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Get some last-minute shopping and holiday merrymaking done at this treasured annual tradition. (Photo courtesy Christmas Village)

Of all the holiday attractions we designated as must-see’s, the Christmas Village at Love Park closes first.

You have only until this Saturday, December 24 to stop by the European wonderland featuring more than 50 international vendors selling arts, crafts and seasonal holiday gifts in quaint wooden booths.

There’s also a Life Size Advent calendar, Christkind photo wall where you can take pictures with friends or loved ones and a “Wish Wall” where you can hang a written wish on the wall.

When you’ve built up your appetite, head to the food tent for bratwursts, beer and other German specialties from Brahaus Schmitz, then quench your thirst with some hot German Gluhwien (mulled wine) from Chaddsford Winery. Save room for assorted pastries and European desserts.

Get some last-minute shopping and holiday merrymaking done at this treasured annual tradition.

Christmas Village in Philadelphia
Where: Love Park, 1500 Arch Street
When: Through December 24; Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. (Christmas Eve, hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.)
Cost: Free
More info: www.philachristmas.com

It's the most wonderful time of the year for a mug of warm spiced cider, mulled wine, hot buttered rum and the like. Luckily Philadelphia's bubbling over with hot drink options. (Credit: iStockPhoto)

Since today is the official onset of winter, we deemed it good timing to curate a guide to hot drinks in and around Philadelphia.

From freshly brewed coffee to sweet steeped tea, from hot milkshakes (yes, those exist; read on) to spicy hot toddies, Philadelphia’s bubbling over with hot drinks aplenty.

Keep warm this winter season with our handy guide to hot drinks, below:

Coffee

• Rival Bros Coffee: Jonathan Adams, executive chef of both Pub & Kitchen and The Diving Horse in Avalon, NJ, and Damien Pileggi, an artisanal coffee expert, teamed up to launch Rival Bros Coffee, a small-batch, custom coffee roaster that encompasses an e-store and mobile coffee shop, The Rival Bros Truck. Their truck is located at LOVE Park every weekday morning from 7-10:30 a.m. and at various locations in the afternoon.

• Burlap and Bean: Offering its own Fair Trade Certified, Certified Organic beans roasted in-house, Newtown Square’s Burlap and Bean distinguishes itself as an ambitious independent spot with a cozy, welcoming atmosphere.

• Chestnut Hill Coffee Company: Patrons can catch a tantalizing whiff of caramelizing beans at the upstairs roastery here. Downstairs, the coffee bar turns out elaborate swirls of latte art. The alt-rock soundtrack and homemade soups are a bonus.

• Garces Trading Company: Celebrity chef Jose Garces is as serious about coffee as he is about his food, so it’s no surprise that the signature roasted beans at Garces Trading Co. lend themselves to a memorable French press.

• La Colombe: Inarguably the originator of Philly’s first wave of coffee, La Colombe remains the go-to spot for rich Italian-style espressos and excellent machiattos.

• Old City Coffee: With two high-traffic locations — one in Old City, the other in the Reading Terminal Market — Old City Coffee has produced fresh, tiny batches of high-grade Arabica coffee for more than 25 years now.

• Rocket Cat Café: Amid the well-documented Shepard Fairey mural, thrift-store furnishings and vegan snacks at Fishtown’s Rocket Cat Café is a worthy espresso roasted by GreenStreet Roasters, which roasts only Fair Trade Certified and Organic Certified coffee.

• Gryphon Café: Serving up house-roasted, organic coffee along with a weekly schedule of independent music acts and open mic-nights, Wayne’s Gryphon Café keeps its visitors awake and entertained.

• Milkboy Philly: Milkboy, which first built its following with outposts in Ardmore and Bryn Mawr, has opened a Center City location, making its coffee, veggie-friendly meals and live music available to the downtown crowd. Bonus: the new rock venue has a liquor license to balance out any espresso-induced jitters.

Read on, below.

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It's officially winter, and although we have yet to experience the season's first substantial snowstorm, it's sure to be around the corner. Good thing Philadelphia shines just as brightly in the icy months. (Photo by M. Edlow for GPTMC)

Today, December 22, is the first official day of winter.

Though the wind chill factor has been a little erratic, there have definitely been days in recent weeks that have felt like straight-up Philadelphia winter.

Rest assured we’ll be helping you out all season long with tips on staying warm with hot drinks, where to dine by the fireside, what to do indoors when it’s snowing out and more.

Happy Winter!

Winter Events [Visit Philly]

 
Very cool to see an iconic Philadelphia brand like Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews playing up its hometown Philly pride, as they do in a series of new commercials. Bonus: the spots are pretty hilarious.

