Have yourself a merry little season
Christmas time is just around the corner, but for many students, figuring out how to celebrate can be an overwhelming process.
This year it’s time to forget about routine traditions and venture into the city. Los Angeles and the entirety of Southern California offers an enormous variety of shows and activities.
The best events are those geared toward all types of people: young, old, jolly and grouchy. From parades to ballets, California offers a wide variety of wintry excursions that should not be overlooked, no matter how much of a Scrooge you are.
The Nutcracker
Multiple companies across the state perform this show every winter, enchanting viewers with the ballet’s colorful and creative spin on the magic of Christmas.
Those unfamiliar with the plot (although most likely acquainted with the famous “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”) will be instantly immersed in a fantastical world of candy, gingerbread cookies and a battle of epic proportions between a goodhearted nutcracker and the evil Mouse King.
Candy Cane and Christmas Tree Lanes
Looking for dazzling lights to enhance your holiday spirit? Both Candy Cane Lane and Christmas Tree Lane are local hot spots to travel to for some of the best Christmas lights in Southern California.
Located in Woodland Hills, Calif., Candy Cane Lane in eight blocks of Christmas is all its neon splendor. Lights can be seen nearly everywhere in this thrilling spectacle: on houses, palm trees and even cars.
Christmas Tree Lane, however, is not just a holiday celebration — it’s a national landmark. Almost a mile-long stretch of deodar cedar trees dot Santa Rose Avenue in Altadena, Calif., and for the last 90 years the trees have been decorated in mounds of colorful lights.
The Bob Baker Marionettes — The Nutcracker
If you can’t make it to a real ballet performance of Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, the Bob Baker Marionettes offer a solid replacement.
Puppet shows might sound childish, but such an undertaking of The Nutcracker makes it worth attending — and a cheaper alternative than the large cast versions. Skillful puppeteers have the ability to captivate both children and adults alike with their precise movements and the utilization of decorative miniature backdrops.
Performances last throughout January, and admission is $20 per person.
51st Annual Los Angeles County Holiday Celebration
You can’t possibly enjoy Christmas Eve without attending a jubilant gathering such as this. Los Angeles County’s annual holiday celebration is a collection of dances, performances, films and all-out partying.
Not only is parking and admission free, but the event also ends in the early evening to allow children and adults enough time to relax at home before Santa’s arrival. The celebration takes place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion of the Music Center.
Downtown on Ice
It might not snow in Los Angeles, but that doesn’t mean Angelenos can’t enjoy a classic winter activity: ice skating.
Not far from USC, Pershing Square has been transformed into an outdoor ice skating rink. This winter marks the tradition’s 13th year, and at just $6 for admission and $2 to rent skates, a day at the rink is worth every penny.
Downtown on Ice also features free holiday-inspired events, including an arts and crafts festival, a menorah lighting and a number of concerts.
Disneyland and Universal Studios
What could be better than visiting an amusement park on earth on Christmas Day? Both Disneyland and Universal Studios have shifted gears for wintertime, bringing mini-lights and snow to their grounds.
Disneyland’s fairy-tale castle has been transformed into a crystal palace. Other areas of the park contain ornaments and Christmas trees and the nightly fireworks festival has been revamped to incorporate more holiday-inspired themes.
At Universal Studios, the Grinch has taken over. Starting Dec. 11, Universal will be transformed into a mock version of Whoville — with real snow — and will feature celebrity readings of Dr. Seuss’s beloved tale How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Even the Grinch himself will make an appearance, opening up his two-sizes-too-small heart to dance and take photographs with visitors.
Concerts
Los Angeles is nothing if not a city to see great concerts, and the holiday season is no exception. In anticipation of the holidays, many of the major L.A. radio stations will put on shows with big lineups.
KROQ’s “Almost Acoustic Christmas” is a two-night show perfect for rock ‘n’ roll fans. The first night at the Gibson Amphitheatre on Dec. 11 skews toward the ’90s alternative genre, with bands such as Bad Religion, Jimmy Eat World and Cake. The Smashing Pumpkins and Social Distortion will headline the show, along with My Chemical Romance.
Dec. 12’s show is geared toward today’s indie/alternative sound, as Phoenix headlines a lineup featuring The Black Keys, The Temper Trap and Florence + the Machine.
If your tastes run more toward hip-hop, Power 106’s “Cali Christmas” is perfect for you. On Friday, the Gibson Amphitheatre will play host to modern hit artists such as Pitbull and Chris Brown, along with rapper Ice Cube.
But if it’s pop music you want, KIIS FM’s “Jingle Ball” on Sunday is for you. Hosted in Nokia Theatre in L.A. Live, the lineup includes Enrique Iglesias and pop starlet Katy Perry.
So if Los Angeles is your home for the holidays, go out and celebrate the season. Even in the City of Angels, there are more than a few festive things to do.