​💡 Wow-worthy light shows in Philly | Things to Do

One of my fondest holiday memories as a kid was driving out to the Lehigh Valley with my mom every year to chop down our Christmas tree, a tradition that I insisted on keeping well into adulthood. We’ve become a bit lazier in recent years (it’s hard to compete with the convenience of pre-cut firs nearby) but I’m happy that tree farms in the region are still going strong (more on that below). Are you starting to decorate for the holidays? Any fun traditions you’d want to share? Let me know!

This week’s lineup:

— Rosa Cartagena (@_RosaCartagena, Email me at thingstodo@inquirer.com)

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Light shows are one of the best parts of the holiday season and in this region, we’re lucky to have so many options for family-friendly fun. Head to the Miracle on South 13th Street to see Santa and the Grinch this weekend, explore the Electrical Spectacle Holiday Light Show, or stay warm while experiencing American Heritage’s Drive-Through Grand Illumination. You can’t go wrong with one of these great light shows.

🎄 Evergreen fun: Whether you’re looking for spruce trees or a favorite fir, Christmas tree farms around the Philly region have you covered. You can cut down your own or choose from pre-cut options at one of the 17 best tree farms in the area.

😂 Silly stage antics: The Play That Goes Wrong, running at Plays and Players Theatre this month, embraces mess and mayhem for a night of laughs for all ages. Here’s why we still love it.

⛸️ Unlike what’s on TV: The contemporary ice skating company Le Patin Libre takes the spotlight at the Penn Rink this weekend with Murmuration, a show inspired by the movements of birds. The fresh take will have jaws dropping.

🩰 A classic: George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is a holiday darling all around the world, and the Philadelphia Ballet is delivering a particularly stellar version this year that will get anyone in the holiday spirit.

🥃 A gift I want, too: Among the many gift ideas you’re considering, alcohol might be on the list — but how to choose? Food critic Craig LaBan is here to help, with a list of the best whiskeys you can gift (to family or yourself) this season.

🏈 Screen time: Beloved retired Eagle Jason Kelce will be filming his new ESPN late-night talk show at Union Transfer beginning in January and there’s a chance for Philadelphians to be part of the audience. You can get (free!) tickets now.

📅 My calendar picks this week: Christkindlmarkt 2024, Christmas in the Barrio, Sip & Shop: Wine & Gift Shopping

This week I’m heading to a very Philly, very silly holiday drag show from local legend Cookie Diorio. Meet Mabeline Grinchester Diorio, the ex-wife of the one and only Grinch, who is bringing back her green Christmas extravaganza — copresented with The Bearded Ladies Cabaret and Opera Philadelphia — for a 10-night stint at Voyeur Nightclub, kicking off on Thursday, Dec. 12. Joining Diorio will be a slate of guest stars, including beloved performer Martha Graham Cracker, the recently named head of Opera Philadelphia Anthony Roth Costanzo, and Metropolitan Opera bass-baritone Davóne Tines. The show will be jam-packed with Philadelphia talent and sass.

🎧 Move over, Jason: Kylie Kelce is getting into the podcast game herself with Not Gonna Lie, a show about sports and motherhood. Her first episode was so popular it topped podcast charts across platforms. Take a listen.

🍻 Ye olde tavern: Closed for decades, Philly’s oldest surviving Revolutionary-era bar, A Man Full of Trouble, has recently been revived. Grab a beer at the historic tavern.

🎁 For your foodie friends: I love a food present and I’m sure I’m not alone. If you want to share a taste of Philly with friends or family this season, we’ve got suggestions for wonderful local treats you can gift.

✈️ Know before you go: If you’re heading out of town this month, we’ve got some tips for flying — starting with the best and worst airlines at PHL.

🥡 Don’t DIY: Contrary to popular belief (or judgmental relatives), you don’t actually have to cook everything yourself this holiday season. Luckily, Philly restaurants are here to help. From Hanukkah to Seven Fishes to Christmas, find great options for holiday takeout.

🎤 Look ahead: Two shows we’re looking forward to in 2025 were just announced — Ringo Starr, who’s returning in June after cancelling a scheduled show in September, and Mary J. Blige, who’s bringing her “For My Fans” tour to Wells Fargo in April. Here’s what you need to know.

Pop music critic Dan DeLuca and classical music critic Peter Dobrin break down the best upcoming shows.

🎻 Thursday and Friday: Catch Yannick’s Holiday Mixtape in Concert at Marian Anderson Hall. Big and luscious is Coleridge-Taylor’s Christmas Overture, and so, too, is the Philadelphia Orchestra. Yannick Nézet-Séguin presides over a program of favorites that matches the velvety ensemble and repertoire. The program also veers into the territory of the late Philly Pops in works like the Ellington/Strayhorn take on Tchaikovsky’s “Waltz of the Flowers” — and not to mention, in tunes with vocalists Laurin Talese and V. Shayne Frederick, and the Taurey Butler Trio. With the Philadelphia Symphonic Choir.

🐱 Thursday: The New York quartet Fantastic Cat is a supergroup of sorts, made up of songwriters who have pooled their talents as a pub-rock band and loosened up to highly entertaining effect on two albums — their 2022 debut The Very Best of Fantastic Cat and this year’s Now That’s What I Call Fantastic Cat. And oh yeah, all four meow men — Brian Dunne, Don DiLego, Anthony D’Amato, and Mike Montali — wear cat masks in their promo photos. The band plays World Cafe Live on Thursday with the Flying Vees — the Philly quartet of Brechyn Chace, Shannon Vasile, Caitlin Ramsey, and Hannah Taylor opening.

🌙 Friday: Sing along at the ‘Silent Night’ Sing-In at the Kimmel Center Commonwealth Plaza. Show up at 5 p.m. Rehearse a bit. And before you know it, you’re in the middle of a giant chorus singing “Silent Night.” That’s it — nothing to buy, give, wrap, or cook. Just a chance to push back against the darkness with a few minutes in the presence of warmth and humanity. John Conahan leads the event.

🎻 Saturday: See the No Name Pops Philly Holiday Spectacular at Marian Anderson Hall. Philadelphia native Na’Zir McFadden conducts standards like “We Need A Little Christmas” and “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” Hanukkah tunes, and other sounds of the season. With Broadway vocalists Nikki Renee Daniels and Jeff Kready, the No Name Pops Chorus and St. Thomas Gospel Choir.

🎤 Monday: The Jingle Ball isn’t a Christmas show per se; it’s the annual iHeart Radio concert tour presented locally by Q102, otherwise known as WIOQ-FM (102.1). It marks the triumphant return of Shaboozey, who played The Roots Picnic in June before his ubiquitous “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” topped the Billboard pop charts for a record 19 consecutive weeks. Also, along with soul and R&B singer Teddy Swims and Katy Perry, whose 143 album has gotten pilloried in the press, the bill at the Wells Fargo Center on Monday includes Tate McRae, Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Gracie Abrams, and Dasha.

Read more music picks.

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This week I’ll be getting in the holiday spirit watching Sabrina Carpenter’s A Nonsense Christmas. What’s your favorite holiday show this year? Let me know!