Sometimes getting away for just a weekend during the holidays to enjoy some shopping, different Christmas traditions, and even a quiet moment or two, can be a therapeutic break from the madness.

For Wasatch Front residents, Seattle is a good place to visit in December. Flights are short and relatively inexpensive and the largest city in the Northwest is offering some good deals and special holiday activities.

Seattle calls this time of year "value season" because many of the city's finest hotels offer deals on rooms and packages. In addition to a room, some come with such perks as complimentary parking, gift certificates, gifts, complimentary in-room movies, breakfast and Starbucks gift cards.

Visitors can also sign up for a Seattle Super Saver, which features more than 50 bargains, including big discounts and some two-for-one deals.

For more information, or to book one of these hotel deals,visit www.seattlesupersaver.com or call 800-535-7071.

There are a number of festive, budget-oriented holiday activities throughout downtown Seattle as well.

They include The Downtown Light Spectacular with 40 energy-efficient, LED-powered Toyland-themed displays throughout the downtown area. Among the toys are a doll, teddy bear, swing set, wagon, rocking horse and wind up toys.

The Qwest Carousel in Westlake Park is a popular $2 activity whose revenues underwrites a non-profit. It runs through Dec. 31.

Information on these events is available at www.downtownholidays.com.

The Seattle Symphony has a limited number of $10 tickets for all of its holiday concerts, which include Handel's Messiah, Beethoven's Ninth and Holiday Pops. For information and a complete schedule, log on to www.seattlesymphony.org.

Seattle also offers a variety of interesting shopping centers with the original Nordstrom's, downtown malls and Pike's Place Market which provides all sorts of interesting food and gift vendors in a bustling location.

Major Seattle tourist destinations include the Museum of Flight, Seattle Aquarium, Space Needle, Experience Music Project, Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, Pacific Science Center, Woodland Park Zoo, and Seattle Children's Museum.

Couple that with the beautiful Puget Sound and this city of 563,374 residents offers an urban atmosphere enhanced by natural beauty. When the weather is clear, the views of nearby Mt. Ranier are hard to beat.

Located on a series of hills on the eastern shore of Puget Sound between the Olympic and Cascade mountain ranges, Seattle covers 83.9 square miles and ranges in elevation from sea level to 450 feet above sea level. The average temperature in January is 40.8 degrees; known for a fairly wet climate, Seattle has an annual precipitation of nearly 37 inches.

The first Europeans came to Seattle in 1852, locating in an area near what would become downtown and where they built a steam-powered sawmill. Seattle is now the headquarters for such companies as Microsoft and Boeing.

According to HistoryLink.org, a fire destroyed the city on June 6, 1889, but it was quickly rebuilt using bricks instead of wood.

Seattle is known for outdoor recreation and also has numerous thriving ethnic communities, which translates into fine ethnic dining and shopping experiences.