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MONDAY

LIVE MUSIC

Cattle Decapitation, Immolation, Sanguisugabogg, and Castrator Past Event Like List
Cali-based metalhead vegetarians Cattle Decapitation are back in town with their environmentally conscious death grind. They will support their latest album, Terrasite, alongside New York metal veterans Immolation, Ohio-based heavy-hitters Sanguisugabogg, and self-proclaimed "emasculating death metal" quartet Castrator. AV
(The Crocodile, Belltown)

X: XMas Time Again Tour Past Event Like List
Have yourself a merry little Xmas with the un-Googleable SoCal punk legends, X. If you consider yourself to be too punk for Christmas, then fear not! According to recent setlists, the band won't be covering any Christmas carols (but wouldn't it be cool if they did!?) Bop along to classics like "Los Angeles" and "Soul Kitchen" after a set from Oklahoma City-born riot grrl revivalists Skating Polly. AV
(Neptune Theatre, University District)

TUESDAY

FILM

VIY: Spirit of Evil Past Event Like List
Purported to be the first horror film ever made in the Soviet Union, the '67 gothic flick Viy is a retelling of Nikolai Gogol's eerie Ukrainian tale of witches, priests, and demons, blending folk aesthetics and special effects for mysterious impact. Church of Film describes the flick as a great example of the "insurgent national cinemas emerging in the USSR during the '60s," but it's also straight-up creepy fun. LC
(The Beacon, Columbia City)

FOOD & DRINK

Phở Day Past Event Like List
Tuesday, December 12 is Phở Day, and there's truly no better way to cope with 4:18 pm sunsets than slurping a bowl of rice noodles in a steaming, aromatic broth. The Vietnamese coffee shop Voi Cà Phê will celebrate the soupy comfort food with complimentary cream puffs (a nod to the longstanding Seattle tradition of a free cream puff served at classic phở spots like Than Brothers) included with purchase of a phở spice latte, made with cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, and other fragrant ingredients. JB
(Voi Cà Phê, Georgetown)

LIVE MUSIC

Devendra Banhart Past Event Like List
On his new album, Flying Wig, Devendra Banhart explores the emotional side of synthesizer music with the help of Welsh art-pop queen Cate Le Bon. The result is dreamy, delicate, and hopeful—reminiscent of the Magnetic Fields's sweeter side (think: 69 Love Songs). Banhart has noted many romantic details about the album's creation, including the scenic California cabin studio in which it was recorded and the dress (gifted from Le Bon) and pearls (from his Grandmother) he wore while recording. He will support the album after an opening set from avant-garde musician/performance artist Hayden Pedigo. AV
(Neptune Theatre, University District)

WEDNESDAY

COMEDY

The Eric Andre Explosion Past Event Like List
The creator of The Eric Andre Show has described his Adult Swim series as "like poop and pee mixed together." While that undersells the program—a hyperbolic and absurdist parody of public-access talk shows—it underscores Andre's scatological sensibilities and knack for shocking and mocking decorum. Since 2012, Andre has hosted and cowritten The Eric Andre Show with fellow stand-up comedian Hannibal Buress. It's a mélange of pranks, physical humor, and celebrity interviews that veers 180 degrees from talk shows' ho-hum formulas. In his stand-up performances, Andre delivers similarly skewed observations with a gravel-voiced hysteria. Some subjects include his biracial status, the mentality behind homophobia, Wendy's Baconator, and the show MANswers, whose hyper-macho approach to television he hilariously dissects. STRANGER CONTRIBUTOR DAVE SEGAL
(Showbox SoDo, SoDo)

FILM

Do Not Go Gentle: Three Queer AIDS Films Past Event Like List
For the last few weeks, Northwest Film Forum has screened a series of "decidedly queer" films spotlighting the life experiences of those directly impacted by the AIDS virus. The series concludes on December 13 with Stephen Winter's 1996 anarchic, campy debut feature Chocolate Babies, in which a troupe of "radical Black queer HIV+ activists and drag queens" hit the NYC pavement to protest conservative politicians and their apathetic stances towards AIDS. The New Queer Cinema gem will screen in a fresh 4K restoration courtesy of Frameline, the National Film Preservation Foundation, the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and the Outfest Legacy Project. LC
(Northwest Film Forum, Capitol Hill)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

