Holiday

Ho Ho Ho... NO: An Anti-Holiday Guide

Indulge your inner Grinch (once in a while)

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For most, the holidays are a time for joy, gift-giving, and family—then there’s those who take the holiday season to a whole other level. Some people don’t find such holiday overload to be very appealing; they cringe at the sight of thousands of Christmas lights and red bows covering every inch of a house or retailer, and scramble to change the radio station when Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You” starts playing for the fourth time that day. With the month of December already in full swing, the holidays are quickly creeping up, and it can be tough to find activities that don’t involve making wreaths, meeting Santa, or watching The Nutcracker. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-holiday related excursions to take advantage of this winter here in the ocean state.

Theater
If you’re looking for anything but The Nutcracker this holiday season, don’t fret, as a handful of other plays will be taking place on stages across the state this month as well. The legendary musical Camelot, which recounts the story of King Arthur, Guinevere, Lancelot, and the Knights of the Round Table, will be playing at the Providence Performing Arts Center (220 Weybosset St, Providence). Judy Garland fans will remember the MGM classic Meet Me in St. Louis (original screen still below)—witness the musical comedy on the stage at Ocean State Theatre Company (1245 Jefferson Blvd, Warwick). Leave the kids at home for Trinity Reparatory Company’s (201 Washington St, Providence) In the Next Room—The Vibrator Play, a tale of a doctor’s cure for hysteria. Also playing at Trinity Rep this December is Barefoot in the Park, a play by Neil Simon that follows the lives of two newlyweds in New York City.

Comedy
Is the bitter cold of winter giving you the blues? Lift your spirits with a good dose of laughter. Have your pick of four different comedy shows throughout the month of December in RI, three of which will all take place at Comedy Connection of Rhode Island (39 Warren Avenue, East Providence). Whether you choose the character-flopping Seaton Smith, Kitty Litter (pictured below) and other charming and fabulous drag queen friends during their Drag Extravaganza, or Saturday Night Live alum and past “Weekend Update” host Norm McDonald, you’ll have your fill of amusing humor, and don't miss YouTube celebrity Tyler Oakley’s Slumber Party at Veterans Memorial Auditorium (83 Park St, Providence). Another comedian that’s become a familiar face on primetime television will be gracing the ocean state with her comical presence—Fortune Feimster, a writer and regular on Chelsea Lately, a finalist on NBC’s Last Comic Standing, and a guest star on NBC’s 2 Broke Girls as well as TBS’s Conan, will be performing at The Dark Lady (19 Snow Street, Providence) this December.

Music
Other non-holiday related performances taking place this December include Chevelle and The Head and the Heart (pictured below) at Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel (79 Washington St, Providence). Enjoy delectable entrees at Aspire Restaurant (311 Westminster St, Providence) as it’s transformed into the hottest jazz spot in town every week for Friday Night Jazz. For a chance to shine yourself, join other amateur singers at Nacho Average Wednesday Karaoke each week at Lola’s Tequila Bar & Cantina (525 South Water St, Providence).

Sports
Local sports fans can catch a Providence Bruins or Providence College Friars game throughout December at the Dunkin Donuts Center (1 LaSalle Square, Providence), and don't miss URI's men and women's basketball at the Ryan Center (1 Lincoln Almond Plaza, Kingston).



Outdoor Adventures
If you truly enjoy the outdoors, and are willing to brave the chilly New England winter weather, be sure to check out several adventures being offered around RI during the next few weeks. Take in an outdoor show performed by Mother Nature herself: the Germinid Meteor Shower at Frosty Drew (4870 Old Post Rd, Charlestown), just bring a lawn chair and a blanket for warmth. Go on a search for adorable sea mammals along the coast with Save The Bay Seal Cruises, either in Narragansett Bay (100 Save the Bay Dr, Providence) or Westerly (19 Margin St, Westerly). If you prefer to gaze at land-based creatures instead, take a hike and enjoy hot chocolate with Norman Bird Sanctuary (583 Third Beach Rd, Middletown) for their December Owl Fowl. Stroll along the cobblestone streets of Newport and learn of the history the colonial people who lived here through winter during Discover Colonial Newport in Winter (127 Thames St, Newport). You can also enjoy the beaches of Newport, and even take your dog along with you during the winter months.



Evening Outings
The feeling of wanting to break from the stress of constant work—to have a night on the town—is understandable, especially during the holidays. Put your moves to the test at Salsa Fever Thursdays at Tantric Lounge (1020 North Main St, Providence) or Ballroom Dance Lessons at The Towers (35 Ocean Rd, Narragansett). Hop aboard the Rhode Island Brew Bus for two different All-Inclusive Brewery Tours of both Providence (186 Fountain St, Providence) and Westerly (63 Canal St, Westerly) breweries, such as Bucket Brewery, Grey Sail Brewing of Rhode Island, Newport Storm Brewery, and more. Test your knowledge at The Whiskey Republic’s Stump! Trivia (515 South Water St, Providence), or show off your artistic skills—all while enjoying appetizers and wine—at Van Gogh Lounge’s Paint-Pour-Eat-Drink (115 Harris Ave, Providence). Listen to tales of espionage and deceit during the Newport Historical Society’s Spies in Revolutionary Rhode Island (Washington Sq, Newport).

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