwise from top left: G. Widman for GPTMC, courtesy National Constitution Center, courtesy Center City District, courtesy the NHL)

From the day after Christmas until the day after the New Year, December 26 through January 2, there are plenty of exciting and entertaining events and activities for families, couples, singles, sports fans, culture vultures and everyone in between to do day and night in the Philadelphia region.

Visit Philly is New Year’s central, packed with fireworks-watching tips, great hotel packages, dinner and party ideas and more.

But before you head over there, we have a brief guide to making a week out of New Year’s this year.

Three highlights from major attractions:

• National Constitution Center’s Winter Holiday Celebration: This year the National Constitution Center has got your post-Christmas holiday fun covered, as it hosts a special Winter Holiday Celebration Monday, December 26 through Saturday, December 31. During the week, the Grand Hall Lobby will be home to a bunch of great holiday-themed activities, like holiday games and crafts making, where kids will be able to decorate their own confetti crackers, New Year’s noise makers and hats.

• Franklin Institute New Year’s Week: In honor of the final week of 2011 beginning Monday, December 26, the Franklin Institute is hosting a slew of special programming. The museum is opening its popular Joel N. Bloom Observatory to the public every night during the week of December 26-30. Plus, there will be chemistry shows, dino digs and more.

• Historic Philadelphia New Year’s Week: With something for everyone, Historic Philadelphia fills the holiday week with family-friendly activities and great dates from December 26-31. See a Colonial Chocolate-making Demonstration at the Betsy Ross House, enjoy free make-and-take crafts at Liberty 360 and more.

Keep reading, below, for 8 Days And 22 Ways To Spend Philly New Year’s Week! We’ll be back tomorrow with more fun ideas for spending New Year’s Eve and Day, and other great stuff going on in the coming weeks.

New Year’s Week in Philadelphia [Visit Philly]

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Celebrate the holiday with a trip to the beautifully adorned Love Park Christmas Tree, a wonderful representation of Philadelphia's city-wide holiday cheer. (Photo by M. Fischetti for GPTMC)

A very, very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from uwishunu!

You can reference our Christmas edition of Weekend Picks for ideas about how to celebrate, whether you’re looking for places to dine or holiday attractions to enjoy with friends and family.

Here’s to a happy and healthy holiday to all our readers!

Join the African American Museum in Philadelphia for two days of Kwanzaa celebrations, December 28 and December 31.

On Wednesday, December 28 from 1-1:30 p.m. and Saturday, December 31 from noon-12:30 p.m., there will be a special candle-lighting ceremony.

Learn the meaning of Kwanzaa and its rituals, discuss the Nguzo Saba, or Seven Principles, witness the candle-lighting, and sing along with Mlanjeni’s Magical Theater in this family-friendly program.

Then from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, and 12:30-1:30 p.m. on Saturday, Camara Arts will teach a Drum and Dance Workshop. Get the whole family moving towards a healthy, active new year while connecting through traditional African movement and music.

Wednesday from 2:30-4:30 p.m., or Saturday 1:30-3:30 p.m., Martina Johnson Allen and Tanya Murphy Dodd will teach a Mixing Media Art Workshop appropriate for all ages, drawing on themes from AAMP’s current exhibition, Mixing Metaphors.

Finally, from 3-4:30 p.m. on both days, the museum will screen The Black Candle, an explosive documentary that uses Kwanzaa as a vehicle to celebrate the African American experience. It’s narrated by Maya Angelou and directed by award-winning author and filmmaker M.K. Asante, Jr.

Bonus: attend the Wednesday Kwanzaa Celebration and you can enter for a chance to win 2 Southwest Airlines Tickets to anywhere that Southwest flies!

All Kwanzaa activities are free with museum admission.

Kwanzaa Celebrations at the African American Museum in Philadelphia
When: Wednesday, December 28 and Saturday, December 31
Where: 701 Arch Street
Cost: Adults $10, Kids 4-12/Students/Seniors $8
More info: www.aampmuseum.org

Thought the Philadelphia Fringe Festival was a once-yearly fall event?

You thought wrong. The festival has launched Scratch Nights, a new venture to keep Philadelphia’s artistic blood flowing all year long.

Scratch Nights are free, monthly events that are the next generation of the 2nd Thursday series at the Live Arts Brewery.

There will be beer, snacks and an interactive social scene to help bring artists and audiences together in the process of creating new works of dance, theater and cross-genre performance.

The inaugural Scratch Night will be Thursday, January 12 at 7 p.m. at the Live Arts Studio in Northern Liberties. There’s free onsite parking and abundant neighborhood street parking.

Admission is free, but let the crew know if you’re coming.

RSVP online or call (215) 413-9006.

Philadelphia Fringe Festival’s Inaugural Scratch Night
When: Thursday, January 12, 7 p.m.
Where: Live Arts Studio, 919 N. 5th Street
Cost: Free
More info: www.livearts-fringe.ticketleap.com