Going out

Holiday lights: The super-sized drive-through Holiday in Lights extravaganza is up, running and blazing all over the place. 6-10 p.m. daily (until 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday), Sharon Woods, off U.S. 42 in Sharonville. Photos with Santa are $5 tonight in parking lot at the end of the display. 769-0393.

Incline lecture: Author and historian John H. White shares his thoughts on "Cincinnati: City of Seven Hills and Five Inclines." 7:30 p.m. today, Ritchie Auditorium, 327 N. Second St., Hamilton, free. (513) 896-9930.

Wreath making: The Mount Washington Branch Library dishes up a workshop on making wreaths with natural materials. 7 p.m. today, 2049 Beechmont Ave., free (registration required). 369-6033.

Jazz: The Blue Wisp Jazz Club has happy-hour jazz on tap with the Gordon Brisker Trio, 5-7 p.m. today, followed by Ed Moss and the Society Jazz Orchestra, 9 p.m.-midnight, 318 E. Eighth St., downtown. 241-9477.

Staying in

TV pick: Get ready to be Taken: The Sci-Fi channel premieres Steven Spielberg's epic 20-hour miniseries about three families and their 50 years of alien encounters starting with a World War II fighter pilot (Steve Burton) saved by a mysterious light beam (9-11 p.m. today-Friday, and Monday-Friday next week) (See story, C4).

TV critic John Kiesewetter also says The Christmas Box, the 1995 Maureen O'Hara-Richard Thomas film, repeats today (9 p.m., Hallmark Channel).

The goods

Animal wishes: Looking for somebody to send your Christmas cards for you? Try the Morris Animal Foundation, which has a clever watercolor of an elephant, horse, dog and cat on a boat. Just make a contribution to the foundation (no minimum required) and get a card mailed directly to your "honoree." Call (800) 243-2345 or visit www.MorrisAnimalFoundation.org.

Planning ahead

24 hours out: Good seats are still available for "A Royal Christmas" with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charlotte Church, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, U.S. Bank Arena. $40-$85. 562-4949.

48 hours out: The Aioli bistro serves up an ultra-luxe wine and cheese tasting with selections from various North American wineries and dairy farms, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Seventh and Elm streets. $35. 929-0545.

72 hours 'til Thursday: The Ohio National Headquarters in Blue Ash debuts the new "Victorian Holiday Village" with miniature decorated homes, light displays, holiday refreshments and more. 6-9 p.m., One Financial Way, free with canned food donation. 794-6100.

E-mail jknippenberg@enquirer.com