A little button gets you into over 200 family, film, theater music and dance events at over 40 locations (including Boston Common, Berklee Performance Center and various churches), all of which are part of this enormous 31st annual holiday arts celebration around the city.

The Highlights: A children's puppet show based on Debussy's Snowflakes, a crafts workshop and a yo-yo champion are all part of the interactive Family Festival. The celebratory centerpiece of the day is the Mardi Gras-inspired Grand Procession, which represents the four basic food groups of "Life on Earth" - the natural, human, mythical and wired worlds.

Live Music & Performances: From the a capella of the Boston Jazz voices to the rootsy-soul of The Holmes Brothers, there is more live music here than can fit on the biggest iPod. Don't miss The Underground Railway, a troupe dancing a Stravinsky-inspired puppet set, or the urgent and competitive Poetry Slam.

First Night Film: The Hynes Convention Center is the theater of choice for dozens of film screenings, which are spliced into various programs like the Roxbury Film Festival, the Museum of Fine Art, New England Anime and even a preview of some Academy Award hopefuls.

Check back for 2007 details. -- Yon Motskin