🎟️ Your favorite holiday shows have returned | Things to Do

Season’s greetings, y’all!

It’s about that time of year to turn up Nat King Cole’s Christmas album (if that’s your thing) and embrace the fact that your emails may go unanswered until 2024. From concerts, plays, and holiday markets, there’s so much to see around the city for festive fun. What are you doing to get into the holiday spirit this month? Any favorite seasonal albums? Let me know!

This weekend, see the Philadelphia Ballet’s classic Nutcracker, turn up some new Christmas music, find gifts at a Latino holiday market, and get a jump on your New Year’s plans.

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Inquirer classical music critic Peter Dobrin and dance critic Ellen Dunkel attended a recent production of the Philadelphia Ballet’s holiday classic. George Balanchine’s Nutcracker, currently playing at the Academy of Music, has a long history in Philly as a tried and true Christmas show. Do you have a favorite version, from stage or screen? (IMO, we’re not talking enough about the animated movie Barbie in the Nutcracker in the Nutcracker canon.) Our critics discuss why The Nutcracker reigns supreme and whether the ballet should consider a new interpretation in the future.

🍻 Magical or maddening?: The holiday bar circuit is super crowded this year with more than a dozen Philly spots decked out. We visited seven to see if they’re worth the hype.

🍽️ New and noteworthy: Satay Bistro just opened at 13th and Spring Garden, bringing Indonesian cuisine — usually found in South Philly — to the edge of Center City.

🇫🇷 Traveling abroad: Planning a visit to Paris anytime soon? Inquirer columnist Elizabeth Wellington just came back from a reporting trip following Harriet’s Bookshop’s Parisian pop-up and examining some incredible stories linking the City of Lights to the City of Brotherly Love. Lucky for us, she also explored the tourist destination’s connection to Black American history and culture for a unique travel guide.

🎹 Your holiday soundtrack: Sure, Mariah Carey always tops Christmas playlists, but there are some really great new holiday tracks that you can add to the mix this year (yes, including the Eagles). Listen to recent releases from Leslie Odom Jr., Questlove, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and so many more.

🎁 Gift shopping: The Bok Building is hosting Expo-sada and Tianguis, a holiday market highlighting 35 local Latino businesses this Sunday. Find custom jewelry, clothing, handmade tamales, and other great items from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and elsewhere.

🧤 The giving season: ‘Tis the season to make your donations supporting Philadelphians in need. Here’s where you can donate items to people experiencing homelessness in Philly, including scarves, hats, blankets, and other cold-weather goods.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Explore the Holiday Punk Flea Market, see a Festival of Lights, and toast some s’mores at the Made at Black Hound Night Market.

Your favorite holiday grouch (besides the Grinch) has arrived on Philly-area stages this month: Ebenezer Scrooge. But not all six grumpy Scrooges are the same! Here’s a mini-guide to finding the one that’s right for you:

😒 A woman Scrooge: See Dee Pelletier put on the top hat and say “bah, humbug” in Lauren Keating’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol through Dec. 24 at Princeton’s McCarter Theatre Center.

😒 A queer Scrooge: The Hum’n’bards Theater Troupe is putting on A Queer Christmas Carol, a retelling where all the characters are gay, featuring Josh Hitchens as Ebenezer Scrooge, this weekend at the Painted Mug Cafe.

😒 A comic Scrooge: Philly-raised screen and stage actor Brian Anthony Wilson gets all the laughs in the two-actor show A Christmas Carol Comedy — his costar Christopher Patrick Mullen literally plays “Everybody Else” — through Dec. 30 at Hedgerow Theatre Company.

😒 A clown Scrooge: Donning clown makeup and commanding the stage in this beloved solo adaptation, Anthony Lawton becomes both star and storyteller in Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol running through Dec. 27 at Lantern Theater Company.

😒 A kids’ Scrooge: The family-friendly Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol stars Johnny Fernandez in this music-infused kids production ending this Sunday at Walnut Street Theatre.

😒 A singing Scrooge: Another musical adaptation of the classic, running through Dec. 31, stars Ian Merrill Peakes with an ensemble singing original songs and traditional English carols in A Christmas Carol at People’s Light.

🎄 Christmas care: Don’t turn your fir into a fire hazard. Here are some expert tips on keeping your Christmas tree healthy and hydrated.

🍸 A seat to sip in: Holiday bars are overcrowded, but there are still some ways you can find a seat.

🌰 If drinking isn’t your thing: We have a guide to navigating the holiday season and finding delicious non-alcoholic options for the sober and sober-curious.

🎊 Make those reservations: New Year’s Eve and Day are notoriously busy, so if you want to make some dinner or brunch plans that weekend it’s best to start early. We’ve got you covered.

🦕 Hidden gem: Take a look inside the underrated and historic Wagner Institute full of dinosaur fossils, mounted skeletons, preserved insects, and more in this photo essay.

How many ghosts visit Scrooge in the original play written by Charles Dickens?

A) 10

B) 4

C) 3

D) 5

📮 To let me know which of the above is correct, write me back.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

This week, I’m watching The Holdovers to see what the awards buzz is all about. What new movies are you excited to see? Let me know!