Being stuck in the Bowling Green area over winter break doesn’t have to be dull and boring. There are enough activities to do and things to see to keep you busy for at least a few days.

Quite possibly one of the most popular things to do in the area during the holiday season is visiting the Lights Before Christmas at the Toledo Zoo.

This is the 20th year for the festival of lights, which runs through December 31.

According to the Toledo Zoo Web page, more than one million lights make up more than 200 images of animals.

Bonuses for those who decide to check out the Lights Before Christmas on Thursdays are the ice carving demonstrations and live jazz performances, which are held every Thursday in December.

For those who don’t want to brave northwest Ohio’s cold December weather, there’s plenty to do inside.

This year, the Toledo Repertoire Theatre is presenting the Christmas classic, “A Christmas Carol,” at the Stranahan Theatre in Toledo.

“A Christmas Carol” presents the timeless story of Ebenezer Scrooge. Throughout the story, events like ghostly visits and seeing Tiny Tim with his family, teach Scrooge that money isn’t all that’s important, but love and family are.

The play will run for three days, December 16, 17 and 18.

Winter break could also be an excellent time to check out the Toledo Museum of Art.

The bonus here is that the museum has free admission, with the exception of some special exhibits.

The museum is featuring many exhibits, which run through December 31. Their Annual Fall Art Exhibition features national artists, as well as regional and local artists. Photographs of Marilyn Monroe will be featured in the “I Wanna be Loved by You” exhibit.

Sports enthusiasts will also have plenty to do over winter break. The Toledo Storm, Toledo’s AA hockey team, is playing three home games during winter break.

The Storm is in the Northern Division of the National Conference, which means the team plays teams from places like West Virginia, Illinois and Ohio.

Sports teams at the University will also be busy over winter break.

The men’s basketball and hockey teams will each be playing one home game over break.

Staying in the Bowling Green area over winter break doesn’t have to be boring and uneventful; you just have to know where to look to find fun.

The Lights Before Christmas, Toledo Museum of Art and sporting events are just a few of the things one can find to do.

To find more things to do, check out www.dotoledo.org for a searchable calendar of events. Many of the events listed are scattered throughout northwest Ohio, but some are in lower Michigan.