9 a.m. — Wake up and smell the coffee

12 p.m. — Grab lunch downtown at Black & Brew

2 p.m. — Sweat it out at Bonnet Springs Park

5 p.m. — Happy hour at Revival

• Discovering Bok Tower Gardens Guided Tour | Thursday, Dec. 21-Friday, Dec. 22 | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Bok Tower Gardens, 1151 Tower Blvd., Lake Wales | $5-$27 | Take a walking tour of the gardens to learn about their history and design.
• A Magical Snowy Wonderland | Thursday, Dec. 21-Saturday, Dec. 23 | 6-9 p.m. | Lakeside Village, 1479 Town Center Dr., Lakeland | Free | Watch the snowflakes swirl around Lakeside Village’s iconic tree at the top of each hour on select nights through December.

• Festive Fridays | Friday, Dec. 22 | 5-8 p.m. | Downtown Lakeland | Free | Stroll through Munn Park’s holiday lights and shop from local businesses during special late-night hours — live music and characters will also be present.
• Jingle Bell Gnome | Friday, Dec. 22 | 7-9 p.m. | Painting with a Twist, 3670 Harden Blvd., Lakeland | $41-$80 | Choose your canvas and paint this friendly festive gnome — add a DIY candle for an additional $20.

• Women’s Self-Defense Classes | Saturday, Dec. 23 | 1:30-2:30 p.m. | Kelly Recreation Complex, 404 Imperial Blvd., Lakeland | $15-$40 | Enhance personal safety, elevate confidence, and learn self-defense techniques in this class for women ages 15 and up.
• Jingle Bell Rock — A Live Band Karaoke Jam | Saturday, Dec. 23 | 7-10 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Take the stage and sing your favorite holiday songs, or cheer from the crowd while you enjoy your favorite Swan Brewing beer.

• Christmas Eve Brunch | Sunday, Dec. 24 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Terrace Grille, 329 E. Main St., Lakeland | Price of purchase | Kick off the holiday weekend with a Christmas Eve brunch — oysters, flat iron steak, and country ham are on the menu.
• Shawn Rahn w/ Brother Burgers | Sunday, Dec. 24 | 2-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Stop by to enjoy live music, eat burgers, and grab a gift card for a last-minute stocking stuffer.

• $0. That’s what you pay to park when you ride The Squeeze. Park your car in the dedicated parking lot at Tennessee Avenue and Walnut Street (just off Lake Morton) and hop on for your free ride to any downtown stop. Lunch shuttles operate Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. (WFTS)

• Polk is one of three area counties receiving funding via Florida’s Water Quality Improvement Grant Program — which is dispersing $210 million — for water pollution prevention measures. Polk, Lee, and Hillsborough counties will see nearly $40 million in funding, with $7.5 million earmarked specifically for Polk County. (Business Observer)

• Polk’s median home sale price dropped into the $200,000 range, but barely, this September. The median home price was $299,999, down from a median price of $310,000 in August. Pro tip: Check out Polk’s real estate market report on The Ledger’s database. (The Ledger)

• Alligator Alley is back open just in time for your holiday break hikes. Pro tip: We have a whole hiking guide just for you — peruse it to find the length, accessibility, difficulty, and pet-friendliness of every trail. (The Ledger)

• Inklings Book Shoppe is coming to 243 N. Florida Ave., but that wasn’t always the plan. Originally, the owners planned to move to a historic home on East Lemon Street. Readers can expect to shop used and antique books at its grand opening on Saturday, Jan. 6. Take a peek inside. (The Ledger)

• A Plant City seventh-grader got the ultimate holiday surprise when his brother, a soldier, reunited with him in the classroom. Watch the video and learn about the close-knit family — we hope you have tissues handy. (WFLA)

• Today marks the beginning of Yule — an ancient Germanic solstice festival honoring the shortest day of the year and the balance between light and dark. Celebrate with live music, luminaries, and more at Bok Tower Gardens’ Yuletide event today from 1:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

• Need to get up to date on health screenings, manage chronic conditions, or get treatment for an illness that’s derailing your day-to-day? Schedule an appointment with a primary care physician. Bonus: See Watson Clinic’s three newest primary care physicians (new appointments currently open).*

• Come fly with me. “Classroom to the Sky” returns Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, to help ignite students’ love for aerospace. This one-day program for 3rd–5th-grade teachers at the Aerospace Center for Excellence provides a pathway to passion by helping them infuse aerospace education into the classroom environment. Breakfast + lunch included.*

• Our quaint downtown decorated with twinkling lights
• Santa and his reindeer overlooking downtown
• A sparkling Christmas tree in Lake Morton