Sleigh bells ring. Are you listening?

The holidays are upon us and your To Do list is growing faster than a speeding bullet. In the mad dash to buy the right sweater for Aunt Myrtle, what happens to quality family time? Remember the little ones who remind you about Santa coming to town?

Many students will be out of school for the holidays mid-December. How can you keep them entertained without adding to your load? The movie A Christmas Story is a seasonal tradition in our household but lets face it. Few parents want to sit their kiddos in front of the tube for hours on end. You could flip through the paper to find some good events, but then youll need to research the activity further to determine if its appropriate for your child. Save yourself the trouble. Ive researched numerous family-friendly activities in Houston. Here are a few favorites to help you spend more time with your family and less time in chaos.

Seasons of Sharing runs at the Childrens Museum of Houston through January 8. This annual exhibit celebrates Kwanzaa, Ramadan, Diwali, Christmas, Las Posadas, Hanukkah, and Lunar New Year. This gives children a chance to learn how the holidays are celebrated around the world. Open your kids eyes to cultural differences and discuss the reasons why you celebrate the way you do. Then, spend time enjoying the Museums fantastic other features like KID-TV, the Bubble Lab and the Expressions art studio. Admission is $5, but Thursdays 5-8 p.m. are free or visit Tuesday Sunday 3-5 p.m. for only $3. Children under 2 are free daily. The Museum is located at 1500 Binz in the Museum District. www.cmhouston.org 713-522-1138

The Houston Symphony shares holiday cheer with A Very Merry Pops, evenings December 9-12 at Jones Hall. Kids age five and up can indulge in some fantastic holiday music. Photographs of children enjoying the holidays will be projected on two large screens during one musical piece. Families can e-mail photographs of their children to holiday.photos@houstonsymphony.org but see the details online first. Purchase tickets, $27 and up, online at www.houstonsymphony.org or call 713-224-7575.

Looking for some free fun? Theres just nothing like packing the car full of kids, blankets and hot cocoa to drive around town looking at holiday lights. Check out the themed streets in Shepherd Park Plaza and Candlelight Plaza, north of Garden Oaks. Foleys department store on Main Street in downtown Houston decorates with moving tin soldiers, garland, and stars. These huge decorations remind Houstonians of former holidays when so many went all out for the season. Good job!

Count your blessings. No matter what your religion, all can recognize how blessed we are. This holiday season, give back to your community by encouraging children to participate in the giving (not just receiving). Kids can do extra chores to earn money to donate to the Salvation Army collection spots around town. Load up nonperishable goods and take them to the Houston Food Bank so others have plenty to eat this season. Do a good deed just to help another and reap the reward of knowing you made someone else feel special.

www.salvationarmyhouston.org/ 713-752-0677; www.houstonfoodbank.org/ 713-223-3700; www.khou.com/community

Happy holidays!