The Grinch is back: First staged in 1998, The Old Globe’s musical How the Grinch Stole Christmas has become a San Diego tradition. Following Dr. Seuss’ book down to the letter, the cast is comprised of local actors, with a children’s ensemble that rotates in every third performance. Show plays at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $19-$59. Call (619) 231-1941 to purchase tickets.

Country Christmas in Julian: Escape to the quaint town of Julian for a day of hiking, apple pie and hot cocoa, followed by an evening stroll amid the holiday lights decking out Main Street. Each evening, carolers stroll the streets at 5:30 p.m. Call (760) 765-1857 for further information.

Ice-skating at Horton Plaza: Ensuring that San Diegans really do have it all during the holidays, Horton Plaza decks itself out with holiday lights and its annual ice-skating rink. The rink is open throughout the holiday season from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 12:00 noon to 10:00 p.m. Sundays. Admission including skate rental is $10. Call (619) 234-1031 for more information.

Salsa it off: Café Sevilla hosts Club Sevilla, a Euro-Latin dance party, starting at 10:00 p.m. Leave the relatives on the couch and escape to Café Sevilla, located at 555 Fourth Ave. Cover is $6-$8. Call (619) 233-5979 for more information.

HI-AYH Christmas Bike Ride: Dust off that bike seat for a rough and rewarding bicycle tour covering 400 miles in six days. Or join the group for individual legs of the journey, including a 50-mile ride from the University of San Diego to Pine Valley; a 55-mile ride from Pine Valley to Warner Springs complete with a Julian apple pie stop; a 100-mile ride to Palm Desert and more. Now in its 48th year, the ride continues rain or shine. Call (619) 338-9981 for details.

To was or not to was: Popular ’80s band Was (Not Was) plays the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $17. The Belly Up is located at 143 S. Cedros Ave. Call (858) 481-9022 for tickets and information.

Truckee grooves: Jazz and rock aficionados the Truckee Brothers come to the Casbah at 8:30 p.m. along with The Transfer. With smash hits like “Wake Up You Little Floozy”, the Truckee Brothers’ twin-lead style keeps their chicken-hearted hesitations locked in the shotgun shack, gathering dust. Tickets are $8. The Casbah is located at 2501 Kettner Blvd. Call (619) 232-HELL for tickets and information.

Toy to the world: Celebrate the season at Legoland’s holiday block party, featuring a full-scale Lego Santa, sleigh and reindeer, a 7-foot tall display consisting of 51,100 bricks. The park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Call (760) 918-5346 for more information.

Media Schmedia: Join the Women’s Resource Center at The Center for an evening of political venting and discussion. Whether a CNN addict or a conscientious media objector, come discuss and plot with a group of intelligent women willing to ask questions. Media Schmedia takes place on the last Tuesday of every month at 8:00 p.m. in Room 2 at The Center. Call (619) 692-2077 ext. 206 for more information.

Origami trolls: Holiday guests still lingering? Running out of ideas? Take them to the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park, filled to the brim with craft works, Mexican art, dollhouses and more, with a gift shop crammed with good ways to burn holiday cash. The museum’s current innovative origami display does indeed include origami trolls, as well as dragons, bats and orcs. Admission is $6. Call (619) 239-0003 for more information.

Bridges to the backlot: Actor Jeff Bridges’ collection of photographs on display at the Museum of Photographic Arts in Balboa Park is an impressive collection of behind-the-scenes portraits from movies Bridges has worked on over the years, including shots of Michelle Pfeifer during filming for The Fabulous Baker Boys and someone with their head in a toilet on the set of The Big Lebowski. Admission to the museum is $4-$6. Call (619) 238-7559 for more information.

Surfer-shapers: Celebrate the non-existence of winter in San Diego by checking out the California Surf Museum’s latest exhibit, “Great Surfer-Shapers”, featuring photos, boards and blueprints of classic board shapes from legendary surfer-shapers like Duke Kahanamoku, Tom Blake, Lorrin “Whitney” Harrison, Dick Brewer and more. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Admission is free. The California Surf Museum is located at 223 N. Coast Hwy. in Oceanside. Call (760) 721-6876 for more information.

The Holiday Bowl: All you GLBT sports fans, we know you’re out there. Don’t miss the annual Holiday Bowl at Qualcomm Stadium, pitting the Pacific-10 Conference runner-up against the third selection from the Big 12 Conference in a clash of the college gridiron titans. Don’t forget to tailgate in the parking lot! Tickets are $48-$60. Call (619) 283-5808 for tickets and details.

Candlelight wine tasting: Slip away early for a romantic evening in Temecula. Indulge in a candlelit holiday wine-tasting event from 6:30 to 10:00 p.m. at Mount Palomar Winery, located at 33820 Rancho California Rd. Price for a complete series of tastings is $85 per person. Call (909) 676-5047 for additional information.