$25 and under

$25-$50

• Luminations | Now-Saturday, Jan. 6 | 5:45-9 p.m. | Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, 4801 La Crosse Ave., Austin | $23-$28 | This glowing exhibition is inspired by the four elements.
• Peppermint Parkway | Now-Saturday, Dec. 30 | 6-9 p.m. | Circuit of the Americas, 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd., Austin | $40-$99 | The holiday light display returns with a plethora of drive-thru installations, plus a petting zoo, holiday photo ops, rides, and a market at Peppermint Plaza.

• Light up the Plaza | Saturday, Nov. 25 | 5-8 p.m. | Hill Country Galleria, 12700 Hill Country Blvd., Bee Cave | Free | Explore a holiday market, take photos with Santa, and hear live music from Gunnar Latham and Kaitlin Butts at the Galleria’s tree lighting event.

• Self Love Sunday | Sunday, Nov. 26 | 9-10:30 a.m. | My Vinyasa Practice SoCo, 8534 S. Congress Ave., Ste. B2, Austin | $25 | Enjoy yoga, crafts, refreshments, and a kindness meditation.

• Mayor’s Book Club: “Mr. Texas” | Monday, Nov. 27 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Austin Central Library, 710 W. Cesar Chavez St., Austin | Free | Austin Mayor Kirk Watson will introduce a talk with book author Lawrence Wright and The 19th co-founder Emily Ramshaw.

• Black Friday — a day kicking off the gift-giving spirit of the holidays with local and national sales. We suggest checking out these local restaurants offering specials + discounts today and tomorrow. (Eater Austin)

• Most City of Austin employees will be required to work in-office 50% of the time starting in the new year. The return-to-office mandate will still allow for a large portion of work-from-home days, which city officials hope will contribute to long-term sustainability goals. (CBS Austin)

• 1.6 million. That’s how many new Texans the state added between 2020 and Jan. 1 this year, with the Austin area seeing the most growth. The “Texas Triangle,” which includes Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, and Austin, holds 68% of the state’s population. (Texas Tribune)

• A new Via 313 Pizzeria location opened at Star Bar on West 6th Street. The space will offer its familiar Detroit-style pies, including fan-favorites like the Funkadelic Chicken and the Bobo Brazil.

• Texas has more wild feral hogs than any other US state, according to new research from the University of Georgia. More than 99% of Texas counties have some population of the invasive species, which can be destructive to property and dangerous to people. (Austin American-Statesman)

• This FDA-registered vibrator is so good, doctors recommend it. It also has six unique motors, 16 speeds, and it’s Bluetooth-enabled. Bonus: It’s 35% off right now.*

• If you haven’t noticed, it’s Black Friday. See all the good Amazon deals — like 15% off the highly rated 5-quart COSORI Air Fryer.*

• Deal alert: Hulu is offering its ad-supported version for $0.99 a month for 12 months. Excuse us while we stream all the holiday content.*

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving?

• No, I’m staying home — 77%
• Yes, I’m driving — 19%
• Yes, I’m flying — 4%

Do you recycle?

• Yes — 99%
• No — 1%

Do you compost?

• Yes — 58%
• No — 42%

Do you own a house in Austin?

• Yes, for several years now — 70%
• No, and I won’t be buying anytime soon — 16%
• Yes, as of recently — 12%
• No, but I plan to buy soon — 2%

Which local festival is your favorite?

• Texas Book Festival — 47%
• SXSW — 16%
• Austin Food + Wine Festival — 11%
• Other — 26%