Christmas

Compfight cc via Rick Harris

Gifting funk, soul, R&B, doo-wop and classic jazz

Ryan Varsi

A bleak Xmas mixtape

In the War on Christmas

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Compfight cc via elvissa

Whirled joy, a river of lights and Tchaikovsky

Everyone has that friend or family member. The one who unabashedly maneuvers around trick-or-treaters to string up their Christmas lights on Halloween. The one who has been humming Christmas carols for weeks—humming only, because singing aloud can have harsh repercussions. The one who already assembled most of their Christmas presents and will soon wrap them, probably while watching their well-worn Elf DVD.

In my circles, that friend or family member is me. Loved ones recently informed me that Dec. 1 is a more reasonable time to begin decking one's halls with boughs of holly. In my defense, it seems there are more early-bird holiday hounds than ever. To wit, Starbucks released their red cup on Nov. 1, Christmas displays in big-box retailers went up the same day, and I've begun spotting Christmas trees on my Facebook news feed.

Why not engage in early Christmas merriment? Here are a triptych of ho-ho-holiday events that even the Ebenezer Scrooges of your life can dig.

Joy to the Whirled: Cliff’s Magical Christmas

Have you ridden at Uncle Cliff’s for decades, hoping there was a way to make the amusement park even more exhilarating? There is; just add Christmas. Cliff’s Amusement Park hosts Joy to the Whirled, a holiday celebration wherein they decorate the park, sell holiday snacks and invite Old St. Nick to ride the Rattler with other guests. The event begins on Nov. 29 and runs through Dec. 23, from 6pm to 9pm daily. Tickets are $10.

River of Lights

The River of Lights tops my list of fave winter treats, along with spending time with family ... and biscochitos. The gardens abound with Christmas lights as you sip hot chocolate. This light show never fails to delight. If you’ve never been, this is a must-do; if you have, you know that walking into the Botanical Gardens this time of year is about as close as you'll ever get to the land of Oz. The River of Lights opens Nov. 30 and runs through Dec. 19, from 6pm to 9pm daily. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. The show continues Dec. 20 through Jan. 5, but tickets will cost you $12 for adults and $6 for children. The River of Lights is closed Dec. 24, 25 and 31 and Jan. 1.

The Nutcracker

The New Mexico Ballet Company and the New Mexico Philharmonic inhabit Popejoy for two consecutive weekends to proffer a balletic holiday indulgence, The Nutcracker. While I've never actually seen it, the fact that it's a commonplace holiday topic and is often associated with words like “elegance” and “excellence” leads me to believe even those friends who've been grumbling about your holiday cheer may enjoy this show. The performance series begins Nov. 30 at 7pm and runs through Dec. 8 at 2pm. Tickets start at $11 for adults.

For more info on these events, visit the above-linked websites. If you know of other awesome community events—holiday-themed or otherwise—tell us about 'em via our event submission page at alibi.com/submit.

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