Oh the weather outside is frightful, but we these events are all delightful.
Catch The Nutcracker two ways, LOL with Kung Pao Kosher comedy, have a hot fudge sundae withthe Grinch, or escape from it all by going mushroom foraging on the coast.
Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday.
Craft yourself a chunky knit blanket to keep you warm all winter long with a DIY workshop; Monday, noon to 5:30pm.// Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point St. (Fisherman's Wharf); tickets at eventbrite.com
Get your gift-shopping shit together. Procrastinators will find 55 made-in-the-Bay gifts for creatives, style mavens, foodies, weekend warriors, and more in our annual holiday gift guide. // 7x7.com
Don’t miss the last week of "Golden Girls Live: The Christmas Episodes." Dorothy, Rose, Blanche, and Sophia hit the stag with a fabulous drag twist—it's an SF holiday tradition; Monday through Thursday at 8pm. // Victoria Theater, 2961 16th St. (Mission); tickets at sfoasis.com
Order Christmas takeout. It may be too late for dining-in reservations at local restaurants (you can sure try!), but you can still dial up tinned fishes and cocktails from Chezchez, festive tapas from Duende, French goodies from Maison Nico, and more. // 7x7.com
Explore Golden Gate Park in a new light. From sundown to 10pm every night, Winter Lights is transforming GGP into a twinkly winter wonderland with performances hidden around each corner. Be sure to catch The Alterverse, a festival celebrating light art and spoken word; nightly through February 1, 2022. // McLaren Lodge, 501 Stanyan St. (McLaren Lodge); details at sfrecpark.org
Last call for retail and entertainment fix at Saint Joe's Holiday Bazaar. Shop unique goods from Dark Garden, Kamperett, Louis Sherry, Lingua Franca, White Dirt Studio, Buly, and more. The closing night celebration brings cocktails, a cheeky Christmas cabaret, and a sultry corseted couture runway show; Tuesday, 6pm to 10pm. // Saint Joseph’s Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa); details at eventbrite.com
Have a fungi time in Mendocino County. Winter rains mean the nation’s top regions for the seasonal gems is flourishing—plus, there's no Christmas music in the redwoods; details at visitmendocino.com.
It doesn't get sweeter than a Ghirardelli-hosted screening of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmasand a classic hot fudge sundae to nosh on during the flick; Tuesday, 5:30pm to 8pm. // Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point St. (Fisherman's Wharf); tickets at eventbrite.com
Once upon a time… Alan Cumming narrates the SF Symphony’s TheNutcracker and the Mouse King. The Tony Award–winning actor headlines this new musical production that brings to life the three-part tale; Tuesday at 7:30pm. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Hayes Valley); tickets at sfsymphony.org
Classic Nutcracker more your thing? Don't miss the holiday favorite performed by the San Francisco Ballet, featuring more than 150 dancers and a live orchestra; Tuesday through Sunday (no Christmas Day performance). // War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Ave. (Civic Center); tickets at sfballet.org
Grab your robes and wands and ssslither your way to Union Square for Wizarding World Wednesdays. This week, House Slytherin will descend upon the rink for skating and a chance to win opening night tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Curran Theater; Wednesday from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. // Safeway Holiday Ice Rink (Union Square); details at unionsquareicerink.com
Experience the magic of Fairyland after dark at Winterland. The Lake Merritt–adjacent children’s storybook theme park is all lit up for the holiday season. Enjoy special multicultural decorations, complimentary cocoa, a Festival of Lights parade, and visits with Black Santa; daily through December 30 (closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day), from 4pm to 7pm. // Children’s Fairyland, 699 Bellevue Ave. (Oakland); tickets at fairyland.org
Swoon to the sounds of Sinatra and Fitzgerald. Broadway vocalist Capathia Jenkins, jazz singer and pianist Tony DeSare, and the SF Symphony Chorus will bring to life timeless holiday songs that will get even the Grinchiest Grinch in the holiday spirit; Wednesday at 7:30pm. // Davies Symphony Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave. (Hayes Valley); tickets at sfsymphony.org
"The Black Woman is God," now in its fifth iteration at SomArts Cultural Center, puts Black women artists front and center and presents lessons in spiritual identity and the Black feminine rituals that have developed the structure of the Black community; on view through February 6, 2022. // SomArts Cultural Center, 934 Brannan St. (SoMa); details at somarts.org
Amelie wine bar turns 15. The Polk Street favorite for first dates and 50th dates alike celebrates the milestone with a party complete with raclette cheese, cocktails, French mulled wine, and live music; Thursday at 4pm. // Amelie, 1754 Polk St. (Nob Hill); details at facebook.com
Hop on over to Anchor Brewing’s Public Taps for a reading and signing of author Tara Nurin’s recently released book, A Woman's Place Is in the Brewhouse: A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs. Stick around for $5 pints of Anchor Brewing's 47th Annual Christmas Ale; Thursday, 6:30pm to 9pm. // Anchor Brewing Public Taps, 495 De Haro St. (Potrero Hill), anchorbrewing.com
Settle in for the Christmas Eve edition of Lakehouse Jazz. Well-behaved dogs and a beverage of your choice welcome; Friday, 7:30pm to 9:30pm // Stow Lake Boathouse, 50 Stow Lake Drive East (Golden Gate Park); tickets at eventbrite.com
Chow Chinese food and laugh your ass off when SF's Lazy Susan restaurant teams up with the 29th Annual Kung Pao Kosher Comedy show; Friday & Saturday at 5pm and Sunday at 2pm. // Virtual; tickets at cityboxoffice.com
Prefer your aprés ski sans ski? Head to Aprés Village, a pop-up winter wonderland at The Four Seasons in Palo Alto. You can book experiences like semi-private chalets with fireplaces, flat-screen TVs, and blankets; alfresco fireside movies (this week it’s Pixar’s Soul) complemented by an alpine-inspired menu; and endless photo ops; 4pm to 9pm, weekends through February 26, 2022. // Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley, 2050 University Ave. (Palo Alto); details at fourseasons.com
Make a wishin Japantown. Artist Ryotaro Muramatsu has "planted" dandelions in locations around the world, including Tokyo, Singapore, Paris, and San Francisco’s Japantown. Using your smartphone, you’ll “blow” on the dandelion to create a virtual seed with your name on it and then send your wish in real-time to another Dandelion exhibit far away; noon to 7pm Friday, Saturday & Sunday through January 21. // Japan Center West Mall, Suite 315 (Japantown); details at sfjapantown.org
Head to the mountains and hit the slopes.Northstar, Heavenly, and Kirkwood ski resorts opened last weekend for the season in Tahoe after a much-needed dumping of snow.
Burn off the Christmas cookies that "Santa ate" with yoga overlooking Ocean Beach. Bundle up, bring your mat, and get ready for a mixed-level yoga class led by the San Francisco Yoga School; Sunday at 11am. // Fort Miley, 4150 Clement St (Sea Cliff); tickets at eventbrite.com
