Sure, you can watch reruns of "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "It's a Wonderful Life," or "White Christmas," attend a Christmas Pops concert or a "Nutcracker" production, and listen to yet another pop star's seasonal CD to get in the holiday vibe, or you can kick-start your flagging spirits with an immersion in sounds, scents, tastes, and sights that are distinctly Christmas.

— Hilary Nangle, Globe Correspondent