BIRTH-TAY Dance Night Past Event Like List
Move over Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and winter solstice, there's a new December holiday in town: Taylor Swift's birthday. Not only does the Sagittarius queen celebrate her 34th birthday this week, she is also releasing an extended cut of her Eras Tour film on streaming services. Join your fellow Swifties in honor of the big day with this dance party celebrating TIME magazine's newly appointed Person of the Year. AV
(Nectar, Fremont)

THURSDAY

COMEDY

O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy Past Event Like List
Growing up, I typically watched PBS, one of the only channels that our ancient, rabbit-eared television could receive. As a result, I spent far too many of my formative years watching British sitcoms, which is how I learned that the British are hilarious. In this Christmas comedy from off-Broadway comedy duo James & Jamesy, a holiday tea party goes awry and floods the world with the UK's hot beverage of choice. The performance is a mish-mash of physical comedy, wry wordplay, and "cleverly crafted interactive elements" that you'll probably dig if, like me, you're also a Hyacinth Bucket stan. LC (Neptune Theatre, University District)

FILM

The Muppet Christmas Carol Past Event Like List
Die Hard. Scrooged. National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. The Gingerdead Man starring Gary Busey. They're all very good Christmas movies! But my all-time favorite, the one holiday film that wins out year after year, is The Muppet Christmas Carol. The classic tale is narrated by Gonzo and (the wildly underappreciated) Rizzo the Rat, with Kermit as the earnest Bob Cratchit and Michael Caine as the grumpy Ebenezer Scrooge. But to really appreciate the magic of the movie, first read this fascinating Vulture interview with songwriter Paul Williams. The Muppet Christmas Carol was the first Muppet movie made after Jim Henson died in 1990 and it's also first movie Williams scored after getting sober, so all the heartfelt moments about appreciating life and the people you love in songs like "It Feels Like Christmas" and "Thankful Heart" vibrate with genuine love, grief, and gratitude. Good luck not sobbing your eyeballs out now that you know that, sorry! Wednesday night at 7 pm is your last chance to see it in the theater at SIFF Uptown this season. Get there at least 30 minutes early for a Muppets-related pre-show special! STRANGER ARTS EDITOR MEGAN SELING
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Thursday/Saturday-Sunday)

FRIDAY

PERFORMANCE

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show Past Event Like List
"No man is a failure who has friends," so grab a buddy for this production, in which the classic '46 Christmas flick It's a Wonderful Life will return to the stage as a reimagined '40s-era radio broadcast. Playwright Joe Landry's take on the Frank Capra film blends organ tunes, immersive sound effects, period costumes, and commercials that pump up the show's old-school effect. LC
(Kenyon Hall, Northwest Seattle)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

Nikki Glaser: The Good Girl Tour Past Event Like List
Potty-mouthed blonde and legendary roaster (she's made appearances at the roasts of Rob Lowe, Bruce Willis, and Alec Baldwin) will drop by Seattle to offer up more delightfully crass observations. You'll dig her style if you're sick of Amy Schumer's problematic shit but down for extended bits on the horror and devastation of learning about blowjobs. (“My mouth?! That’s where candy goes, I can’t believe you would put a dick there!” says Glaser in her 2019 Netflix special Bangin'.) LC
(Moore Theatre, Belltown)

LIVE MUSIC

Mount Eerie & Black Belt Eagle Scout Past Event Like List
Mount Eerie is always a treat to see live. Because Phil Elverum's experimental indie rock project is entirely his own, each setlist includes freedom and variation. When I saw him at Fisherman's Village Music Fest in 2021, Elverum called out to the audience asking "Is there anything you'd like to hear?" and proceeded to play decades-old rarities entirely from memory. Considering that he hasn't released a new album since 2019, I imagine that this pair of shows at the new Black Lodge venue will be similarly unstructured. Both sets will be co-headlined by singer-songwriter Katherine Paul (aka Black Belt Eagle Scout) with songs from her latest album The Land, The Water, The Sky, a delightful sonic homage to '90s indie rock with shoegaze-y fuzz pedals and Breeders-esque layered vocals. AV
(Black Lodge, South Lake Union)

Seattle Men's Chorus Presents: A TREEmendous Holiday Past Event Like List
The Seattle Men's Chorus will make the yuletide gay with a festive, fun-filled performance that proclaims to be the Pacific Northwest’s "gayest sing-a-long." The chorus will perform dazzling carols of the season, such as revamped takes on "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree," "Festival Gloria," "Here We Come A-Caroling," and many more. Look forward to snazzy tree costumes, sensational singing, humorous dancing, and plenty of holiday cheer. Plus, while all the performances are family-friendly, this year's lineup will include an abbreviated and interactive show specifically for little ones with short attention spans. AV
(Benaroya Hall, Downtown)