Legendary Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Ron Jaworski is the star of one commercial. In another, they proudly refer to the candy’s local origins:

“As you can see, Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews have brand new packaging, but it’s still the same Peanut Chew we’ve making for years right here in Philadelphia.”

Well done, Goldenberg’s.

Also cool: Goldenberg’s is returning to the vintage packaging that we all came to know and love every year at Halloween. Not to mention finalizing a new sponsorship of the Philadelphia Union.

Totally awesome, indeed.

Jaws commercial below.

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Make New Year's Eve memorable with one of the city's many live concerts. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

In case you haven’t heard, New Year’s in Philadelphia is huge.

There are two sets of spectacular free fireworks, one at 6 p.m. and one at midnight, in addition to the annual Mummer’s Parade on New Year’s Day and, this year, the NHL Winter Classic: Philadelphia Flyers vs. New York Rangers outdoors at Citizens Bank Park. (Psst: we’re giving away tickets; enter here.)

There are plenty of New Year’s Eve dinner options and party picks. But if you’re looking for something more unexpected, more unique, we have some choices for you, as well.

Our top picks for alternative New Year’s Eve celebrations, below:

• Free at the Kimmel: Sing in the New Year!: Starting at 5:30 p.m., enjoy festive and tuneful chamber works by Vaughan Williams, Handel, Poulenc, Philadelphia’s own Andrea Clearfield and more. Wolfgang Puck will provide Peppermint Martinis, Snowflake Martinis, Pigs in a Blanket and Candy Cane Cocoa, something for everyone in the family.

• Philadelphia Orchestra New Year’s Eve Concert: Watch Philly’s favorite orchestra perform at 7:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Head out to Commonwealth Plaza afterwards to enjoy free music and treats (see above). Tickets start at $39.

• 2nd annual New Years Eve Yards Beer Dinner at Kennett: Expect a nice, intimate evening of Yards beers paired with Kennett’s delicious fare. There will be two special beers making an appearance that night: Olde Bartholomew barleywine, and the very limited Yardbird Abbey Dubbel. 4 courses for $65.

• Bistro Romano’s Mystery Dinner Theatre: Here’s your chance to partake in a unique and exciting theatrical production. The cast sets the stage for intrigue, murder and mayhem. The audience holds the key to unlock the mystery and uncover the conspiracy, all while enjoying a four-course meal. Who knows? You could be the murderer! $42.95 (Dinner $32.95 and Show Admission $10) per person. Price includes show, four course dinner and hors d’oeuvre reception in the piano lounge prior to the performance.

Many more options, below.

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Put the ho ho ho in your holiday with ComedySportz Philadelphia’s “A Very Special Ladies and Gentlemen Christmas Special,” on stage starting tonight, December 21, through December 23.

It’s a fully-improvised musical comedy for the holidays, the perfect complement to a festive dinner or drinks in the city.

Every night, the players combine your suggestions with live music and the spirit of such holiday classics as White Christmas, Miracle On 34th Street, and It’s A Wonderful Life.

“A Very Special Ladies and Gentlemen Christmas Special” uses this recipe to present a brand new musical with all the charming characters and hummable tunes you expect from a holiday show.

Everything is completely made up on the spot for your enjoyment! And it’s only $12.

Tickets are available online.

ComedySportz Philadelphia’s “A Very Special Ladies and Gentlemen Christmas Special”
When: December 21-23; 8 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, 10 p.m. on Friday
Where: The Playground @ The Adrienne Theater, 2030 Sansom Street
Cost: $12
More info: www.comedysportzphilly.com

Make planning easy with one of the bonus-packed New Year's Eve hotel packages available this year. (Photo courtesy Philadelphia Marriott Downtown)

This year you can celebrate the New Year in Philadelphia and save, thanks to some great hotel packages.

First of all, be sure to take a look at the Philly Overnight® Hotel Package, which snags you two nights accommodations, free hotel parking (a $75+ value at most Center City hotels) and a With Love teddy bear.

In addition to the extremely popular Philly Overnight, Visit Philly has a fleshed-out guide to New Year’s Eve hotel packages — helpful if you’re visiting from out of town, assuredly, but also if you’re local and looking to make the holiday extra-special or just avoid having to designate a driver for the evening.

We’ve selected a few top picks; then head over to Visit Philly for the full guide.

For the Fun-Loving Family

• Marriott Courtyard Downtown: Starting at $338, get a two night stay, two tickets to MummersFest and a backstage tour of the Mummers Fancy Brigade Family Finale at the Pennsylvania Convention Center on January 1. Available for arrival on December 30 or 31.

