Having a tough time getting excited about the upcoming holidays in these trying economic times? One way to put a little sparkle in your step is to get away to the big city and immerse yourself in some of the many festive - and free - events offered there in November and December.

Since gas prices have come back down into the reasonable zone, travel has become a more viable option. And both Milwaukee and Chicago offer a variety of holiday experiences that are not only free (or practically free), but fun for all ages.

Here are a few suggestions for how to get a quick fix of big city holiday cheer without putting more strain on your budget.

Jingle all the way

One dollar will buy you a ride on Milwaukee's Jingle Bus, a Coach USA bus that takes visitors on a festive, 40-minute guided tour of downtown Milwaukee during the holiday season. Riders get to view everything from storefront decorations to Milwaukee's Holiday Lights Festival, which illuminates the streets and parks of downtown Milwaukee with thousands of lights and dozens of animated displays beginning today and running through Jan. 4. And, if you go tonight, you can experience the free Holiday Lights Festival kickoff event, which starts at 6 p.m. at Pere Marquette Park (West State and Old World Third streets) and includes live music, a visit from Santa Claus, a fireworks show and a decoration theme of "Gingerbread Dreams." Other parks featured in the six-week Holiday Lights Festival (and the Jingle Bus tour) include Cathedral Square Park (North Jefferson and East Wells) where a 50-foot tree with ever-changing red, blue and green lights is surrounded by fresh evergreens adorned by ornaments made by more than 50 metro Milwaukee schools (and energy efficient LED lights) reflecting a theme of "Community Spirit"; and Zeidler Union Square (on West Michigan between 3rd and 4th streets) where visitors will find whimsical sights based on a theme of "Frosty Fun." The Jingle Bus operates from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays, departing from the Holiday Lights Festival's new warming house at 161 W. Wisconsin Ave. (the Plankinton Arcade at The Shops of Grand Avenue). Tonight only the bus will depart from Pere Marquette Park. Free cocoa, coffee and cookies will be served to awaiting riders at the warming house while supplies last and kids will receive holiday coloring books and crayons.

The Jingle Bus will not operate on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For more information, go to http://www.MilwaukeeHolidayLights.com or call (414) 220-4700, ext. 30.

Santa and crew

If you missed Racine's Holiday Parade a couple weekends ago, you can catch Milwaukee's 82nd Annual Holiday Parade at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday. It will last about an hour and feature approximately 100 units, including 20 marching bands, full-size floats, 30- to 40-foot Macy's parade-style helium balloons, a live Nativity, costumed characters, specialty vehicles and, of course, Santa Claus.

The parade will start at Astor Street and East Kilbourn Avenue and travel west on Kilbourn to Water, State and Old World Third streets, finishing at the Grand Avenue shopping mall (a map of the route is available at http://www.milwaukeeparade.com).

The parade is free but, if you want to get into the giving spirit of the holidays, you can bring a couple non-perishable food items to donate to the Hunger Task Force's Food for Families. Volunteers from Johnson Controls, the parade's sponsor, will be collecting food items along the parade route.

Kangaroos, monkeys and bears, oh my!

While you are up in the Cream City, why not take in the annual holiday display which opens Dec. 1 in the M&I Bank lobby, at 770 N. Water St. The free, public display fills the bank lobby with more than 50 Steiff stuffed animals - including kangaroos, monkeys, bears, and more - all dressed in their holiday best and busy with some seasonally themed activity. Steiffs are a collectable brand of stuffed animals made by a German company pioneered by seamstress Margarete Steiff in the 1890s.

They are recognizable by their signature "button-in-the-ear" and quality craftsmanship. M&I Bank has been creating its' holiday display with the animals for more than 30 years. For lobby hours, call (414) 765-7700. And, if you aren't sure where to park for this or any of the above Milwaukee events, go to http://www.parkmilwaukee.com for a map of the city's parking options.

Historic holidays

Just south of downtown Milwaukee, the Historic Third Ward has plenty of holiday spirit of its own, especially on Dec. 5 and 6 when it hosts "Christmas in the Ward." This neighborhood festival kicks off with fireworks, Santa, a tree-lighting ceremony, horse-drawn carriage rides, entertainment by the Trinity Irish Dancers, cookies, hot chocolate and more from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday (Dec. 5). Mr. Claus, the carriage rides and the refreshments will return on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with a cookie sale and entertainment by the Milwaukee Children's Choir. Photos with Santa, in Jolly's Outdoor Gingerbread House, will also be available for $5, with proceeds going to Toys for Tots. Visitors can also bring their own cameras. Admission to "Christmas in the Ward" is free, and parking is free during the event in the Historic Third Ward parking structures at 212 N. Milwaukee and 225 E. Chicago streets. For more about the Third Ward, which is home to numerous art galleries, restaurants, unique specialty stores, and the Milwaukee Public Market, go to http://www.historicthirdward.org

Heading south

A ride to Chicago - whether you go by car or train - can also provide a cornucopia of big city holiday experiences for the entire family - many of which won't cost you a dime. For example, at 6 p.m. on Fridays from Nov. 28 through Dec. 19, visitors to Millennium Park can hear carols performed by a variety of choral groups who will sing in the holidays at the park's shiny, silver "Cloud Gate" sculpture. The public is invited to add their voices to the mix as well. And, if ice skating is your thing, just below the Cloud Gate plaza you'll find the park's McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, which offers free, public skating from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily (10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving and Christmas days). The rink, which opened for the season Wednesday will continue operations through March 15, weather permitting. Rental skates are available for $10, or you can bring your own and put the $10 toward transportation. Millennium Park is located on Michigan Avenue between Washington and Madison streets. Go to http://www.millenniumpark.org for more about the park's holiday events.

Bright and beautiful

Looking for something more spectacular? Try Chicago's Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, which will illuminate North Michigan Avenue with more than a million lights beginning Saturday and throughout the holiday season. Saturday's opening ceremonies for the Lights Festival will be an entertainment extravaganza featuring a procession of Disney characters and entertainers along the avenue and culminating in a fireworks show over the Chicago River.

Videos of previous year's ceremonies, as well as maps and other helpful hints for attending festival events can be viewed at http://www.themagnificentmile.com

Worldly wonder

Meanwhile, over on West Washington Street, Chicago's Daley Plaza will be transformed into a German style village known as the Christkindlmarket Chicago from Nov. 27 through Dec. 24.

This collection of festively decorated vendor huts, modeled after holiday markets in Germany, features a wide range of European items for sale from nutcrackers and cuckoo-clocks to chocolates, toys, holiday ornaments and ethnic foods. Granted, the idea here is to consume, but even window shopping amidst the sights and aromas of this European-themed holiday market can be fun.

And, if you happen to be at Daley Plaza on Dec. 2, you can enjoy the magical moment when Chicago's official Christmas tree - which is right next to the Christkindlmarket - will be lit for the season. The event will start at noon with a musical program and the tree lighting will follow at 12:30, led by Mayor Richard Daley, actress Keri Russell and Santa Claus. For more about the Christmas tree, go to http://www.cityofchicago.org/special events

For more about the Christkindlmarket go to http://www.christkindlmarket.com

Winterfest events in Racine

Racinians can also find plenty of free holiday cheer right here at home, courtesy of Downtown's Winterfest events.

During the month of December, Winterfest will feature three "Santa Saturdays" on Dec. 6, 13 and 20.

These daytime events, which will be centered on Monument Square, will feature live entertainment, visits with Santa and his reindeer, carriage rides, games, crafts and plenty of shopping opportunities.

For more about Santa Saturdays, see next week's Out & About section. Information is also available at http://www.racinedowntown.com/Winterfest.html