The Moondoggies Christmas with Widower, Jesse Bonn, and The Papusas Past Event Like List
Northwest folk rock stalwarts the Moondoggies are back with their annual family band-style Christmas concert. The band has promised plenty of Christmas miracles, including country rock ensemble Widower, self-identified "dad rocker" Jesse Bonn, and the Papusas. AV
(Tractor Tavern, Ballard)

WINTER HOLIDAYS

A Bonsai Solstice Past Event Like List
The winter solstice is upon us! (Seems iffy that it's not actually winter yet, but I don't make the rules.) Welcome the season on a serene stroll through the Pacific Bonsai Museum's world-renowned collection of trees, which will be decorated with twinkly lights. Then, pop into the museum shop for beanies, pins, gift options by local glass artist Matt Fimiano, and free hot chocolate. Expect a low-lit glow as you explore the bonsai beauties–'tis the season for early sundowns. LC
(Pacific Bonsai Museum, Federal Way)

MULTI-DAY

COMEDY

A(n Improvised) Christmas Carol Past Event Like List
Dickens' holiday tale may feel familiar to you, but as it turns out, A Christmas Carol can transform into something totally unexpected (and hilarious). Based on audience suggestions, a team of improvisers will reimagine Ebenezer Scrooge's world in this Yuletide rollercoaster ride. LC
(Unexpected Productions' Market Theater, Pike Place Market, Thursday-Sunday)

EXHIBIT

Astra Lumina: An Enchanted Night Walk Amongst The Stars Past Event Like List
Los Angeles-born light experience Astra Lumina will illuminate the Seattle Chinese Garden all month long, transforming the botanical space into a "wonder of visiting stars" with projections, lighting, music, and "astral energy." OoOoO! Bundle up to stroll down the celestial pathway; you're promised to encounter "cosmic visions and astral song." (You may also want to pop an edible first.) I think it'd be the perfect way to celebrate New Year's Eve—lock your resolutions into place with a fake shooting star or twenty. LC
(Seattle Chinese Garden, Riverview, Thursday-Sunday)

Pulling Together: A Brief History of Rowing in Seattle Remind Like List
George Clooney-directed flick The Boys in the Boat will premiere on December 25, sharing the story of the University of Washington rowing team, who were thrust into the spotlight while competing at the 1936 Olympics. (Spoiler: the "Miracle 9” won the gold medal in the eight-oared competition.) Get pumped for the film at this exhibition on the historic team, which spotlights "the University of Washington men’s and women’s rowing programs and the history of rowing in Seattle overall" and showcases the Husky Challenger shell. LC
(MOHAI, South Lake Union, Monday-Sunday)

We Are Puget Sound Past Event Like List
If you call the Puget Sound region home, it's worth it to learn more about the wildlife and cultures that also reside in and around the Salish Sea, from Southern resident orcas and Chinook salmon to community gardeners and Coast Salish tribes. The Burke Museum's new exhibition We Are Puget Sound "explores the marvel of our area" with canoe models, clam baskets, and specimens from its fish, plant, and fossil collections, plus photos and profiles of Salish Sea protectors. This is fascinating stuff, people! (The exhibition is based on the book We Are Puget Sound: Discovering and Recovering the Salish Sea, published by Braided River in partnership with Washington Conservation Action; you can snag a copy from Elliott Bay before you see the exhibit.) LC
(Burke Museum, University District, Tuesday–Sunday)

Winter WNDRland Past Event Like List
If you haven't yet visited the interactive, technology-as-art installations at the Seattle outpost of the WNDR Museum, it's a good time to drop by the cavernous, almost 13,000-square-foot space, which has transformed into an "icy winterscape." Brrrrr. The museum's biggest draws, like the generative light floor and 360° immersive theater, will be coated with a "shimmering blanket of snow and ice." Sounds like a chilly opportunity for your winter-era selfies. LC
(WNDR Museum, Pike Place Market, Monday/Thursday-Sunday)

