Both real and LED varieties of animals are on display at the annual ZooLights — animal houses remain open during the after-hours event, which starts Friday.
(Jessie Cohen – SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION)
Today we sent our Going Out Guide With the Kids e-mail newsletter, packed with ideas from the Going Out Gurus and great reads for parents from the rest of The Post. Sign up to get it at washingtonpost.com/Newsletters. (Going Out Guide With the Kids is listed under the “Local Sports” header.) To give you a taste of the newsletter, here are some of our top picks this week:

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month (Saturday) Learn about the Penobscot people and take part in a canoe-building craft activity at the National Children’s Museum Launch Zone. Free.

Brunch With Santa (Starts Sunday) The jazz brunch at the Kennedy Center’s Roof Terrace Restaurant has stunning views, mac and cheese for the kids, mimosas and made-to-order omelets for grownups, and of course, the jolly old elf himself. $39.95; $20 ages 4-11.

ZooLights (Starts Friday) Walk by light displays in the shapes of animals, try out the new skating rink and see a Kids Farm-themed model train exhibit at the zoo’s annual after-dark holiday festival. Free admission; skating is $5; skate rental, $2.

And don’t forget about our annual Holiday Wrapping Paper Contest. Monday is the deadline to enter our contest to have your wrapping paper printed in the Weekend section.