For the Chic Couple

• Sofitel: Starting at $450, get upgraded accommodations for December 31, valet parking, two tickets to the Philadelphia Orchestra New Year’s Eve Concert, a pre-performance cocktail served with complimentary amuse bouche in Liberte, breakfast for two served at Chez Collette and late check-out on Sunday.

For the Pair Craving A Weekend Getaway

• Crowne Plaza Philadelphia West: A little farther removed from the city proper, the Crowne Plaza is offering, starting at just $179, overnight accommodations, a $50 gift certificate to Avenue Grill plus breakfast for two (so you hardly have to leave your room), drop-off shuttle service to the Mummer’s Parade and late check-out at 2 p.m. Plus, you can add on Friday or Sunday night for just $79.

For the History Buffs

• Comfort Inn Downtown/Historic Area: Want to be close to the action? The fireworks take place at Penn’s Landing, plus you’ll be right in the thick of Philadelphia’s most richly historic quarter. Starting at $219, get overnight accommodations for up to four per room, Deluxe Continental Breakfast and valet parking.

The Center for Green Schools, an arm of the U.S. Green Building Council, just released its list of Best of Green Schools 2011, and Philly came in at #1! The Center states, “As the eighth largest school district in the country, Philadelphia is making major strides along a path of sustainability.” All 291 public schools have made great green progress this year — all new schools will be LEED Silver, and the Kensington Creative and Performing Arts High School (students pictured at left) is the district’s first LEED Platinum facility — so it’s incredibly awesome to see the recognition. [The Center for Green Schools]

This year there will be two fireworks displays over Penn's Landing meaning you will have twice the opportunities to ring in the New Year with a spectacular fireworks show paired with a great party. (Photo by G. Widman for GPTMC)

Get out your party hats and chill the champagne; it’s time to party like it’s 2012.

Before the New Year makes its explosive entrance with Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun on the Delaware River, join fellow revelers at one of the many New Year’s Eve celebrations celebrations throughout the region.

Below, we’ve included a few top spots to ring in 2012 that also offer great views of the fireworks displays.

And be sure to check out Visit Philly for a complete guide to New Year’s Week in Philadelphia.

• Blue Cross RiverRink: The Blue Cross RiverRink is hosting their 18th annual 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.

• SugarHouse Casino: If presenting Twice the Fireworks, Twice the Fun: New Year’s Eve Shows at 6 p.m. and midnight on the Delaware Waterfront wasn’t enough, SugarHouse Casino is hosting a New Year’s Eve bash of their own. The festivities include an open bar and hors d’oeuvres from 10 p.m–midnight, live music from The Dane Anthony Band, a champagne toast and a private viewing area for the fireworks. $65 in advance, $75 at the door.

• Independence Seaport Museum: A maritime New Year’s Eve celebration is on deck at the Independence Seaport Museum along the Philadelphia waterfront. Those who arrive early can explore the museum, including historic ships Submarine Becuna and Cruiser Olympia. Just before 6 p.m., everyone will head outside to the second-floor terrace with their noisemakers, party hats and sparkling apple cider to watch the fireworks spectacular over the Delaware River. Get out your black tie for the Buccaneers Ball, 8:30 p.m.–midnight. Enjoy an evening of dinner and dancing followed by the spectacular New Year’s Fireworks display on the Delaware River. $175 per person.

• Adventure Aquarium: Sea creature lovers can party with the fishes at Adventure Aquarium’s Deep Sea Splash. After enjoying the colorful, funny and majestic underwater animals, guests can dive in to the hors d’oeuvres, food stations and open bar and catch a great view of the fireworks while toasting with champagne. Music and entertainment round out the New Year’s adventure. $125 per person.

Check out more fantastic New Year’s Eve celebrations below.

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We can’t think of anything better to do the day after Christmas than continue the celebrations.

Particular if the celebrations involve libations. Good thing World Cafe Live is hosting Winterfest ’11 Beer Tasting, its 4th annual winter celebration of beer.

From 5-9 p.m. on Monday, December 26, sample unlimited offerings of more than 30 breweries, many local, including Stoudts, Victory, Weyerbacher, Yards and Sly Fox.

Expect special seasonal and holiday brews in addition to standard beers.

World Cafe Live’s full-service bar will also be open, selling sodas, wine and spirits.

Tickets are just $35 and you can get them in advance online.

Last we checked, there were only a few left so hop (get it?) to it!

Winterfest ’11 Beer Tasting
Where: World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut Street
When: Monday, December 26, 5-9 p.m.
Cost: $35
More info: www.tickets.worldcafelive.com