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The 112th Annual Mummers Parade is fast approaching; by fast, we mean it’s in two days. An annual tradition, the Mummers Parade features 10,000 men and women decked out in lavish costumes (crafted all year long) as they twirl, sashay and strut up Broad Street. An unforgettably wild ritual, the parade is family-friendly and fun for everyone. It’s the best way to celebrate January 1 in Philadelphia. Be sure to reference our definitive parade guide so you’ll know where to stake out the best viewing spot, the new route this year and more. [Guide To The 112th Annual Mummers Parade]

Stephen Starr’s Jones is ringing in the New Year on January 1, 2012 with a complimentary champagne toast at noon, for all those who just don’t want the celebrations to end (or perhaps can’t quite remember the first time the ball dropped for 2012; no judgement). Enjoy Jones’ delicious brunch — monkey bread, anyone? — available all morning and afternoon. And don’t let the bubbly stop with the champagne; Jones has a great brunch cocktail menu as well. Afterwards, you’ll be in a perfect location to stroll down into Historic Philadelphia or head back up to Center City. [Jones]

The gorgeous views are as appealing as the food at R2L. (Photo courtesy R2L)

We already told you about R2l’s New Year’s Eve Penthouse Party, with special hors d’oeuvres by, live music, dancing and more.

But Daniel Stern’s posh spot atop Liberty Place, boasting stunning views of the city, is also offering a sweet start to 2012 with a two-course New Year’s Day brunch and dessert buffet, being served 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 1.

First course selections include duck and rye panzanella; crab and lobster spring roll; and oysters on the half shell, among other delicious dishes.

For the second course, choose from classics like steak and eggs; oeuf-aletta; roasted vegetable personal brunch pizzas; or butter-poached lobster tail with cream chipped lobster on toast.

Dessert buffet follows. The full menu is available online.

For reservations, call (215) 564.5337.

R2L Restaurant & Lounge New Year’s Day Brunch and Dessert Buffet
Where: Two Liberty Place, 37th floor
When: Sunday, January 1, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.
Cost: $45 per person, $15 children’s menu, Beverages additional
More info: www.r2lrestaurant.com

Watch the Mummers Parade from the Kimmel Center balcony, then head indoors for free performances, ticket giveaways, the Resolutions, snacks, drinks and craft-making. (Photo by Evelyn Taylor courtesy Kimmel Center)

If you’re celebrating the New Year by watching the Mummers Parade along Broad Street, you may want to stop by the Kimmel Center for some additional celebratory activities this New Year’s Day.

The 10th Anniversary of “Free at the Kimmel Center” continues with a day-long series of family-friendly performances and events on January 1.

All of the New Year’s Day activities, which take place from 10 a.m.-6 p.m., are in the Commonwealth Plaza. Snacks and drinks from Wolfgang Puck will be available in the PECO Café (think pigs in blankets, hot cocoa and Snowflake Martinis).

After each free performance, there will be ticket giveaways for groups like Philadanco, Curtis Opera Company, Broadway and Kimmel Center Presents and more in the Plaza, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.

The Free at the Kimmel Center New Year’s Day festivities will include the following performances and events:

10 a.m.–6: p.m.: Resolution Wall. In an effort to entice you to keep your New Year’s resolution this year, write it on the public wall for the world to see.

10:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m.: Have your kids take part in face painting, crafts and balloon animals, plus the Philly Pholders with origami designs for all ages. Be sure to see stilt walking and juggling master Kris Clayton.

11 a.m.: Boston-based singer-songwriter and children’s performer, Vanessa Trien, has become a rock star among the young and young at heart.

12:30 p.m.: Steve Pullara & His Cool Beans Band is a fun experience for the entire family.

2 p.m.: Celebrate the sounds of Broadway with students from the Broadway Dreams Foundation Summer Performing Arts Intensive program. Watch tomorrow’s stars perform numbers from Broadway shows such as Hair, West Side Story, Memphis and Beauty and the Beast.

