5 Things

If you’re into going and telling it on a mountain, you’re going to be hit with the cold, dead fish that is Boxing Day. If you’re not into Christmas, this is just like any other weekend. Except that you probably just had some days off work. Here’s some stuff to do.

December 25, 2014; 8:34 AM • by Susan Howson

1. Family Fun Day at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center

Something that weirds me out about December 25th is the eerie quietness of it all. I’m a big Christmas fan, but I might just haul my energetic child over to the JCC after the morning tornado has finished going through my living room today. Arts and crafts? Breakfast? Moon bounces? PAJAMA PARTIES? What a cool thing to do on a weird day that is kind of a letdown. There, I said it.

Thursday, December 25th • 9:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Weinstein JCC, 5403 Monument Avenue
Free to attend, charge for breakfast and arts & crafts

2. The Nutcracker Continues

BUM bum BUM BUM, bum BUM, bumbumbum, bumbumbum, bumBUMbumBUM bum. Doodoodoodoodooooooo…Sugar Plum Fairy what what! The Nutcracker gets two weeks on my list because you may not be aware that it continues POST-CHRISTMAS. That’s right, all those little kids have to stop playing with their new iPhones 6 for long enough to don the velvet knickers and rip a Nutcracker’s head off. You can extend the holiday season with this consistently solid production! And why would you not?

Through Sunday, December 28th • see site for times
Carpenter Theater, 600 E. Grace Street
$20 – $125

3. Laughtrack

Sometimes there are so many comedy events that I tend to gloss over them, for fear of picking one that is not A Big Deal and ignoring one that is. But Laughtrack has a really funny premise, to me. They choose your iPod (bring your iPod, btw) (do you still have one of those?) randomly from among the crowd’s, they put it on shuffle, and make up stories to whatever tracks float to the top. Mine would have so many land mines, such as Coldplay (so not cool anymore), ABBA, and various tracks from the three unabridged audiobooks of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. And they were all yellow, those dancing queens who trudged along towards Mordor wondering when they’d get their tenth breakfast of the day.

Friday, December 26th • 8:00 PM
Coalition Theatre, 8 W. Broad Street
$10 with some processing fees online

4. 2014 Capital City Kwanzaa Festival

Embrace the spirit at the annual Capital City Kwanzaa Festival, one of the largest of its kind on the entire COAST. There will be dancing and cultural stuff, sure. Speakers, drummers, candle lightings, Plunky and Oneness, an African Market, and children’s events…but citizens, you will also be able to taste African food. Guys, African cuisine is a beautiful thing, and writing this has made me very hungry.

Saturday, December 27th • 1:00 – 9:00 PM
Altria Theater, 6 N. Laurel Street
$5 – $6 in advance, with some small processing fees

5. #ramsramsrams: VCU vs. Cleveland State

Rodney head-butts the Vikings in a horn-clash of epic proportions this Monday night! This match is a home game that is not sold out, which is good news for you. Consider attending, as the lack of students in town could cause the Siegel Center to be as eerily quiet as a December 25th drive through Carytown. Go lend your voice (as loudly as possible please) to the Rams. After all, it’s the last out-of-conference game of the season and the last game of 2014.