A season of cheer & charity

Thanksgiving is long over and December has begun. You can now, and only now, officially start celebrating the holiday season. If you put up your Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving, you can proceed only if you haven’t put any gifts under it yet. If you starting pulling boxes of tangled lights down from the rafters the day after Halloween, then your penance is a moratorium on all seasonal cheer until Christmas Eve. You can do good works (see sidebar), just no nog for you.

For the rest of you, enjoy the fruits of your delayed gratification by sharing a warm night of entertainment with your community.

Special events

Grand Chanukah Celebration
Thursday, Dec. 6, 6 p.m. The Chabad Jewish Center presents its annual Menorah Lighting ceremony in celebration of Chanukah. The 9-foot menorah will be lit, traditional food (latkes, donuts, chocolate gelt) will be served and, in addition to traditional music and dancing, there will be a performance by Jewish rappers The OJGs from Oakland.

Victorian Christmas
Friday & Saturday, Dec. 7 & 8. Experience Christmas as it might have looked during Victorian times at the preserved Stansbury Home. Tours run 6-9 p.m. on Friday and 1-5 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets $5; children, $2. Stansbury Home, 307 W. 5th Street. (530) 891-0585.

Community Tree Lighting
Friday, Dec. 7, 6 p.m. This will be the first year lighting the downtown Christmas Tree in the revamped City Plaza. Local choral groups, Santa Claus along with Mayor Andy Holcombe will be on hand.. Downtown City Plaza. Info: (530) 345-6500.

Breakfast With Santa
Saturday, Dec. 8, 8-11a.m. For only $5 (early registration recommended) have a pancake breakfast and get your picture taken with Santa (parents can eat too, for additional $2 each). CARD is holding three pancake/photo sessions at 8 a.m., 9 a.m. and 10 a.m., and Santa’s Village, featuring Mrs. Claus and the elves will be open all morning long. CARD Community Center, 545 Vallombrosa Ave. (530) 895-4711.

Oroville Christmas Parade
Saturday, Dec. 8, 6 p.m. Oroville’s annual Hometown Christmas Lights Parade. Oroville businesses and organizations decorate cars, trucks, horses and themselves. Historic downtown Oroville.

Santa Lucia Festival
Friday, Dec. 14, 5 p.m. The VASA Swedish-American fraternal organization hosts a festival in honor of the traditional Scandinavian Santa Lucia holiday. Entertainment, split pea soup dinner, a raffle and a visit from Santa. Cost, $5. VASA Gold Nugget Lodge, 1010 Elliot Rd., Paradise. (530) 873-4021.

Jesus Center Christmas Dinner
Saturday, Dec. 22, 2:30-4:30 p.m. The Jesus Center’s annual holiday community dinner. Jesus Center, 1297 Park Ave. (530) 345-2640.

Oroville Community Christmas Dinner
Monday, Dec. 24, 1-4 p.m. The community is invited to share a traditional Christmas Dinner courtesy of the Community Action Agency of Butte County and the Oroville Rescue Mission. Santa will be there with gifts. Donations and volunteers are welcome. Call (530) 538-7559 for info. Oroville Municipal Auditorium, 1200 Meyers St., Oroville.

Salvation Army Community Dinner
Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2-4 p.m. The Salvation Army’s Christmas dinner is open to all income levels. Salvation Army, 567 E. 16th St. (530) 342-2199.

Entertainment

Chico High Winter Concert
Thursday, Dec. 6, 7 p.m. Chico High’s Winter Concert will feature performances by the symphonic band and jazz ensemble. Tickets: $7, available from CHS band students and at the door. Laxson Auditorium on the Chico State campus. Info: (530) 891-3026.

Miracle on 34th Street
Shows Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., & Sun., 2 p.m., Dec. 6-15. Chico Theater Company’s Marc C. Edson keeps his tradition of directing a holiday a classic at the theater alive with this story of a little girl’s belief in the magic of Santa. Tickets: $20; bargain Thursdays, $15.Chico Theater Company, 166 Eaton Road, Suite F. (530) 894-3CTC. www.chicotheatercompany.com.

Holiday Burlesque Show
Shows Thurs.-Sat., 7:30 p.m., Dec. 6-Dec. 22. As the Cabaret says, “See a little naughty and a little nice” at the encore production of one of last year’s holiday faves. Music, dancing and fishnets in a pear tree … or something like that. Tickets: $15-$16 ($5 off for students and seniors on Thursdays). Chico Cabaret, 2201 Pillsbury, Almond Orchard Shopping Center. Info: (530) 895-0245.

