Why oh why is everyone and their mother having their holiday party this weekend? Well, if you feel like coming up for air, here are the following to-dos to consider.

Thursday, December 10

Checkers $4 Partida Margaritas
Mmm, margaritas on a nice December day. It could happen. Especially when we’re talking Partida margaritas for only four bucks. Tonight’s Four at Checkers happy hour is all about “design your own” margaritas. They’ll be offering fresh fruit and herbs to add to your super-premium margarita.

• 4-8pm. Hilton Checkers, 535 S Grand Avenue, Downtown (map).

Twas the Punch Before Christmas Competition at Malo
Six awesome punch recipes and only one can be the winner of the $500 first prize. Tickets for this boozy Kraken Rum-sponsored event are only $12 and you’ll get lots o’ punch as well as Malo‘s fine nibbles.

• 8pm. $12. Malo, 4326 W Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (323) 664-1011.

Saturday, December 12

Loopt Holiday Scavenger Hunt
iPhone app Loopt is hosting the first ever mobile scavenger hunt/pub crawl in our fine city. The Holiday Scavenger Crawl will take you through galleries, coffee shops and other venues while you solve clues and race the clock. The hunt ends with a party at The Parlour. Download the app and sign up to play at looptgames.com.

• 2-6pm. Starts at Trapeze School on Santa Monica Pier, 370 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica (map).

Poketo’s Annual Holiday Warehouse Sale
Looking for cute presents to give to your friends or to keep for yourself? This annual warehouse sale may have just the things. And everything is discounted up to 50% off so not too harmful for your wallet. Shop while enjoying music and cupcakes. First 25 people get a gift bag.

• 10am-2pm. Poketo Warehouse, 510 South Hewitt Street, Los Angeles (map).

Echo Park Holiday Shop Hop
The Echo Park Time Travel Mart always has unique finds, i.e. caveman perfume, but just for the holiday and after the Echo Park Holiday Parade they’ll have in-store specials, performances, and holiday cheer! Free gift with a purchase of $25 or more and you can get a signed copy of Dave Eggers’ The Wild Things for just $10 with a purchase of $100 or more (while supplies last).

• 12pm-2am. 826LA/Echo Park Time Travel Mart, 1714 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (map). (213) 413-3388.

2009 Los Angeles SantaCon
Estarla and I did this last year and had a blast. But it was so hard-core that we couldn’t even make it to the end! Of course now Christmas will never feel the same again to me if I don’t get to join a bazillion other costumed Santas in a drunken stroll down the street first. Tickets range in price from $5 to $20 and will go directly to funding the event. Bring a flask and a $5 all-day Metro pass.

• 11am. $5-$20, not including $5 metro pass. The location is TBA upon ticket purchase.

Sunday, December 13

The Fig’s New Taco Bar Brunch Debuts
I got a sneaky peek of this brand-new brunch taco bar last week and it’s pretty tasty, more on that in a future post. Everything on the new taco menu is only $3, from lengua, chicharon or fish tacos (to name a few) to queso fundido or horchata. And all in a fancy hotel restaurant setting with none of the attitude. After all they do serve Miller High Life, the champage of beers, here.

• Sundays, 11am-2pm. The Fig, 101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica (map). (310) 319-3111.

Cynthia Vincent & Sid Vintage Pop-Up Shop
The shop featuring unique, handpicked pieces for 30% off will benefit L.A. Family Housing. The Coolhaus ice cream truck will be there, too, and if you bring an unwrapped toy for LAFH you’ll get a free ice cream.

• 3-7pm. Code C Boutique, 8461 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood (map).