FILM

The Boy and the Heron Past Event Like List
Over the last 30 years, Studio Ghibli has become legendary for its lush visuals, emotional and affecting storytelling, and poetic, intelligent approach to nature and the more-than-human world. One of its central figures is (duh) cofounder Hayao Miyazaki, who has made some of the studio's most revered flicks (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki'sDelivery Service among them). He's also the most endearingly idiosyncratic director, like, maybe ever, and has announced, then broken, his retirement a total of four times. Never change, Miyazaki!! Anyway, if you're a Ghibli fan, you probably know all of this and are already jazzed for his first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and The Heron. It's a hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical fantasy that seems likely to fall in line with all of the reasons you love him already. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Dream Scenario Past Event Like List
Fans of last year's Everything Everywhere All at Once will likely dig Dream Scenario, which continues A24's recent propensity for gonzo dream sequences and madcap visuals with a fun plotline: Nicolas Cage stars as a typical dude whose life flip-flops when he begins appearing in millions of people's dreams. If that sounds familiar, you're not wrong—it seems likely that the film was inspired by This Man, who allegedly began appearing in dreams back in 2006. Does this mean we'll start to see more flicks based on old memes, guerilla marketing tactics, and internet hoaxes? I'm here for it. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

It's a Wonderful Life Past Event Like List
Already before World War II, the world of the villain in It's a Wonderful Life, the robber baron Henry F. Potter (portrayed by the stern face of Lionel Barrymore) was long over. The glory period of his kind did not rise from the combined ashes of the First World War and the Crash of 1929. But no one knew what was to come next. Would the USA become another USSR? The 1930s were called the Red Decade for a good reason. Was the hero of It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey (played by the drawl of James Stewart), a Red? Sure looked like it in 1946. STRANGER SENIOR WRITER CHARLES MUDEDE
(Grand Illusion, University District, Monday/Thursday-Sunday)

Poor Things Past Event Like List
Real Lanthimos heads know that he doesn't direct anything without dystopic, black comedy underpinnings and plotlines that make audiences ponder why they're on the planet at all. He is weird, as directors should be, and you're either in or you're out. This time around, he's adapted a '92 Scottish novel for the screen, painting the picture of a young woman (played by Emma Stone, who is raven-haired and looks charmingly bananas) brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist (played by my famous dad, Willem Dafoe). Best part? Poor Things "saved" my other dad, Mark Ruffalo, from "depressed dad typecasting." Praise be. LC
(SIFF Cinema Egyptian, Capitol Hill, Thursday-Sunday)

Saltburn Past Event Like List
Emerald Fennell's latest film is nothing if not polarizing ("Saltburn is the sort of embarrassment you’ll put up with for 75 minutes. But not for 127," says the New York Times), but as the world's preeminent Barry Keoghan stan, I have to at least entertain the idea that it has legs. Saltburn is billed as a "wicked tale of privilege and desire" (oOoOo) that sees an Oxford student attempt to infiltrate the aristocratic world of a classmate on an "eccentric family’s sprawling estate." (Has anything good ever happened at a "sprawling estate?") If you like Agatha Christie and drugs, this one might hit. LC
(SIFF Cinema Uptown, Uptown, Monday-Thursday)

Wonka Past Event Like List
I'll be honest: Timothée Chalamet's Wonka, all lollipop-chic in a top hat and crimson velvet coat, kinda gives me the chills. But I like chocolate and candy as much as the next person (as well as Cinerama's famous chocolate popcorn, which will be available at the newly opening SIFF Cinema Downtown), so I'm willing to give him a shot. The theater will throw open its doors for the first time for screenings of the Paul King-directed Wonka, and early reviews for the film are surprisingly great—Variety called it a "fun, rousing, impeccably staged, jaw-droppingly old-fashioned musical." Hard to argue with that. LC
(SIFF Cinema Downtown, Belltown, Thursday-Sunday)

FOOD & DRINK

Flying Lion Brewing 10th Annual Dark Beer Fest Past Event Like List
Dark winter days call for similarly dark beers. At this four-day fan-favorite event, Flying Lion will offer over 30 such brews, including "cellared favorites, special releases, and plenty of limited availability brews." Highlights this year include a special dark beer collab with Georgetown Brewing Company ("an exotic twist on the uncommon Black IPA" in cans and on draft at both breweries) and even a dark cider created exclusively for the event by Greenwood Cider. Plus, in case you need another reason to drag yourself out of bed, a limited supply of free donuts will be available each morning beginning at 10 am. Be sure to bring a growler to fill. JB
(Flying Lion Brewing, Rainier Valley, Thursday-Sunday)

