Face the fact that the end-of-the-year holiday season is here. That means that the reminders you may dread and the activities you may love arrive fast and furious.

You can start your weekend with the opening of the Kendall Square Ice Skating Rink for the season from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday at 300 Athenaeum St., and, after gliding around the ice awhile, head over to the Charles Hotel Annual Holiday Tree Lighting for an event from 4 to 6:30 p.m. Saturday at The Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St. (It starts with children decorating the trees, leads to Santa Claus’ Jazz Band performing at 5 p.m., the lighting of the trees at 5:30 p.m. and what what is hopefully your first visit from Santa afterward. Performances run through 6:30 p.m., and there is free hot chocolate or apple cider. It all benefits the Home for Little Wanderers, and you are asked to bring an unwrapped toy or gift card for their Big Wishes for Little Wanderers Gift Drive.) And, ye gods, it’s Christmas caroling already at 10 a.m. Sunday in Winthrop Square in Harvard Square from well-dressed Cambridge Historical Tours singers.

The signal has also been given to start shopping, especially locally. Check out Somerville Local First’s Local is for Lovers: Holiday Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, with more than 30 local vendors of all sorts; and then the fourth annual SLAM Holiday Artist Market at noon Saturday at The Burren, 247 Elm St., Davis Square, Somerville, where you’ll find unique jewelry, pottery, textiles, cards, painting, photography, handmade soaps more. Another annual tradition returns with Harvard Book Store Gives Back at 10 a.m. Sunday at the Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Harvard Square. A portion of purchases made Sundays at the store goes to the charities 826 Boston, the Cambridge Public Library Literacy Project, Community Servings and Partners in Health.

Hear great singer/songwriter folk from Molly Pinto Madigan and Friends at 8 p.m. Saturday at Outpost 186, 186.5 Hampshire St., Inman Square.

This is the latest in the Lord Geoffrey Presents Berklee School of Music/New England Conservatory Rising Talent Music Series, with a Celtic and roots show coming in a week; classical, old-time, bluegrass, contemporary improvisation in two weeks; and bluegrass after that. First, though is poet and songstress Molly Pinto Madigan, who won first place in the Boston Folk Festival songwriting contest for “Bound Away” and was recently named Artist of the Year at Salem State University, her alma mater. She’s hailed for her “pure, sweet” singing style, as well as for her haunting compositions, making her the perfect subject for presentation by Lord Geoffrey, “whose mission in life is to rekindle the great folk scare by presenting in unique rented spaces vintage musicians of that era as well as up-and-coming young whippersnappers.”

Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and the concert a half-hour later, with a pickin’ party afterward. Entry is $10 for the general public, or $5 for students. For information, send e-mail to [email protected] or visit here.

See “Raiders” on the big screen again at noon, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30 or 10 p.m. Sunday at The Brattle Theatre, 40 Brattle St., Harvard Square.

Is there something more to say? It’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark” on the big screen again. Tickets are  $7 to $8 when you click through here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKoxdSo6Zrs

Help comedian Jimmy Tingle help the Homeless Empowerment Project, publishers of Spare Change News at 4:30 p.m. Sunday at The Center for Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville.

In addition to helping the Homeless Empowerment Project and Spare Change News, this honors Jesse Maxwell, a Spare Change New vendor killed this week in his apartment. This theatrical event featuring a screening of “Jimmy Tingle’s American Dream” followed by a Q&A and a live Jimmy Tingle standup comedy performance. The one-hour film blends comedy, commentary and conversation with some of America’s most iconic personalities and social critics – including Robert Altman, Lewis Black, Barry Crimmins, Al Franken, Janeane Garofalo, Bobcat Goldthwait, Sean Hannity, Colin Quinn, Robert Reich, Mort Sahl, Howard Zinn and more – as well as family, friends and total strangers, on the topic of the American Dream. The film also features music by Willie Nelson, Cambridge’s Mighty, Mighty Bosstones, The Neighborhoods, and Jimmy Tingle on harmonica. Tickets are $25 in advance; $30 at the door.

Embark on a Sailor Moon Shoujo Spectacular! from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Sunday at Oberon, 2 Arrow St., Harvard Square.

If you can’t get enough of that very specific Japanese cuteness behind the magical girl media empire of Sailor Moon, there’s a kawaii collective of sorts (or, rather, a Sailor Moon superfan super team) in local burlesque masters, poets, pop stars and writers Amy Macabre, Jade Sylvan, Mary Bichner and Meff. They’re putting up the “Sailor Moon Shoujo Spectacular” to explore the phenomenon in the most entertaining ways, including musical reinterpretations, aerialist exploits and more. Table seats are $15, stools $10 and standing room is $10 here.