Now’s the time when our social calendars fill up like a bath tub at the bottom of Niagara Falls. Everyone wants to have open houses, office parties and fancy social affairs where men might even have to wear ties. OK, put on a pair of clean blue jeans without holes and maybe even a button-up shirt.

Holy Windsor knot! What with holiday shopping, standing in line at the post office, making those special handmade gifts and cooking another batch of Uncle Louie’s special fruit cake, well, it’s a wonder any of us can fit in time for important things like, uh, sleep.

Our former governor has written a book about the holiday season called “The War on Christmas.” The Betster thinks she means how those evil atheists are trying to make it hard for Christians to celebrate the birth of Christ. Not to incur the wrath of Sarah, but could it be possible Christmas got a bit tempestuous from people going a bit nuts about shopping? As the Betster recalls in the New Testament, the new baby Jesus only got three gifts, and they arrived after Christmas.

The Betster understands that for many people this holiday dervish is part of the fun. For other people, well, it might be a bit excessive. The challenge is not only to get stuff done, but to do so without requiring special mental health services from the nice people at The Center.

Pace yourselves, Betsteroids. Keep it simple. Support your local merchants so you don’t have to drive north. You have 19 shopping days left, which is plenty of time to get what needs to be done, go to a party or two, and still have time to spend with family and friends. Oh, and bake that fruit cake. Meanwhile, enjoy life, as always, with some of these Best Bets: 

BEST LIGHTS! ACTION! BET: Rockefeller Center in New York has The Tree, but here in Homer, we go in for rustic and natural and not flashy. There’s something magical about lighting the big Christmas tree. Join the ceremony at 5 p.m. today when the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center holds its tree lighting ceremony. There will be cookies, hot cocoa and cider, s’mores and music by the Homer Swing Choir. Santa Claus visits and will flick the switch.

BEST RIDE ON BET: Here’s another winter tradition — the annual Warren Miller ski film. Thanks to the Kachemak Ski Club, you can see it at 7 p.m. today at the Homer Theatre. See what awesome powder monkeys can do, and then try out your skills at the Homer Rope Tow, which benefits from this fundraiser. Tickets are $10 students and $15 for adults.

BEST CRACK A NUT BET: At Homer High School, it’s all nuts, all the time with the annual Nutcracker Faire and Nutcracker Ballet. The craft and art show runs 11 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Saturday and noon-6 p.m. Sunday. The ballet, now in its 25th year, is 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Mariner Theatre — if shows aren’t already sold out. Tickets are $10 all shows and all seats at the Homer Bookstore.

BEST CHOW DOWN BET: But wait — there’s another big holiday tradition, the annual Share the Spirit Spaghetti Feed. All the cool kids are going, not just for fabulous spaghetti, but because it benefits the charity programs of Share the Spirit — Homer’s holiday safety net. Drop in from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Homer Elks Lodge and make it lunch or dinner — or both. Meals are $12 or 12 cans of food. For take-out, call 235-2127.