December 12
Seniors Hanukah Shabbat Dinner, 6-7:30pm, free, Kehillat Israel Reconstructionist Synagogue, 16019 Sunset Blvd, PP, 310.459.7539.
Trans+Lucent Group Encaustic Show, reception 7-9pm, through January 14, Gebert Gallery, 1345 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, 310.450.9897.
December 12-14
Holiday Sale, 6am-9pm Friday, 10am-6pm Saturday, 10am-5pm Sunday, Clayhouse, 2909 Santa Monica Blvd., 310.828.7071.
December 13
Abbot Kinney Holiday Extravaganza, 6:30-9:30pm, free, Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, abbotkinney.org.
Holiday Stories, 10am, free, Barnes & Noble Santa Monica, 1201 Third Street Promenade, 310.260.9110.
46th Annual Marina Del Rey Holiday Boat Parade, 6-8pm, free, Marina Del Rey Marina, best viewing at Burton Chase Park, 12650 Mindanao Way, MDR, mdrboatparade.org.
Lula Washington Dance Company, 7:30pm, The Broad Stage, SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., 310.434.3200.
McKinley Elementary School Holiday Boutique, noon-4pm, free, raffle tickets $1, McKinley Elementary, 2401 Santa Monica Blvd., rockthekradle@mac.com.
Pico Open House Holiday Luxury Sale, featuring The Pico Art Gallery, Blue 7 Gallery, Oaxaca Art, Tim Heritage Gallery, La Foto Gallery, Farthingales L.A. Inc., Acapillow Home Furnishings, UnUrban, LA Marler Upstairs Studio and Gallery and Memento, 5-9pm, free, Pico Blvd from 4th St to Centinela, picopassport.com.
Safety Harbor Kids 2nd Annual Spirit of Goodwill Holiday Party, 2-7pm, free, Fireside Room, Pepperdine University, 24255 PCH, Malibu, SafetyHarborKids.org.
Twenty-Six, graffiti art by Risk, reception 7-11pm, Track 16 Gallery,Bergamot Station, 310.264.4678.
December 13-14
Gladstone’s Malibu Santa-Toys for Tots, 10am-5pm, 17300 PCH, PP, gladstones.com.
Snow Hill, a hill of real snow for sledding, snowballs, snow people-making, etc., 10am-7pm, free, 1400 block of Third Street Promenade, 310.393.8355
December 14
Mountain Birds, morning bird-watching hike, 8am, free, King Gillette Ranch 26800 Mulholland Highway, Calabasas, 310.858.7272 x115.
Musica Angelica performs Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, 4pm, $15-$55, The Broad Stage, SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., 310.458.4504.
Nativity Scenes, opening ceremony, caroling procession 3pm, ceremony 4pm, free, Palisades Park, 310.577.2586.
December 15
Habitat Hideouts, training session for hiking docents for the Children’s Nature Institute, 10am, free, Temescal Gateway Park, Tonya@cni-kids.org.
December, Wow! The Westside Eclectic’s First Annual Holiday Sketch Revue, 8pm, $10, Westside Eclectic, 1323-A Third Street Promenade, westsideeclectic.com.
December 16-17
Santa Monica College’s 29th Annual Holiday Student Art Sale, 11am-9pm, Pete and Susan Barrett Art Gallery, SMC Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St., 310.434.4230.
December 17-20
The Nutcracker, with the Kirov Ballet and Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theatre, 7:30pm, December 18 show 2pm, $30-$120, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles Music Center, 135 N. Grand Ave., LA, 213.365.3500.
Through December 26
Fillmore and Western Railway’s Holiday Trains: North Pole Express, holiday train with Santa Claus, Wednesdays through Sunday evenings, Nov. 28-Dec. 26, with trains departing at 6 and 7:30pm, The Christmas Tree Train, Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 29 through December 21 with two departures each day at 10am and 2pm, Dinner With Santa trains depart on Friday and Sunday evenings at 5:30pm, Nov. 28 through Dec. 21. For more information or to book passage on one of the Christmas Holiday Trains call 805.524.2546 or visit Fillmore & Western’s website at fwry.com.
Through January 2009
Bob Baker Marionette Theatre presents The Nutcracker, 2:30pm Tuesdays-Fridays, 10:30am Saturdays-Sundays, $10-$15,
1345 W. 1st St., LA, 213.250.9995 .
Through January 10
Aah! Scrooge Must Die! a raunchy, NC-17-rated version of the Scrooge story, through January 10, 8pm Thursdays, 8 and 10:30pm Fridays-Saturdays, $20-$25, The Actors Gang, Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., CC, 310.838.4264.
Through January 19
Ice At Santa Monica, real ice skating rink, 10am-10pm, $10 for skate rental, 5th St at Arizona Ave., 310.393.8355.
