Starting Monday, Hutchinson students will begin their holiday break. For the next nine days, there’s no bus to catch, homework to finish or deadlines to meet. It begs the question – what is there to do? To help, here are 10 suggestions:

1. Go shopping. The day after Christmas – Wednesday, Dec. 26 – is a great day for bargain hunting especially if you’re looking to pick up seasonal items. Unlike Black Friday, which started on Thanksgiving night this year, many of the big box stores will be closed Christmas Day with plans to open early – 5 a.m. for Walmart – on Dec. 26. Got gift cards? Now is a good time to take advantage of seasonal sales.

2. Go to a movie. Century 9 will begin its holiday matinee schedule on Friday, Dec. 21, through Tuesday, Jan. 1.

The State Theatre will follow suit, with its matinee schedule beginning Saturday, Dec. 22. It will also show two holiday films – “Polar Express” and “Elf” – twice a day through New Year’s Day, plus its regular movies. The weekend of Dec. 28, the State will celebrate its 75th anniversary with movie discounts, BYOB (Bring your own bowl) popcorn special and more. Don’t forget to enter the drawing for prizes, too.

3. Get physical. Go sledding at Kiwanis Park Sliding Hill, 20 Fifth Ave. N., or skating at the outdoor rink at Northwoods Park, 889 Elm St. N.E. The warming houses for these outdoor venues will open for the winter season on Thursday, Dec. 20. Hours are: 3:30 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 1 to 8 p.m. on weekends and non-school days. The warming houses will be closed Dec. 24 and Dec. 25 in observance of the Christmas holiday. The Park Elementary Volunteer Outdoor Rink is in the process of being flooded for the season. The shelter will not be open for use as a warming house. People using the rink are welcome to bring shovels to help clear off the ice before skating.

Indoor skating is also available at Burich Arena, 950 Harrington St. S.W. Holiday hours: Adult and Family Hour, $2 students, $3 adults, $5 family: 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 23, and Sunday, Dec. 30. Open Skating, $2 students, $3 adults; closed on Monday, Dec. 24, and Tuesday, Dec. 25, in observance of Christmas; reopens from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, Dec. 26-28; 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 30; 2 to 3:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and Tuesday, Jan. 1.

Open gym is available at the Hutchinson Rec Center, 900 Harrington St. S.W. Holiday hours are:

Monday, Dec. 24: Open gym: 9 a.m. to noon, $2 per person; indoor playground: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., $2 per child or $3 per family.

Tuesday, Dec. 25: Closed in observance of Christmas.

Wednesday, Dec. 26: Open gym: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; indoor playground: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. (Same fees apply as listed for Monday.)

Thursday, Dec. 27: Open gym: 9 to 11:30 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m.; indoor playground: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.; and adult open basketball from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., $2 per person

Friday, Dec. 28: Closed. No open gym.

Saturday, Dec. 29: Open gym from 1 to 4 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 30: Family open gym: 4:30 to 6 p.m., $2 per person, $3 per family; adult open basketball from 6 to 8 p.m., $2 per person

Monday, Dec. 31: Open gym: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; indoor playground: 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 1: Closed in observance of New Year’s Day.

Go bowling. Hutch Bowl, 1150 State Highway 7 W., Hutchinson, offers open bowling during the holidays. Call for times at 320-587-2352.

Go swimming at the AmericInn, 1115 State Highway 7 E., Hutchinson. Call for availability at 320-587-5515.

4. Build a snowman. The weather must be willing – if there is snow and the temperature is above freezing – bundle up and head outdoors to create your own Frosty. Remember, you’re not limited to building a snowman. Flex your creativity and design a snow dragon or build a fort. There’s always the fun of launching a snowball fight or making snow angels.

5. Visit the library. The Hutchinson Public LIbrary, 50 Hassan St. S.E., offers unlimited opportunities for adventure. Reserve a computer and play some games. Look for a good book to read. Page through a magazine. Check out a DVD movie. Six is the limit you can check out at a time. Share a newspaper. You don’t need a library card to spend time at the library, but if you want to take an item home, you need a card. Uncertain what the library has to offer? Stop by the front desk and ask. Sherry Lund, the children’s librarian, can offer many suggestions for children. Holiday hours: Closed on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 24-25, in observance of Christmas; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 26-27; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Monday, Dec. 28-31; closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day. Regular hours resume Wednesday, Jan. 2.

6. Get inspired. Visit the Hutchinson Center for the Arts, 15 Franklin St. S.W. Through Dec. 28, the art center will feature its Art and Fine Craft Holiday Gift Gallery featuring the original work of more than 20 local artists. Holiday hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 24; closed on Tuesday, Dec. 25. The art center will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and closed on New Year’s Day.

7. Discover history. The McLeod County Historical Museum, 380 School Road N.W., Hutchinson, offers a bird’s-eye view of local history. Did you know Bergen Township was named after the city on the west coast of Norway or the site of Glencoe along Buffalo Creek had formerly been the place where the Sioux slaughtered buffalo? The Civil War becomes local when you discover that Brownton received its name from Captain Alonzo Brown in honor of his brother, Charles, who died in the Battle of Corinth. Music takes on a new meaning when you learn Hutchinson was named after its founders – the famous Singing Hutchinson Brothers.

Currently at the museum is a fur display featuring a variety of cold weather apparel plus an exhibit of Christmas decorations from years past.

The exhibition hall features displays of the nine towns in McLeod County: Biscay, Brownton, Glencoe, Hutchinson, Lester Prairie, Plato, Silver Lake, Stewart and Winsted. Plus, examples of early county businesses.

Minnesota wildlife artist Les Kouba, a Hutchinson native, has a room in the museum devoted to his career as a graphic designer and painter. His commercial work included calendar art for Brown & Bigelow, the Red Owl logo and artwork for Schmidt beer. As a painter, his art was selected twice to appear on the Federal Migratory Waterfowl Stamp as well as on the first Minnesota waterfowl stamp.

The museum will be closed Monday, Dec. 24, and Tuesday, Dec. 25, in observance of Christmas. The museum will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Dec. 31, and closed on Tuesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year’s Day. Its regular hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, and from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday.

8. Get rid of it. With the arrival of new gifts for Christmas, it’s a great time to get rid of the old to make room for the new. If you’ve got toys no one plays with or clothes the kids have grown out of, pass them on to people who can use them. With the children on holiday break, it’s a great time to sort through things together. It’s also an opportunity to impress upon young minds the value of giving. Donating items you’re no longer using helps others.

Clean clothes that are in good repair can be donated to the Disabled American Veterans via the green metal boxes around town. Make sure the box says DAV. WCI Thrift Store, 900 State Highway 15 S., Hutchinson, takes clean clothes and toys in good repair. The Hutchinson Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store, 25 Main St. N., takes clean clothes and small toys in good repair. Twice Is Nice Thrift Store, 35 Academy Lane N.W., Hutchinson (on the campus of Maplewood Academy), also takes clean clothes in good repair.

9. Spend time with family. The holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with family. Talk to your grandparents, aunts and uncles and your parents about your family history. Ask how they spent Christmas and New Year’s when they were growing up. Learn about where you came from. Discover your family traditions and where they came from. Dig out the family pictures and take a walk through your genealogy. If your photos lack names, take the time to label them. There’s nothing worse than having a box of photographs that no one can identify.

10. Relax. Rent a movie, read a book, listen to music or bake a cake. Take time for yourself this holiday break. Sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all.