by Anne Farrell

It takes 300 pounds of potatoes and another 200 pounds of turkey to feed the hungry at Ciancio’s. Or at least that’s how much food Don and his family plan on serving to the needy this year at their restaurant that overlooks the Hyland Hills Golf Course. (more…)

December 2007

Ho-Ho-Ho: Talk With Santa, Or Just Have Breakfast With Him
For the last seven years, children of all ages have enjoyed Breakfast With Santa, courtesy of the Broomfield Lions Club. For the eighth time, Santa will listen to Christmas wishes and pose for pictures over a meal of fruit and pastries from 8 a.m.-noon Dec. 1 in the Lakeshore Room of the Broomfield Senior Center, 280 Lamar St. Breakfast is free. You can also arrange for Santa to call your home and talk with your kids ages 2 to 7. Fill out a form and return it to the community center, same building as the senior center, by Nov. 30. Then Santa will provide a customized call to your home on Dec. 1. For information on either event, visit www.broomfield.org.

Some Tea And A Classic
Enjoying Holiday Tea at the Hotel Boulderado is always a worthwhile affair. Add some theatrical kick to the afternoon tea by dropping in on The Nutcracker Tea, a benefit for the Boulder Ballet. Costumed characters will preform vignettes and mingle during the Dec. 8 and Dec. 15 teas at the hotel, 2115 13th St. Tickets are $31.95 for adults and $26.95 for children—$10 from each ticket goes to the ballet company. Call 303.440.2880.

Celebrate The Holidays With A Side Of Renaissance
For those in need of a Renaissance fix to hold over until the annual summer event in Castle Rock, a benefit for Adams County seniors is here just in time. The Madrigal Holiday Dinner celebrates the season and the Renaissance with a journey though a court dining experience from 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at The Denver Merchandise Mart, 451 East 58th Ave., Suite 4270. Enjoy the company of the manor’s Lord and Lady and the hilarity of the Court Jester as you feast over this multi-course meal. Ticket sales benefit the Senior Hub, serving the elderly in Adams County. For ticket information, call 303.426.4408.

December 2007

The Most ‘Eagerly’ Anticipated Holiday Albums

by French Davis

It’s the Gift Guide, which means that you’re probably reading this while lounging in your living room, fire blazing in the fireplace. The Target commercial is blaring in the background while the kids are bouncing off the walls waiting to light the menorah or catch a glimpse of Santa or whatever it is you do. (more…)

December 2007

by French Davis

’Tis the season for heartwarming missives on peace and good tidings and magic and mirth and tinsel and snow-covered gingerbread houses and eggnog warmed with brandy. And the Front Range is chock full of ’em…

THE NUTCRACKER SUITE
Tchaikovsky’s most prolifically-performed piece, the “Nutcracker Suite” is the Colorado Ballet’s bread-and-butter, and is as much a Yuletide tradition as sappy Target commercials and clanging Salvation Army bells. The Russian composer’s final opus, the ballet tells the story of a young girl’s Christmas night dream, where her toy nutcracker protects her from rampaging mice, turns into a prince and sweeps her off of her feet to a land of fairies. There they dance and rejoice at the return. Strangely enough, Michael Bay has yet to re-envision this one for the big screen.
Nov 25-Dec 24, Ellie Caulkins Opera House, 303.893.4100.

SCROOGE
For 20 years, the Jesters Dinner Theatre in Longmont has performed the holiday tome “Scrooge” based on Charles Dickens’ enduring winter classic, “A Christmas Carol.” This year, Jesters is welcoming all “Scrooge” alums with discounted tickets and a sing-a-long on Dec. 17 and Dec. 26.
Dec 14-30, Jesters Dinner Theatre, 303.682.9980.
1950s Holiday Revue
If you’re planning a ski trip around the holidays this year, factor in time to catch some theater in the mountains. Head to Breckenridge the weekend before Christmas, and take in the Backstage Theater company’s original “1950s Holiday Revue.” The show blends family sing-alongs such as “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “White Christmas” with a loose story about the Carvers, a model 1950s nuclear family, looking to keep holiday traditions alive while confronting this crazy new “rock-and-roll” music sweeping their nation.Dec 20-23, Backstage Theater Company, 970.453.0199.

Stories on Stage
The storytelling tradition spans the length of human history and encompasses every artistic medium. Get back to the basics with Stories on Stage, a non-profit organization based out of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. It features one actor on stage reading a story.
Stories on Stage features four holiday-themed pieces:

“Christmas Grouch” written by Ellis Parker Butler, read by Kathy Brady.
“Christmas is a Sad Season for the
Poor” written by John Cheever, read by Malachy McCourt.
“A Christmas Memory” written by Truman Capote, read by Gabriella Cavallero.
“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” written by Dylan Thomas, read by Jamie Horton.
Dec 16, Stories On Stage, 303.494.0523.

December 2007

Whatever the gathering, this list of Holiday Hooches will keep the spirits high. (more…)

December 2007