Don't want to pay more in shipping than the price of that lovely little diamond brooch? Yeah, you stood in line at the post office this week. Hey, don't grump. It's not like the territorial days, where you had to mail packages by Labor Day to have a ghost of a chance of making it by Christmas.

So relax knowing most of your shopping is done. Pat yourself on the back. Kick back and relax with a glass of eggnog. Want a little freshly ground nutmeg on that? How about a cookie? Put side the manic stress of the holidays and get into the spirit of the season.

If you're like the Betster, that means getting around to putting up the Christmas tree, hauling out the ornaments and hanging the twinkling lights. When most of your chores are over, ah, then it's time for some of these Best Bets:

BEST IT SEEMS LIKE JUST LAST YEAR BET: Well, yes, it was just like last year, because a year ago the Alaska Islands and Ocean Visitor Center held its grand opening. Well, maybe the baby grand opening, since Uncle Ted didn't want to come up to Homer in the dark of winter. Celebrate the first anniversary of Islands and Ocean from 3 to 7 p.m. tonight at, duh, the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. There will be fun events like Creations in Snow or Santa's Workshop.

Stick around after the celebration for something more serious, when U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff brief the community on the oil spill of the M/V Selendang Ayu on Unalaska Island, part of the Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge.

BEST YOUTH VS. WISDOM BET: The kids have got spunk but the alumni have the experience. Who's going to win this time in the Ron Gribble Alumni Challenge Game? Check it out at 7:45 p.m. Friday at the Alice Witte Gym at Homer High School.

BEST AND THEY'VE GOT GREAT LEGS BET: You just don't see films like this in Red State small towns. Wait a second -- we're a Red State small town. "Iron Ladies" is a Thai film based on a true story of a team of gay, transvestite and transsexual (but not Transylvanian) volleyball players as they compete for a national volleyball championship in Thailand. The film plays at 6 and 8 p.m. Friday at the Kachemak Bay West Campus. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

BEST AND A 1 AND A 2 AND A 3 BET: If you see people in the woods with big binoculars, don't be alarmed. They're not peeping Toms or Thelmas, just birders doing the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count. Want to share in the fun? Put on your warm clothes, fill up the thermos and show up at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Islands and Ocean Visitor Center. A $5 donation is requested.