A Very East Side Holiday

Let Them Drink Tea
This year for the holidays, harken back to old traditions. Every Sunday from November 29-December 20, the Lippitt House is hosting Holiday High Tea. Guests can enjoy sweet and savory treats, a signature cocktail and, of course, freshly brewed tea, catered by Delsie Catering and Events. The house is gorgeous at any time of year, but especially so during the holiday season, so don’t miss your chance to see it. 129 Hope Street, Providence. 272-5101, www.lippitthouse.org

Get Your Scrooge On
Christmas in Providence isn’t really Christmas without the Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present and Future… and Ebenezer Scrooge, of course. Trinity Rep’s A Christmas Carol is the state’s most beloved holiday tradition for a reason. You might know the story, but you don’t know how the theatre will reinvent the tale every year – and this year’s more traditional rendition, running through December 31, won’t disappoint. 201 Washington Street, Providence. 351-4242, www.trinityrep.com

Shop Creatively
You can’t find a one-of-a-kind gift at a big box store – and trust us, nobody needs one more serving plate shaped like Santa’s hat. Find something truly unique, and truly personal, at the RISD Alumni and Student Holiday Art Sale, happening on December 5 at the Convention Center. Not only will you peruse paintings, photography, ceramics, jewelry and textiles by over 200 talented local artists, you’ll also have the possibility of discovering young talent now that will be out of your price range in the future. 1 Sabin Street, Providence. 458-6000. www.risdalumnisales.com/holiday-art-sale

Dash, Dance and Prance
No matter how you cross the finish line, put on your holiday finery for the December 6 Downtown Jingle 5k. The festive fun run is a fundraiser for Toys for Tots, Project Undercover and the Rhode Island Food Bank, and no runner has truly done his or her part unless he or she is wearing a crazy holiday getup – think Christmas lights, reindeer antlers and red sequins as far as the eye can see. www.downtownjingle5k.com

Be Old Fashioned… in a Good Way
During the summer, the Providence Flea is one of the city’s unmissable events. On the weekends, vendors take over Water Street, selling beautifully curated vintage goods and handmade items. For the holidays, though, things move indoors: to Hope High School, specifically. The Providence Flea Holiday Market will take place on December 6 and 13, with food trucks and live music. It beats shopping at the mall any day. 324 Hope Street, Providence. www.providenceflea.com

Dream of a White Christmas
PPAC will be hosting Irving Berlin’s White Christmas from December 8-13. The beloved 1950s holiday movie, starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Allen, will get a memorable stage treatment. We can only hope fake snow, and not the real stuff they wanted in the movie, will set the stage. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-ARTS, www.ppacri.org

Preserve the Tradition
Mixed Magic Theatre will keep two of its beloved holiday traditions alive this winter. First is Great Holiday Traditions, performed on December 5 at 3pm and 7:30pm at Hope High School. The show is a collection of beloved holiday songs and stories, with a tribute to the armed forces. Then, their 17th annual performance of A Kwanzaa Song, the longest running Kwanzaa performance in the country, happens on December 19. The powerful show by Ricardo Pitts-Wiley blends dance, storytelling and 14 original songs. www.mmtri.com

Get Festive in Downcity
On December 5, kick off the holidays with a fun-filled day a #CelebrateDowncity. The Westminster Street festivities happen inside and out: What Cheer Records will be spinning at the Grant’s Block Stage; Santa will be strolling the street taking Polaroids with merry makers; food trucks and vendors will be selling holiday treats; and once the sun goes down, there will be a special Movies on the Block screening. Aurora will host a special Holiday Flea Market by the PVD Flea, selling vintage and handmade goods. www.indowncity.com

Glide Into Winter
Nothing says “the magic of the season” like ice skating at Alex and Ani City Center. After taking a spin around the ice, warm up with some hot chocolate and walk over to the massive tree in front of City Hall for next year’s Christmas card photo. 2 Kennedy Plaza, Providence. 331-5544, www.alexandanicitycenter.com

Light the Candles
Start off Hanukkah on a fun and festive note by bringing the little ones to the Hanukkah Hurly Burly at the Jewish Community Day School. The party, for three-to-five-year-olds, will have hands-on activities, music, games, dancing and holiday treats. 85 Taft Avenue, Providence. 751-2470, www.jewishallianceri.org

Do Unto Others
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season – and the neverending shopping lists that come with it – it’s easy to forget about our neighbors in need. On December 12, join the Rhode Island Food Bank for their Holiday Food Drive and Open House. Bring non-perishable food items, and enjoy music and family fun, all while learning about the important work the Food Bank does for the community. 200 Niantic Avenue, Providence. 942-6325, www.rifoodbank.org

Dance with the Sugarplum Fairies
The magic of the ballet is unlike any other… especially when that magic is bringing wooden nutcrackers, sugarplum fairies and toy ballerinas to life. Bring the little ones to Festival Ballet’s The Nutcracker, on stage at PPAC from December 18-20, to experience that magic for the first time (and to relive it yourself). 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2787, www.festivalballet.com

Pop Your Cork
Don’t travel to Boston to see the Boston Pops – they’re coming to Providence on December 6. The Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra is coming to town, along with the Metropolitan Chorale of Brookline, to perform holiday favorites at PPAC. You never know, Old Saint Nick might even show up. 220 Weybosset Street, Providence. 421-2787, www.ppacri.org

Hear Angels On High
Well, maybe not angels, but some incredibly talented singers. The Magic of Christmas starring The New York Tenors brings the magical sounds and sights of New York during the holidays to Veterans Memorial Auditorium on December 3. Tenors Andy Cooney, Daniel Rodriguez and Christopher Macchio will perform with special guest, actor and comedian Jim Labriola. 1 Avenue of the Arts. 421-2787, www.vmari.com

Read All About It
Providence’s best hometown writers, Ann Hood, Taylor Polites and Hester Kaplan, will take the stage at Aurora on December 18 for Writers Behaving Badly! Holiday Edition. A panel of celebrity judges will measure the writers in a series of literary games that celebrate the “smallest state’s profound and substantive writing community with a program that is neither profound nor substantive,” and promise lots of laughs and even more glory to be won. 276 Westminster Street, Providence. www.goathillwriters.com

See Saint Nick Himself
It might not technically be the night before Christmas, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the Providence Ballet Theatre’s performance of ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas on December 18 at Rhode Island College. Watch the classic tale unfold with the magic of ballet, and even better, watch little eyes light up witnessing that magic for the first time. 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence. 456-8144, www.ric.edu