Eat. Watch. Do. — Holiday lights, Cookie Contest winners, plus Daisy’s Po-Boy review

It’s Thursday, Chicago.

And it’s a new month, with a crisp winter air that has seemingly set in for good. If your ovens are feeling a little empty after Thanksgiving, great news: The winning recipes from the Tribune’s 36th annual Holiday Cookie Contest are out now for you to try. And with turkey time past and the holiday season in full swing, we’ve got all the essentials for you this week, including this year’s light shows around Chicagoland and our critics’ picks for best holiday movies, TV shows and concerts.

Catch Grammy-nominated musician Andrew Bird’s holiday concert series at Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church this month, which is part of our holiday musical events roundup. Or stay in and keep cozy with an order of seafood gumbo from Daisy’s Po-Boy and Tavern in Hyde Park, which food critic Louisa Chu checked out for her latest review.

Enjoy the weekend, we’ll see you back here next week.

— Lauryn Azu, deputy senior editor

Light displays are a great excuse to get outdoors in the dead of winter. Dazzle out-of-town guests or make wholesome family memories at these 12 displays around Chicago this season, with some indoor options too if bundling up isn’t your thing. Read dispatches from Tribune staff here.

This year’s winners include a decorated snickerdoodle sugar cookie, a biscotti-like marbled pistachio almond cookie, and in first place, a chocolate and salted caramel cookie. With a recipe for each level of baking skill, have fun trying out these recipes at home this holiday season. Read them here.

Tribune film critic Michael Phillips released his Top 10 list for the holiday season, with most available for streaming and one in theaters. With picks from the ‘40s and the last few years, read his roundup of some overlooked classics that might be your new family favorites.

Eat. Watch. Do.

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What to eat. What to watch. What you need to live your best life … now.

James Beard award-winning chef Erick Williams’ latest restaurant pays homage to his great-aunt and her husband, who helped cultivate his love for cooking. The sandwiches are “big, bold and in your face,” says Tribune critic Louisa Chu, who sampled a catfish po’boy, seafood gumbo, a Hurricane cocktail and a banana pecan bourbon toffee cake at the Hyde Park restaurant. Read her review here.

Thought we’d stop at holiday movies? Tribune critic Nina Metz has her own roundup of the best holiday episodes and TV specials the whole family can watch, with something for vintage viewers, foodies and romance lovers alike.

Tribune critic Nick Kindelsperger visited the West Loop’s Mykonos-inspired Nisos Mediterranean in his latest review. While it’s a stunning space visually and the chef has crafted some great, creative dishes, the experience doesn’t quite live up to its price tag, Kindelsperger writes. Read the rest of his thoughts here.

The beloved Broadway classic, “The Sound of Music,” playing now at the Paramount Theatre in Aurora, “will fill you with a warm glow,” writes Tribune critic Chris Jones. Alicia Kaori, who plays Maria, contrasts fabulously with Christopher Kale Jones’ Capt. von Trapp. And the show doesn’t shy away from its darker themes in the second act, Jones writes. Read his review here.

If you’re heading to the center of Chicago’s dining scene, Tribune reporter Tatyana Turner has three new spots that have bar flies abuzz. After, a ritzy lounge adjoining the Michelin two-star restaurant Ever debuted recently in the West Loop, while Yardbird’s Bourbon Room and a new urban winery with a focus on food add to the city’s chic offerings.

Holiday music events on this list by music critic Britt Julious may surprise you. Check out Sleeping Village in Avondale’s second annual holiday concert Hollyy-Days for rock and R&B acts, or Q101′s Twisted XMas where Beach Bunny, Portugal. The Man and Jack White will be playing. Read her the rest of her roundup here.

You don’t have to jet off to some exotic locale this holiday season to have fun. There are plenty of winter activities close to home that the entire family can enjoy. Indiana’s Pokagon State Park is home to one of the few toboggan runs within driving distance of Chicago, but we’ve also got more toboggan runs and tubing parks in the Midwest to inspire you to take advantage once snow is on the ground.