3:30 p.m.: Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble, headquartered in Camden, has grown to be one of the largest professional authentic African Dance & Drum Ensembles in the country.

Kimmel Center New Year’s Day Celebration
When: January 1, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Commonwealth Plaza, 260 S. Broad Street
Cost: Free
More info: www.kimmelcenter.org

Get a bird’s eye view of the parade on Broad Street from the Kimmel's balcony, or stake out a spot at any of the six free performance zones along Broad Street. (Photo courtesy Kimmel Center)

Kick off the New Year in true Philly fashion by attending the 112th annual Mummers Parade presented by Sugarhouse Casino (new this year!) on January 1. We have a helpful guide to the Mummers, below.

Background

The Mummers’ tradition actually dates back to 400 B.C. with the Roman Festival of Saturnalias, where folks marched around in masks throughout a day full of satire and noise-making.

Today’s Mummers, who make up the oldest folk parade in the country, are serious business while still invoking the merry-making of bygone Mummers. Clubs work on the elaborately sequined and colorfully plumed costumes months in advance and practice their well-choreographed routines all year long.

It’s best to get an early start on the 1st to stake out a good spot on the parade route. While you’ll see the marchers all up and down Broad Street from South Philly to City Hall, you may want to position yourself at one of the free six performance zones so you can catch all the skits.

Six free performance zones:

• Broad and Shunk Streets
• Broad and Wolf Streets
• Broad Street and Washington Avenue
• Broad and Pine Streets
• Broad and Sansom Streets
• 15th and Market Streets

Ticketed seats:

• JFK Boulevard judging station: Purchase tickets for $19 in advance at the Independence Visitor Center or Fairmount Park Welcome Center for seats on the bleachers.

• Pennsylvania Convention Center: After a performance at Broad and Washington, the Fancy Brigades head to the Convention Center for ticketed shows at noon and 5 p.m. (tickets are $17 and available online). Before the noon show starts, snap pictures with performers on the show floor, and get in step with the merrymaking in a Giant Mummers Strut. You can also get a special sneak peek of the show on December 30 at 7 p.m.

For the outdoor parade, dress weather-appropriately as the show goes on rain or shine (or wind or snow or sleet…). And it wouldn’t hurt to pack a thermos of hot cocoa to keep you extra toasty.

We’ve included the detailed parade route map, below. Take a look because the route is a little different this year.

Mummers Parade
When: January 1, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Where: Parade runs along Broad Street, starting at Oregon Avenue and ending at JFK Boulevard (new this year)
Cost: Free along main route; $17 for Fancy Brigade shows
More info: www.mummers.com

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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

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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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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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.

You best arrive early to get lucky; New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are sure to be even more busy than ever at the always-bustling Federal Donuts. (Photo by S. Viggiano for GPTMC)

Federal Donuts, the ragingly popular donuts and fried chicken shop from master restaurant partners Michael Solomonov and Steven Cook, plus BODHi Coffee owners Thomas Henneman and Bob Logue and local food expert Felicia D’Ambrosio, is helping you ring in 2012, and say goodbye to 2011, in delicious style.

Federal Donuts, lovingly dubbed FedDo, will be serving their regular menu on New Year’s Eve and will stay open until they are sold out.

With record sales in record time since Day 1, the shop is sure to run out rather quickly of delicious fried sugary dough. So make sure you beat the clock and get there on the earlier side. (The shop opens at 7 a.m.)

Then, FedDo is designating New Year’s Day as Chicken Wing Day. Starting at noon, enjoy six whole wings for $9 or 12 whole wings for $17. Both come with Japanese pickles, a honey donut and your choice of seasoning or glaze. The shop will be open until they sell out.

Sounds like the perfect hangover snack (we didn’t say that) or Mummers Parade munchie. See you in line!

Federal Donuts
1219 S. Second Street
www.federaldonuts.com