You're probably already in the Holi-Daze. That would be the zombie- like state that results from having to make more plans and purchases than you have time and money. Symptoms may include frantic spending, family and friends fatigue, and trying to get a buzz off virgin eggnog samples at the grocery store. One remedy — taking moments for yourself when you're supposed to be giving to others. To encourage you, our staff came up with more than 24 hours worth of breathers from the seasonal grind.

Sip on a $30 bottle of beer at 1702, located at 1702 E. Speedway. The pizza and beer restaurant sells a 2006 brew called Chateau Jiahu, which has been aged for a year. According to Austin Santos, 1702's general manager, the 9,000-year-old recipe dates back to Asia. You'll need close to an hour to savor the beer — it cost $30, you know.

Jet over to Feast, 4122 E. Speedway, to savor Kabocha Squash Pancakes with red and yellow tomatoes and fresh oregano. Kabocha squash tastes slightly sweeter and earthier than butternut squash. The $5.75 appetizer is so good, you might want to order two portions.

Treat yourself to a Lump of Coal, the dark holiday stout (alcohol content 8 percent), available at Cost Plus World Market, 5975 E. Broadway, for $5.99. The label on this English ale promises (and delivers) "a deep, rich, sweetly rewarding stout to take the edge off of that grim family gathering, that cheerless annual festival of alienation. This brew is as dark as it gets, as black as the lump of coal you'll be getting for Christmas."

Wine tasting at CataVinos, 3063 N. Alvernon Way, is 4 to 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. You learn about each wine, and snack on quality cheeses and crackers. Cost is $10 for six pours ($2 off the tasting if you buy wine). The vibe is relaxed and you can spend much longer on that whole swirl, sniff and sip thing.

Stuff yourself silly at the all-you-can-eat sushi buffet for $19.95 at the Sushi Garden Restaurant, 15 N. Alvernon Way. The restaurant is spacious and the service is quick. And the menu includes 38 rolls, 19 types of nigiri and 12 appetizer selections. We recommend the caterpillar roll, which is stuffed with freshwater eel and layered in avocado.

Watch "No Country for Old Men," the Golden Globe-nominated new film from the Coen brothers, at the brand spankin' new Tower Theatres, 8031 N. Business Park Drive, in Marana.

Peruse the well-stocked aisles of Casa Video, 2905 E. Speedway, for that foreign film you've meant to see but never got around to renting. ("City of God," perhaps?)

You won't get in shape participating in bar sports, but you won't have to put down your beer, either. So why not play shuffleboard at The World Famous Golden Nugget Tavern, 2617 N. First Ave.

Live your dream of playing "music" before a crowd. Play the video-game phenomenon "Guitar Hero" at the Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. Fourth Ave., Tuesday evenings at 9.

Stop everything, turn off your cell phone, sit down, put on headphones and listen to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon." The album runs just over 40 minutes, but you'll probably need an extra 20 minutes to meditate on just how the album has remained so timeless after almost 35 years. ($7.99 on iTunes, but you really should own the proper CD or vinyl by now, shouldn't you?)

Sift through all of the free podcasts on iTunes. Not everything costs money on the Apple-based music program. Once you've downloaded the application from www.apple.com, enter your credit card information (in case you want to buy something), then pick from the hundreds of free podcasts, both professional and amateur, from the program's online store. ITunes carries many public-radio favorites like "This American Life," "Fresh Air" and "Car Talk." Once files are downloaded, import them onto your iPod or listen to them in the comfort of your own home.

Pick up a copy of Richard Shelton's "Crossing the Yard: Thirty Years as a Prison Volunteer" ($17.95, University of Arizona Press) and prepare to be alarmed, angered and haunted by the Tucson author's experiences teaching creative writing to inmates. Once you start reading, you'll be locked in until the last page.

Liberate yourself from dependence on bike shops. Take a "Build a Bike" course at BICAS, 44 W. Sixth St. You get eight classes for $80. You build one bike with a partner, then build one solo. The second is yours to keep.

Who needs ice? Join in a session of pickup hockey at Bladeworld, 1065 W. Grant Road. $5. Sundays (but not every Sunday — check the schedule before you go — www.bladeworld.com).

Give yourself a chance to vent at the first Congress Festivus Celebration at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. The night, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, will feature such events as a "reluctant gift exchange" and an "airing of grievances," all wrapped in quality music from locals like Serpe, Traffic Violator, Leila Lopez and Tryst. And it's free!

Get inspired by reading "An Idiot Girl's Christmas: True Tales From the Top of the Naughty List" ($14.95, Villard Books), by former longtime Phoenician Laurie Notaro. The collection of short stories is a super-fast and fun read and will help you keep some perspective ("Naughty or nice. Naughty or Nice. It looked like I had a decision to make").

Get in shape for 2008 at Body Works Studio, 1980 E. River Road. Try a class for $20, chose from yoga and tai chi, among others. Or opt for some one-on-one time in a private session ($80) to learn how to get the most out of pilates mat classes, gyrotonics or yoga. Stay longer and get a massage. Go online for more info: www.bodyworksstudio.com.

Spend some time with your best friend. Bookmans Entertainment Exchange, with three locations in Tucson (6230 E. Speedway; 1930 E. Grant Road; 3733 W. Ina Road), lets you bring your favorite pet — all they ask is that you keep control at all times. In addition to more than 10,000 titles and lots of other stuff that can keep you browsing for hours, each store has free dog treats at the front counter. Check out the Web site www.bookmans.com for store-specific activities, including "Tacky Holiday Sweater Day" this Saturday at Bookmans Speedway. You can also take some old albums or DVDs and exchange them for credit. Then you'll be able to shop for yourself for cool stuff without spending any money.

Go window shopping at La Encantada at East Skyline Drive and NorthCampbell Avenue — one of Arizona's most upscale retail centers. Press your nose against the window of Anthropologie and lust after the $328 Shutterbug Messenger Bag just long enough to daydream about it being under your Christmas tree. Then mosey into the bistro at AJ's Fine Foods and treat yourself to a signature sandwich; we suggest the Smokey Joe with smoked turkey breast and Muenster cheese ($6.99).

Head to the El Encanto community, east of Country Club Road and north of Broadway, and cruise through one of Tucson's most distinctive neighborhoods. Some of the homes date to the 1920s, and it's a safe bet no two are the same. The architectural style is breathtaking, with striking California and Spanish influences. It's laid out like a wheel, with a nature park at its center, instead of the traditional grid system that dominates the area. You'll want to drive no more than 10 mph along the twists and curls so that you can gawk with abandon. One trip through the neighborhood might not be enough, so when you've curled back to Point A, start over.

Steer yourself Downtown to the neighborhood immediately south of the Tucson Convention Center to check out an entirely different chapter of Tucson architectural history: Barrio Viejo. Sonoran-style adobe rowhouses dating back at least 100 years are painted bright Oaxacan-style colors. Park your car and stroll the narrow sidewalks to get a true feel of the area, where homes sport modest street fronts but give way to glorious courtyards and flourishes.

Bond with some birds at Rooster Cogburn's Ostrich Ranch. The ranch is about 40 minutes north of Tucson and features a feeding area for ostriches and deer as well as an enclosure, dubbed the "rainbow lorikeet forest," used to house the friendly parrots. $5 will get you feed for the ostrich and the deer and nectar for the lorikeets. The ranch is open 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Take Exit No. 219 off Interstate 10. You can see the ranch from the freeway. Spend the driving time listening to the Peterson audiobook bird song field guide series ($19.80 each through amazon.com).