5 Things

There are plenty of things that you can distract yourself as well as your out-of-town guests with during this final surge of holiday frenzy.

December 19, 2013; 6:36 AM • by Susan Howson

You will most likely have one trillion things to do during the next week, what with all the family and baking and visions of sugarplums. But don’t even try to pretend like the world isn’t still spinning in the background—there are plenty of things that you can distract yourself as well as your out-of-town guests with during this final surge of holiday frenzy.

Family-oriented? Check out 5 Things for Families, then pack the kids in the sleigh and tell Rudolph to get a move on!

1. The Nutcracker

There literally is nothing more festive and beautiful than the frigging Nutcracker. I don’t even want to hear your “But…there’s this other thing” comments. Because they are weak. Sooo weak. If you aren’t into The Nutcracker then there’s something truly wrong with you. And if my tough love bullying isn’t hitting you where it counts, then consider this: Richmond truly has one of the finest productions in the nation. That’s right. So grab your children or just grab yourself and make it happen, or Santa will never forgive you. (Spoiler: Santa is not featured.)

Thursday, December 19th – Sunday, December 22nd • see site for times
Carpenter Theatre, 600 E. Grace Street
$20 – $125

2. Hollywood in Space

If you want to get my attention re: your event, this is the way to do it. MOVIES AND THE UNIVERSE, people. Let’s bring all of these CGI sci-fi movies into context, and that context is actual space. Join the LiveSky crew and their team of telescopes to examine whether films like Armageddon and Star Wars get their stars in order. And I don’t mean Harrison Ford. He’s always in order.

Friday, December 20th • 7:30 PM
Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad Street
$5, free for members

3. The Midnight Suggestion featuring Jeff Simmermon

Jeff Simmermon is an extremely funny famousish guy on the quirky storytelling circuit who happens to be from Richmond. OK, not “happens“–we breed some pretty great people down here. The normally semi-annual comedy situation is pulling its first holiday pageant this year by roping Jeff in I MEAN bringing him back where he belongs.

Friday, December 20th • 10:00 PM
Coalition Theater, 8 W. Broad Street
$7

4. It’s a Wonderful Life at the Byrd Theatre

There are Christmas movie classics and there are Christmas movie classics. It’s a Wonderful Life is the former, of course, as well as the latter. While it may start out a depressing-as-hell flick, it ends well. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. You’ve seen it before. But have you seen it on the heels of a Mighty Wurlitzer performance?? The Byrd presents this screening as a gift to you, so you can say “But mom, dad, Uncle Lewis, Aunt Bethany…I’ve REALLY got to get out of the house right now.”

Tuesday, December 24th – Wednesday, December 25th • see site for times
Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary Street
$1.99

5. Women of Ravensbrück

Not to end your holiday season on a somber note, but look at it this way: a tour of a heart-wrenching exhibit at the Virginia Holocaust Museum is an excellent way to encourage yourself to stop taking advantage of the awesome things you have around you and seriously appreciate your great life. This exhibit celebrates the amazing women who suffered and survived the Nazis’ all-female concentration camp. You can drown your sorrows later with leftover eggnog, but take an hour or so to pay your respects in this time of goodwill towards men (and women).