The Yule Logs
Dec. 6-8 & 19. Don’t miss The Yule Logs, “Chico’s premier Christmas/pop rock band,” as they roast your chestnuts, spike your nog and generally make the holidays fun again. Thurs., Dec. 6, 10 p.m., at Duffy’s Tavern; Fri., Dec. 7, 7 p.m., at Woodstock’s (and earlier in the evening at the lighting of the downtown Christmas Tree); Sat., Dec. 8, 8 p.m., Monstros; Wed., Dec. 19, 9:30 p.m., at Nick’s Night Club. For info: www.myspace.com/theyulelogs.

Xmas Xtring Band
Fridays, Dec. 7, 14 & 21, 7-9:30 p.m. This holiday trio of local super-stars takes over Friday nights at Café Flo for the holidays. Featured players: Christine LaPado, upright bass; Mark Wilpot, guitar & mandolin; John Glick, guitar. No cover. Café Flo, 365 E. Sixth St. (530) 892-0356.

7 Santas
Shows Fri. & Sat., 10 p.m., Dec. 7-15 (plus Sun., Dec. 16, 10 p.m.). Chico Cabaret’s traditional showing of Jeff Goode’s dark Christmas comedy, The Eight: Reindeer Monologues is replaced this year with another of Goode’s holiday offerings, 7 Santas. This time, Santa ends up in rehab and Christmas may be in peril. Cost: $10. Chico Cabaret, 2201 Pillsbury, Almond Orchard Shopping Center. Info: (530) 895-0245.

Glorious Sounds of the Season
Friday-Sunday, Dec. 7-9. This is the season’s biggie. Chico State’s School of the Arts pulls out all the stops for its annual concert of holiday favorites. Performers include the melding of local choirs for the 150-voice Choral Union, North State Symphony Wind Quartet, Jazz X-Press, various faculty ensembles, David Rothe on the Centennial Pipe Organ and faculty jazz pianist Grant Levin playing a medley of Christmas songs arranged by Thelonius Monk. Fri./Sat. shows are at 7:30 p.m. and Sun. show is at 2 p.m. Cost: $20. Harlen Adams Theatre on the Chico State campus; University Box Office: (530) 898-6333.

Spark ’n’ Cinder Christmas Party
Saturday, Dec. 8, 8 p.m. Chico’s longest-running band, Spark ’n’ Cinder will headline the jingle-bell rock, which will include contributions from Jimmy Fay Acoustic Project and Dylan’s Dharma. $8 cover. Park Tower Pavilion, 2020 Park Ave.

The Nutcracker
Friday-Sunday, Dec. 14-16. Relive your dreams of the Nutcracker Prince at the Northern California Ballet’s annual production of the king of holiday classics. Four show times: Fri./Sat., at 7:15 p.m. and Sat./Sun., at 2:15 p.m. Tickets: $15-$12/general; $10/child or student. Paradise Performing Arts Center, 777 Nunneley Rd., Paradise. (530) 872-8454.

Paradise Community Concert Band
Sunday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. A free Christmas Concert in Magalia. Magalia Community Church, 13700 Old Skyway, Magalia. (530) 877-7963.

Resources for giving

ARC Holiday Gift-wrapping Booth
Get your gift’s wrapped and help someone in need at the ARC’s fundraising gift-wrapping booth, Dec. 15-24, noon-7 p.m. ARC Trading Company, 1900 Park Ave. (530) 891-5865

The Christmas Faire
Friday-Sunday, Dec. 7-9. Arts, crafts, entertainment (by Incendio, Mossy Creek and more), food and beverages. And, Santa every day at this huge Chico tradition! Fri., noon-8 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $3 ($1/seniors; children/free). Silver Dollar Fairgrounds.

Fair Trade Store
Chico Peace & Justice Center’s Fair Trade Store is open throughout the holidays. Hand-made gifts from the around the world, without a guilty conscience! All of the items in the store are certified to come from sources that provide living wages and promote fair labor practices. Everything from toys, instruments, tapestries and jewelry to coffee, tea and chocolate is available. Store hours: Monday-Friday, noon-6 p.m. Chico Peace & Justice Center, 526 Broadway. (530) 893-9078. www.chico-peace.org

Trinity Christmas Bazaar
Friday & Saturday, Dec. 7 & 8. Trinity Church is selling goods for the holidays—candy, crafts, baked goods and more. Plus, a lunch of soup, bread, salad, pie, coffee and tea will be served Friday (11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.). Fri., 9 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sat., 9 a.m.-noon. Trinity United Methodist Church, 285 E. Fifth St. (530) 872-4009.

Gingerbread Wonderland
Dec. 10, 12 & 15. Tyme to Bowl an Oroville Chamber of Commerce are sponsoring a series of free workshops with local artists helping children make gingerbread houses, ornaments, gift bags and holiday cards. All-ages welcome. Mon. & Wed., 4-5:30 p.m.; Sat., 10-11:30 a.m. & 4-5:30 p.m. Reserve space by calling (530) 533-0263, or visiting www.gingerbreadwonderland.com. Bonasera, 1442 Meyers St., Oroville.