Miracle on 2nd Past Event Like List
In 2014, New York bar owner Greg Boehm temporarily transformed his space into a kitschy Christmas wonderland replete with gewgaws and tchotchkes galore. Now the pop-up has expanded to more than 100 locations all over the world and will be returning to Belltown’s Rob Roy this year. Beverages are housed in tacky-tastic vessels (a drinking mug resembling Santa’s mug, for example), bedecked with fanciful garnishes like peppers and dried pineapple, and christened with irreverent, pop-culture-referencing names like the “Bad Santa,” the “Yippie Ki Yay Mother F**r,” and the “You’ll Shoot Your Rye Out.” JB
(Rob Roy, Belltown, Monday-Sunday)

Sippin' Santa Past Event Like List
This holiday-tiki-themed cocktail bar pop-up (a spinoff of Miracle on 2nd at nearby Rob Roy) invites you to "imagine Santa on a surfboard instead of a sleigh and palm trees instead of pine." Drinks range from the "Merry Spritzmas" (Prosecco, aperitif, tawny port, cognac, lemon, falernum, fig preserves, and cardamom bitters) to the "Jingle Bird" (bourbon, pineapple rum, Campari, lime, pineapple, and "jingle mix"). JB
(Navy Strength, Belltown, Tuesday–Saturday)

Winter Beer Fest 2023 Past Event Like List
The Washington Beer Commission's annual Winter Beer Festival returns with 41 regional breweries pouring dark malty stouts, robust winter warmers, barrel-aged gems, piney IPAs, and many more unique beers to warm your bones. Savor brews from local favorites like Hellbent, Aslan, Here Today, Stoup, Jellyfish, and Flying Bike. JB
(Magnuson Park Hangar 30, Sand Point, Friday-Saturday)

PERFORMANCE

A Charlie Brown Christmas Past Event Like List
What even is Christmas without the pessimistic, zig-zag-wearing eight-year-old Charlie Brown? I don't want any part of the holiday if he's not invited. This all-ages musical adaptation of the '65 TV special A Charlie Brown Christmas will return with Charlie and the rest of the Peanuts gang, complete with a wonky tree, musings on holiday commercialism, and the discovery of the true meaning of Christmas. (Good grief.) LC
(Taproot Theatre, Greenwood, Thursday-Saturday)

A Christmas Carol Past Event Like List
If the impending holiday season elicits your well-deserved "Bah, humbug," I recommend taking this dependable Yuletide delight for a spin. ACT's A Christmas Carol, returning for its 48th year(!!!), will offer up a little Dickensian magic with a bunch of intrusive ghosts and a notably grumpy old dude. What could be more Christmassy than that? LC
(ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, Downtown, Tuesday-Sunday)

A Very Die Hard Christmas Past Event Like List
"Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs." Or you could head to this Die Hard musical parody, which blends the action classic with pure comedy (plus smooth jams and '80s style) for a snarky twist on the Christmas spirit. Yippee ki-yay, am I right!? Sketch writers from The Habit have teamed up with Seattle Public Theater for the production, confirming that no holiday season is complete without a few pesky German terrorists. LC
(Seattle Public Theater, Green Lake, Wednesday–Sunday)

Black Nativity Past Event Like List
Written by innovative playwright, poet, and social activist Langston Hughes, Black Nativity first premiered in 1961 and was one of the first off-Broadway plays composed by an African American person. Presented in partnership with The Hansberry Project, this interpretation of the gospel play features "actors, dancers, soaring vocalists, and a rousing city-wide gospel choir," who come together for nativity storytelling, dance, and traditional Christmas carols with brand-new songs. The production also offers opportunities for audience sing-alongs, so prep your vocal chords before the show. LC
(Broadway Performance Hall, Capitol Hill, Tuesday–Saturday)

The Dina Martina Christmas Show Past Event Like List
Seattle's own "Second Lady of Entertainment" will return to the stage with some Christmassy razzle-dazzle this month. Alongside Stranger Genius award-winning composer and musician Chris Jeffries, Dina Martina will deliver the surreal comedy and festive tunes for which she's been known and loved for over 25 years. (Her show was described by former Stranger editor Chase Burns as "cozy but disorienting," and John Waters calls her act "some new kind of twisted art,” so buckle in for a holiday fever dream.) LC
(ACT - A Contemporary Theatre, Downtown, Thursday-Sunday)

