The -ist List: Holiday events

Like it or not, Thanksgiving has come and gone, so the holidays are officially upon us. Stressed? Us too. Fortunately, there are plenty of holiday distractions — here are a few of the old standbys. Do you know a holiday event Houstonist should note? Drop us a candygram. In the meantime, Merry Christmas/happy Hanukkah/happy Kwanzaa/super Winter Solstice!

• Sure, there are always a bunch of community theater productions of A Christmas Carol, but only in the Alley Theatre's version does Tiny Tim use a Tony award as a crutch. (Just kidding — it's only a replica.) The Alley's Carol is freshened up this year with new scenery, lighting, costumes and music. Through Dec. 28 at the Alley | tickets and info
• Speaking of things you've seen before, the Houston Ballet's annual production of The Nutcracker is also playing downtown. It's a must if you have kids or, like Houstonist, visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. All the time. Through Dec. 26 at the Wortham Center | tickets and info
• If music's your thing, hear the Houston Symphony perform Handel's Messiah, the piece that inspired the standing ovation. Dec. 16, 17 and 18 at Jones Hall | tickets and info
• At Bayou Bend, the historic mansion that's chockablock with historic furniture, the holidays mean the Yuletide Exhibition that shows us how our forefathers celebrated the season. Inside are holiday scenes featuring the collection of antique American furnishings, but Houstonist will be out in the gardens experiencing poinsettia in the wild. Through Jan. 1 at Bayou Bend | more info

• Displays of holiday lights abound, as always. Hermann Park's McGovern Lake and reflecting pool are ringed with zillions of lights for most of December, and you can make sure things are extra merry with a few mugs of spiked coffee (evenings Dec. 2 through 23 | info). Downtown, Mayor Bill will light what's reportedly the tallest holiday tree in the city at City Hall (4:30-6:30 p.m. Dec. 10 | info), giving us all official permission to begin celebrating. And one of Houstonist's favorite light shows, Lights in the Heights, gives us the chance to stroll the streets of Woodland Heights checking out extravagant displays on bungalows we wish we could afford. (6-9 p.m. Dec. 10 | info)
• If water's your thing, catch one of the most unique local parades of the year, the Christmas Boat Parade on Clear Lake Channel. More than 100 festively decorated boats will make their way from South Shore Harbour marina east past Seabrook and Kemah, then back. We recommend watching from a waterfront restaurant at Kemah Boardwalk. 7-10 p.m. Dec. 10 | more info