Staying in Fort Worth for the holidays and not sure what to do over the break? Here are the top 5 spirited activities to make sure you have the best break ever!

1. Grapevine: The Christmas Capital of Texas

Did you know that the Christmas Capital of Texas is only 30 minutes away from campus? If you didn't, you do now! The City of Grapevine has been voted the Christmas Capital of Texas since 2009 and has a ton of things to do over the holiday break, ranging from festive Christmas lights to an entire exhibit made from ice! Brr.

"ICE!" at the Gaylord Texan Hotel is a themed exhibit put on every year made fully out of ice. This year's theme is the Polar Express, complete with the famous train you see in the movie! Tickets range from $25 to $35 and is chock-full of fun. If that doesn't sound like it's up your alley, grab some friends and go walk around downtown Grapevine — with shops and fun galore, you're bound to have a festive time.

Don't have a car? Grapevine is served by TexRail, meaning you take the train from Fort Worth right into the heart of downtown Grapevine.

2. The Rodeo Rink at the Fort Worth Stockyards

Grab your cowboy hat, throw your ice skates in your bag and giddy-up on over to the Fort Worth Stockyards for their rodeo rink! For the first time ever, a 4,000-square foot ice skating rink is right in the heart of the Stockyards, accompanied by live music, holiday lights, fire pits, cowboy Santa and a jolly good time. The best part? Tickets are only $20 for entry.

Want to do a little more than just some holiday fun? No worries — you can "saddle up & save" by pairing your rodeo rink tickets with coliseum event tickets — this includes rodeos, bull riding and much more.

3. Arlington Holiday Lights Parade

Bring out your inner kid and go to a holiday parade! On Saturday, Dec. 10, the City of Arlington is hosting its annual Holiday Lights Parade. Festivities begin as early as 2 p.m. and go all the way to 9 p.m. The parade starts promptly at 6 p.m., rain, snow, or shine!

4. Interlochen Christmas Lights

We are de-lighted to tell you about a neighborhood in Arlington where residents spend countless hours every holiday season decorating its houses with lights, just to watch people's faces light up when they drive by. No pun intended (okay, maybe a little intended)! Every year, this neighborhood invites the community to spend some time driving through to admire their hard work. With no entry fee, this is a no-brainer way to spend your night. Grab some hot cocoa and your closest friends and make your way over to the Interlochen neighborhood.

5. Christmas/Kwanzaa Concert

If you're into the arts and don't mind a little bit of driving, try checking out the 29th Annual Christmas/Kwanzaa Concert put on by the Black Academy of Arts and Letters from 9-11 p.m. on Dec. 17 at the Bruton Theatre in Dallas. Tickets start at $20, so go treat your elf to a night of great music!

Don't have a car? The Trinity Rail Express will drop you at Dallas' Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station, just a quick walk or taxi ride from the Black Academy of Arts and Letters.

Bonus fun

We couldn't resist adding this one in as some bonus fun! If you don't mind spending a little extra money, head on over to Holiday in the Park at Six Flags over Texas. Hop on the holiday express to sing Christmas carols while traveling around the park looking at all the festive lights. Stop by the gift shop to purchase some merry merchandise or go check out the holiday shows, all while enjoying some sweet holiday treats. Tickets are $45, but we think it's worth every penny. Grab your best friends and head over to Arlington to experience some holiday magic!

That's a wrap! We hope our top 5 list of things makes for a merry stay-cation. Stay warm, Rams!