George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker Past Event Like List
It's The Nutcracker—you already know the premise, but it never really gets old, does it? Tchaikovsky’s magical score will spring to life again in this sugar plum-packed rendition of the longstanding holiday tradition, complete with mice, tin soldiers, and a timeless trip to the Land of Sweets. Let's say you're all Nutcrackered out, though. Here are some little-known facts that might entice you: The production's eight Polichinelle costumes are decked out with 640 black pom-poms, and there are 154 costumes in the show, not counting duplicates. The scenery is made up of 3,000 square yards of fabric, and 98 yards of faux fur were used to create the mice. (Personally, there's nothing like 98 yards of faux fur to get me into the holiday spirit.) LC
(McCaw Hall, Uptown, Thursday-Sunday)

Jingle All the Gay Past Event Like List
Don’t you DARE pout at this "brilliant deranged" (TimeOut New York) jubilee, lest you make the naughty list of fabulous fruitcakes like Tito Bonito, Woody Shticks,  Kylie Mooncakes, and Cherdonna Shinatra. Jingle All the Gay is bound to stuff your stockings with luminous burlesque, cabaret, dance, drag, and musical performances in one hilarious celebration of chosen family. In other words, they're making the yuletide gay!! Get it? It’s Christmas-themed. Bless. LC
(West Hall (Oddfellows Building), Capitol Hill, Wednesday-Sunday)

Land of the Sweets: The Burlesque Nutcracker Past Event Like List
This showy burlesque spectacle invites you to journey to the lascivious Land of the Sweets, which will return for its 17th season with more sugar plum sexiness and swinging tunes by The Nutcracker Nonette. Anticipate lots of "light-juggling," plus jazz, ballet, striptease, and songs swirling together in one infectious confection. Yum. (Pro tip for the grown and sexy people out there: All shows scheduled after 9 pm are for attendees 21 and over.) LC
(Triple Door, Downtown, Tuesday-Sunday)

Little Women Past Event Like List
It's not easy to improve upon greatness, and to me, "greatness" is personified by the 1994 film Little Women starring the trifecta of perfection that is Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, and Kirsten Dunst. (No, not the Greta Gerwig one. I said what I said!!) But hey, this theatrical interpretation might change my mind. Based on Louisa May Alcott's courageous 1869 novel, which dared to envision an "unladylike" woman author who writes penny dreadfuls and rejects her rich hottie neighbor, this production of Little Women was adapted by playwright Kate Hamill. I am hoping to see Amy put a clothespin on her nose. LC
(Seattle Repertory Theatre, Uptown, Wednesday-Sunday)

Scott Shoemaker's War On Christmas! Past Event Like List
Scott Shoemaker (aka Ms. Pak-Man) will lead a gaggle of Seattle's most Yuletide-lovin' burlesque, music, and comedy stars in this subversive celebration of Christmas. Expect song and dance, utter hilarity, and partial nudity from this cast of cheery queerdos. LC
(Theatre Off Jackson, Chinatown-International District, Friday-Sunday)

Sugar Plum Gary Past Event Like List
Blending Christmassy cheer with a touch of Lovecraftian horror, Sugar Plum Gary will return with some gentle-hearted Satanism for your holiday season. The production follows Gary, a bushy-bearded fellow who is possessed by the ancient, mystical force that is Santa Claus. He'll lead another improv convo with audiences, answering their pressing holiday questions with twisted Christmas glee and a little cosmic fright. The show was dubbed “legitimately Seattle’s best holiday tradition” (Seattle Weekly) that “beautifully sleighs from the absurd to the existential” (Crosscut). LC
(18th & Union: An Arts Space, Friday-Sunday)

SHOPPING

United Indians Native Art Market Past Event Like List
Put your money where your land acknowledgment is and support the Indigenous community at this market featuring goods from local Native artists. You can find a wide range of gifts, including clothing, jewelry, woodworks, drums, art prints, and more. Already finished with your holiday shopping? That's fine, these high-quality creations will be in style all year round. SL
(Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center, Magnolia, Friday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Emily Counts: So Familiar Past Event Like List
Emily Counts' ceramic style is always a little (okay, more than a little) mystical, reflecting on nature and the fragility of life through surreal sculptural busts and curious wall pieces that are sometimes lit from within. In her new exhibition So Familiar, Counts's coven of life-sized ceramic figures "stand in ceremony," each paired with a folkloric animal familiar. The exhibition expands upon her previous exhibition, Sea of Vapors, at the now-shuttered Museum of Museums, so expect more themes of growth, decomposition, aging, and transformation, plus sensory oddities and nostalgic features. LC
(studio e, Georgetown, Thursday-Saturday)

