It’s the most wonderful time of the year again: snow is falling, temperatures are dropping, and Christmas music is playing on every radio station. Unfortunately, the decline in temperature often results in people holing themselves up inside the house and ending up taking shelter from the frigid air and becoming couch potatoes. Here are some affordable activities you can enjoy to get you moving and out and about!

1. ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo

It's fun for the entire family! Zoolights is an ongoing winter festival at the Lincoln Park Zoo full of different kinds of activities for its patrons to participate in. Among these are photos with Santa, live ice carvings, and 3-D displays. Beautiful Christmas lights illuminate your night as you partake in these activities, and much more. Running from November 27, Zoo Lights runs the entire month of December with few exceptions from 4:30 to 9 p.m.

2. Skating in Millennium Park

The skating rink in Millennium Park is already a pretty well-known attraction. Located right under the bean, skating is free for those who bring their own ice skates. Otherwise a small fee is charged to rent your own. Be sure to hit this one up as soon as possible, because the wait just to get on the ice can become insanely long on certain days the deeper into December we get.

3. Broadway production of "The Lion King"

Broadway shows are severely underrated nowadays, and really who doesn’t want to see the revival of their favorite childhood movie? Disney’s "The Lion King" will be running from December 2 to January 17 at Cadillac Palace Theatre. The perfect escape from your apartment, and yet you don’t have to be out in the blistering cold freezing your butt off. Just be quick to purchase your tickets because they’re going fast.

4. Winter Wonderfest at Navy Pier

Now typically one would probably want to avoid Navy Pier in the wintertime. The chill off that lake is just yikes. But Winter Wonderfest is reason enough to drag yourself out of the warm haven of your bed. This runs from December 5 to January 10 and has a general admission price of $10. Wild attractions such as an obstacle course, an inflatable slide, and a mini golf course bring the people flocking in.

5. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

An annual event, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is kind of a big deal. On Thanksgiving morning the parade will progress down State St. starting from 8:00 a.m. and will head northbound towards Randolph. Stage performances, singing acts, and floats abound this parade making a supremely popular televised event. Head down there early on Thanksgiving to secure a great spot.