1. The most wonderful time
Hooray! It’s time for winter break! Hey, wait — what will the kids do for two weeks? The Vancouver Community Library, 901 C. St., will keep elementary and middle school kids constructively engaged for at least five afternoons. Each day of Winter Break Fun, held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. in the Children’s Program Room, focuses on a different activity: Dec. 23 is robots, Dec. 26 is slime, Dec. 27 is crafts with the Maker Cart (a mobile cart full of art supplies, from glue and paper to googly eyes and pipe cleaners), Dec. 30 is a movie about pets (call for the specific title) and Dec. 31 is board games. The most wonderful thing: It’s all free. Kids should be accompanied by adults. 360-906-5000 or fvrl.librarymarket.com/winter-break-fun-3.
2. A tale of two ‘Nutcrackers’
There are two big productions of “The Nutcracker” in Vancouver this weekend. Friends of Danceworks presents “The Nutcracker” at 2 or 7 p.m. Dec. 20 to 22 at Fort Vancouver High School, 5700 E. 18th St., Vancouver, featuring more than 100 student dancers ages 5-18 and 10 adult dancers, plus lively acrobatics. Tickets are $20 at danceworksperformingarts.com. Columbia Dance is offering its annual “Nutcracker” extravaganza from Dec. 20 to 23 at Royal Durst Theatre at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, 3101 Main St., Vancouver. See tiny mice, dolls and soldiers come to life as Clara and the Nutcracker Prince journey through the Snowy Forest to the Kingdom of Sweets. Tickets are $15 to $20 at columbiadance.org.
3. A Christmas ‘Miracle’
There are still two chances to see Magenta Theater’s “Miracle on 34th Street” at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 20 and 2 p.m. Dec. 21. This stage adaptation of the classic 1947 film tells the story of Kris Kringle, a white-bearded retiree who gets a seasonal job at Macy’s as Santa. Macy’s customers are bowled over by Kringle’s simple goodwill; if Macy’s doesn’t have the toys their children want, he sends grateful parents to other stores. Macy’s plots to have Kringle transferred to a psychiatric hospital, and Kringle ends up in a court competency hearing: Is he really Santa? One little girl says, “Yes!” Tickets are $20 in advance at www.magentatheater.com or $22 at the door of the theater, 1108 Main St. Vancouver. Beer, wine and snacks are available in the lobby.
4. Starlight, star bright
If a medieval Christmas is what you crave, female vocal ensemble In Mulieribus will perform carols from the late 13th to the early 14th century at two “Star of Wonder” concerts, 8 p.m. Dec. 20 at St. Mary’s Cathedreal, 1716 N.W. Davis St., Portland, and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Proto-Cathedral of St. James the Greater, 218 W. 12th St., Vancouver. In Mulieribus — a Latin phrase meaning “among women” — primarily performs vocal works written before 1750, but audiences will also be treated to contemporary works by Tarik O’Regan and James MacMillan, as well as other seasonal favorites from across the centuries. Advance tickets (including Arts for All) are $5 to $35, available online at www.inmulieribus.org or by calling 1-800-838-3006.