Satpreet Kahlon: the inscrutable shape of longing Past Event Like List
After winning the 2021 BAM Biennial: Architecture & Urban Design Award of Excellence, Satpreet Kahlon was granted the opportunity to present a solo exhibition at the museum, and the inscrutable shape of longing began to take shape. The Indian-born, US-raised artist explores how cultural and ancestral histories intermingle to inform the "messiness, contradictions, and nuances" of embodied life. Kahlon drew from her experiences of displacement and colonization's aftermath to create a "multisensory constellation of video, image, and sound" in a web-like installation. I'm especially intrigued by Kahlon's use of mirrored acrylic, which splinters and refracts archival footage of Panjabi folk rituals into "hundreds of tiny fragments reflected across the gallery." LC
(Bellevue Arts Museum, Bellevue, Wednesday–Sunday)

Søren Solkær: Sort Sol Past Event Like List
Danish photographer Søren Solkær cut his teeth photographing musical legends like Björk, Metallica, Paul McCartney, the White Stripes, and Amy Winehouse, but in this solo exhibition, he studies "music makers of another sort": starlings, those passerine birds with wings that resemble the night sky. This series of photographs studies their "murmurations," or forms made by flocks in flight. ("Occurring before dusk in the spring and fall months, the mysterious act may function as an open call to join the evening roost and provide protection against predators," explains the show's promotional materials.) Sort Sol features over 50 photographs, video art, and homages to European paintings and Japanese woodblock prints, too. LC
(National Nordic Museum, Ballard, Tuesday–Sunday)

Well Well Projects: Companions Past Event Like List
This cross-city pollination invites eight artists from the Portland collective Well Well Projects to showcase work in Seattle, while Vestibule artists will install an exhibition in Portland. Guest curated by prolific creator Alyson Provax, Well Well's exhibition, Companions, displays works by more than half of the member-run gallery collective's members. The show "operates as a forest," meaning that the multimedia work presented helps "create an environment of unique species that have come together in ways both interdependent and at odds." Expect a wide range of mediums, including paper-cutting, collage, ceramics, and more. LC
(The Vestibule, Ballard, Thursday–Saturday; closing)

WINTER HOLIDAYS

Christmas Ship Festival Past Event Like List
Because nothing says Christmas like a giant ship covered in lights, the waters around Seattle will get a little more sparkly as Argosy Cruises' Christmas Ship docks in waterfront communities along the Puget Sound. Those who pay to hop aboard can enjoy holiday-themed food and drink, a community choir performance, and a reading of "‘Twas the Night Before Christmas" during the three-hour cruise. The 8th Annual Parade of Boats, where everyone is invited to deck their boats out in lights and join in on the fun, will take place on Friday, December 8, with a number of excellent shoreside viewpoints for us plebes who don't own boats. SL
(Various locations, Puget Sound, Friday-Sunday)

WildLanterns 2023 Past Event Like List
Grab some hot cocoa and get cozy with your friends, family, or Hinge date at this wintertime immersive experience full of giant glowing animal and nature scape lanterns, each representing flora and fauna from around the globe. Kids and those of us who are kids at heart will enjoy a magical snowy world in a polar regions exhibit, and marvel at brilliantly lit parrots and toucans in the Fine Feathered Friends zone. Arachnophobes might want to skip the Bugs and Blooms display, where vibrant flowers and giant spiders line your path (though we bet they won't bite). Let your imagination run wild in the Fantastical Folklore Realm as you search for mythical beasts from the white dragon to a pegasus. SL
(Woodland Park Zoo, Phinney Ridge)

Winterfest Past Event Like List
Every holiday season, the Seattle Center transforms into Winterfest, where visitors will find seasonal decor, live performances on the weekends, and of course, the beloved miniature winter train and village. For the first time this year, we're getting a European-inspired outdoor Christmas market offering gifts from local and international vendors and tasty treats like glühwein and bratwurst. SL
(Seattle Center, Uptown, Monday-Sunday)