Oh, the four months of school and homework all building up to this blessed season: The Christmas break. It's a time for family, a time for giving. A time when the only bells you have to deal with are the ones that jingle and instead of a class schedule, you get that rare chance to concentrate on the TV schedule.

Most area schools let out today and don't start up again until Jan. 3. That gives you roughly 12 days of freedom. In days of old, there were 12 days and something about true love. We gave a little twist to an old classic. On the 12th day of vacay my school board gave to me ...

12 morns of sleeping

Unless you work, you no longer have to be anywhere in the single-digit hours of the day. Go ahead, sleep through the entire a.m. section.

11 nights of creeping

A Sunday night movie at 10? You betchya.

10 friends a calling

9 (hundred) kills in Halo

8 volunteer shifts

Several area churches serve meals to the less fortunate and you can help out. Christ Episcopal Church in downtown Cape Girardeau is holding a "Feast of Recovery" on Christmas Day at 5 o'clock. The Humane Society always needs volunteers, call them at 334-5837 or e-mail them at volunteer@semopets.org.

7 games o' bowling

West Park Lanes in Cape Girardeau is less than $5 a game. Their Cosmic bowling rolls from 11:30 to 1:30 Friday nights. Main Street Lanes in Jackson has December specials on lanes so grab some friends, don those funky shoes and bowl bowl bowl.

6 books for reading

Chayli Richardson, a sophomore at Central High School, said she mostly reads magazines, but Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein" is a must-read for the science fiction type.

5 mooooovies!

Now on the big screen: "P.S. I Love You," "The Golden Compass," "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "I Am Legend" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks."

4 nights of hoops

Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament: Wednesday through Dec. 29, at the Show Me Center

Saxony Boys Basketball Christmas Tournament: Wednesday through Dec. 29, at Saxony High School

3 study groups

Don't let your brain go to complete mush. Grab some friends, get some books and do some reviews for the spring semester.

2 pizza stops

and a day to see what Santa left me.

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The voice box

This week we asked area teens: What's your favorite Christmas movie?

"'Jingle All the Way.' Turboman. Where he has turboman."

Wyatt Martin, 15, Scott City High School sophomore.

"'A Christmas Story.' My favorite part is where he puts on the bunny suit."

Shawn Lee, 16, Scott City High School sophomore.

"'Elf.' Whenever he eats the spagetti with the syrup."

Craig Enderle, 16, Scott City High School sophomore.

Use your voice.

What do you think of Hollywood teenagers like Jaime Lynn Spears getting pregnant?

Text your opinion to our neXt crew at 573-200-3394.

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Next up

Friday

• Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic: Show Me Center, games begin at 4 p.m.
• New movies:

"Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story": Rated R, 1 hr 36 mins, Cape West Cine

"Sweeney Todd": Rated R, 1 hr 57 mins, Cape West Cine

"Charlie Wilson's War": Rated R, 1 hr 37 mins, Cape West Cine

"National Treasure: Book of Secrets": Rated PG, 2 hrs 4 mins, Town Plaza

"P.S. I Love You": Rated PG 13, 2 hrs 6 mins, Town Plaza

SATURDAY

• Holiday Christmas tours: Glenn House, 1 to 4 p.m.
• Santa Express: Iron Mountain Railway, Jackson, 1 p.m.
• "I'll Be Home for Christmas": Wesley United Methodist Church, Fruitland, 6:30 p.m.

SUNDAY

• "I'll Be Home for Christmas": Wesley United Methodist Church, Fruitland, 10:15 a.m.
• Holiday Christmas tours: Glenn House, 1 to 4 p.m.

NEXT WEEK

• Games

"Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games": Tuesday, Wii

• CDs

Soundtrack, "High School Musical 2: Non-Stop Dance Party": Wednesday

• DVDs

"The Kingdom": R, Wednesday

"The Brothers Solomon": R, Wednesday