Seven Days of Holiday Fun:

December 8 Abbot Kinney Holiday Street Event, local vendors open shops from 6-10pm, Abbot Kinney Blvd., 310.392.2525. A Very Conscious Christmas, featuring art, photography, sculpture and music by Jacqueline Fuentes, 6pm-midnight, EpoxyBox, 602 Venice Blvd., Venice, 310.862.4242.  Also December 10 and 17. Westchester Lutheran Church and School Annual Christmas Festival and Tree Lighting with singing and refreshments, 7pm, free, 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd., LA, 310.670.5422. December 8-9 Holiday Sale with Daybreak Designs from OPCC, Friday 11am-7pm, special performance by The Wind Chimes/Saturday 10am-5pm, 1610 7th St., at Colorado, 310.450.0650. Marina del Rey Holiday Boat Parade, parade preview Friday 7-9pm/parade Saturday 6-8pm, free, Marina del Rey Main Channel, best viewing spots include Burton Chase Park and Fisherman’s Village, 310.670.7130. Shankari’s Conscious Holiday Boutique, shopping for healing gifts followed by guided full moon meditation, Friday 3-7pm/Saturday 11am-6pm, 145 Bay St., Unit 10, 866.342.2665. December 8-23 Visit Santa Claus at the Brentwood Country Mart daily beginning December 11, noon-2pm. Santa will also be appearing with the Harvard-Westlake Middle School Symphony Orchestra, December 9, 12-4pm and December 16, 2-6pm. Giving Tree gift collections to benefit Vista del Mar will take place on December 8 and December 20 at noon, free, 225 26th St., Brentwood. December 9 Carols From the Heart, a concert with the Santa Monica Chorus and the Santa Monica Oceanaires Chorus, 2pm, $10, $5 for children under twelve, Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 1343 Ocean Park Blvd., 310.613.0151. City at Peace, Los Angeles Holiday Boutique Sale, 11am-3pm, 2210 Lincoln Blvd., Venice, www.cpnational.org/la. Holiday Wonders Family Concert with Los Angeles Master Chorale, 1pm and 4pm, $19-$35, $12 for children under 17, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., LA, 800.787.5262. Jingle Bell Rock ‘ Shop Holiday Boutique, hosted by the Point Dume Marine Science School, 9am-3pm, 6955 Fernhill Dr., Malibu, 310.457.9480. Santa Monica High School Choir Fundraiser, a book fair to benefit Samohi’s choral program, featuring members of the choir singing carols as well as author Kevin Roderick, 9am-11pm, Barnes and Noble Bookstore, Third Street Promenade, 310.395.3204 x403. 29th Annual Santa Monica Venice Christmas Run, a benefit for Harvest Home, 10K race begins at 7:30am, 5K race at 9am, Kids Fun run at 10am, starting point is 2600 Barnard Way, to register, www.active.com/event_detail.cfm?event_id=1344199. December 9-10 The Nutcracker, presented by Metropolitan Ballet, 7pm Saturday/2pm matinees Saturday and Sunday, James Armstrong Theatre, Torrance Cultural Arts Center, 3330 Civic Center Dr., Torrance, 310.781.7150. The Real Nutcracker, presented by Westside Ballet, 2pm and 7:30pm Saturday/1pm and 5pm Sunday, $25, Wadsworth Theatre, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., WLA, www.westsideballet.com. Ocean Park Boulevard’s Third Annual Holiday Stroll, Saturday 10am-6pm, Santa Claus appears at Pookie’s 12-3pm/Sunday 12-5pm, free, Ocean Park Blvd. between 16th and 18th Streets. Winterlit Fun Kids’ Weekend, Saturday, holiday fun and breakfast with Santa 10am-noon, arts and crafts noon-4pm, Santa Monica Place/Sunday, 11am-4pm, Third Street Promenade, 310.394.5451. December 10 The Brentwood-Westwood Symphony Orchestra performs Christmas, Hanukkah and holiday music, conducted by Santa Monica resident Alvin Mills, free, 3pm, Paul Revere Middle School Auditorium, 1450 Allenford Ave., Brentwood. Candy Cane Drive, Santa will drop off candy canes while being escorted through the streets of Santa Monica by the police and fire departments, beginning at Douglas Park at 10:30am; Christine Reed Park, 11am; Third Street Promenade, 11:25; Virginia Park, 1:15; Marine Park, 1:45; Clover Park, 2:15.  For additional information, call 310.458.8474. Cantata No. 6 by Bach, performed by the Los Angeles Master Chorale, 7pm, $19-$35, $12 for children under 17, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., LA, 800.787.5262. Holiday Open House, 2-5pm, Santa Monica Pier Carousel, 310.458.8900. Open House and Annual Christmas Festival, 11am-8pm, free, Westchester Lutheran Church and School, 7831 S. Sepulveda Blvd., LA, 310.670.5422. Recorder Players West presents their Annual Holiday Concert, 2pm, free, St. Bede’s Episcopal Church, 3250 S. Grandview Blvd., LA, www.recorderplayerswest.org. Walk the Labyrinth, a special event based on the labyrinth of Chartres Cathedral from the Middle Ages, 10:30am-noon and 2-4:30pm, free, First United Methodist Church, 1008 11th St., 310.393.8258. December 11 Los Angeles Master Chorale presents the Messiah Sing-Along, 7:30pm, $19-$64, Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., LA, 800.787.5262. Also December 18. December 12-January 7 Slava’s Snowshow, a Russian extravaganza by Slava Polunin, call for times, Royce Hall, UCLA Campus, WW, 800.398.7021. December 12-13 SMC Holiday Student Art Sale, 11am-9pm, 4th floor, SMC Bundy Campus, 3171 S. Bundy Dr., LA, 310.434.4230. December 13 Holiday Wine and Champagne Tasting, 5:30-7:30pm, $40, Duke’s Malibu, 21150 PCH, 310.456.9025. Musica Angelica Baroque Fanfare Orchestra performs Handel’s Messiah, 8pm, $20-$45 general, $29-$39 seniors, $12 students, First United Methodist Church, 500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 310.458.4504. Through December 24 Ride the Big Blue Bus Holiday Shuttle to shopping and events in downtown Santa Monica, weekdays noon-8pm/weekends noon-10pm, $1, trips run down Main St. from Marine St. to Wilshire Blvd. and along Ocean Ave. from Marine St. to Broadway, 310.452.5196. Through January 7 Holiday Art Show and Sale, Topanga Canyon Gallery, 120 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga, 310.455.7909.