Holiday Happenings

Winter Light Garden 5 to 11 p.m., thru January 7 (Phipps Conservatory): Luminous orbs, trees, fountains and a tunnel of lights imitate the winter sky. Admission also includes Winter Flower Show and Garden Railroad exhibits. www.Phipps.Conservatory.org

Overly’s Country Christmas Now thru January 1 (Greensburg, PA): Drive through a holiday light display and visit a Christmas village including vendors, carriage rides, entertainment and kids’ activities. www.Overlys.com

Kennywood Holiday Lights Now thru December 30 (Kennywood Park): Two million lights, holiday choirs, lagoon light show, Santa, the Gingerbread Express and more. www.Kennywood.com

Holiday Magic Laser Show Now thru December 30 (Carnegie Science Center): Holiday magic meets science in this laser show set to your favorite holiday tunes. www.CarnegieScienceCenter.org

Holiday for the Birds 10 a.m., Saturday, December 2 (Mt. Lebanon Public Library): Preschoolers make birdfeeders, learn about local breeds and meet animals. ChrisGPhillips@verizon.net

Annual Holiday Bazaar 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday, December 5 (Concordia of the South Hills) A variety of vendors, basket auction and bake sale in the Retirement Living Commons area. Event is free and open to the public. www.concordia-southhills.org.

Beverly Brite Night 7 to 8 p.m., Thursday, December 7 (Beverly Road): Beverly Road closes for kids’ activities, Santa, Christmas carols and holiday treats! www.mtlebopartnership.org

Deacons’ Cookie Sale 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (Sunset Hills United Presbyterian Church): Homemade cookies, breads and pastries for sale while supplies last. www.SHUPChurch.org

Pancake Breakfast with Santa 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (Mt. Lebanon High School Center Court): Support the Mt. Lebanon Winter Guard team while enjoying delicious pancakes with Santa. lebopancakebreakfast@gmail.com

Holiday Gift Bazaar, Cookie Sale & Tea Room 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church): Homemade cookies, gifts and a British Christmas Tea Room. www.MLUMC.org.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols   4 p.m., Sunday, December 10 (St. Bernard Church): St. Bernard and Mt. Lebanon United Methodist choirs combine for a festive service of readings and music. www.StBernardMusic.org

South Hills Lights, Chabad of the South Hills 6 p.m., Wednesday, December 13 (The Galleria): Grand menorah lighting, dreidels, food, entertainment, crafts and more. www.Chabadsh.com

Holiday Bells, Mallets and Drums 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16 and 1 p.m. Saturday, (Mt. Lebanon High School Fine Arts Theater): Fantastic music. Plus Santa, cookies and silent auction. www.MTLPercussion.org

Mt. Lebanon Public Library is hosting many holiday-themed events through December.

Holiday Party for Seniors 11 a.m., Tuesday, December 19 (Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department): Rec department senior luncheon will feature a cookie swap, holiday activities and a performance by Tracy the Ukulele Lady. Register ahead. www.MtLebanon.org/200/senior-luncheons

Three Rivers Ringers 8 p.m.,  Friday, December 1 (Bower Hill Community Church) Hear festive handbell tunes including Chinese Dance from The Nutcracker, Sleigh Ride, Linus and Lucy and more. www.ThreeRiversRingers.org

Santa Sightings

Santa at the Zoo Saturdays and Sundays thru December 17 (Pittsburgh Zoo): Have breakfast or lunch with Santa, make crafts and cookies and meet zoo animals. Preregistration required. www.PittsburghZoo.org

Santa Trolley Saturdays and Sundays thru December 17 (Pennsylvania Trolley Museum): Climb aboard a restored streetcar with the merry man himself. www.pa-trolley.org

Santa and His Penguin Helper December 2, 9 and 16 (National Aviary): Take photos with Santa AND a penguin. Included with Aviary admission. www.Aviary.org

Around the City

Ice Skating Downtown Now thru February (PPG Place): Skate in Pittsburgh’s outdoor rink, which is 67 percent larger than the one in Rockefeller Center.  www.PPGPlace.com

Clayton Holiday Tour Now thru January 7 (The Frick): This year, the Clayton holiday tour is combined with a new tour about the household staff who kept the mansion running through the winter.  www.TheFrickPittsburgh.org

Joy of Cookies Cookie Tour 2017 Friday to Sunday, December 1 to 3 (Lawrenceville): Walk down Butler Street and enjoy a treat at participating businesses along the way. www.LVPGH.com

Ben Avon Holiday House Tour 6  to 9 p.m., Saturday, December 2 (Ben Avon Borough): Visit six beautiful historic homes decorated for the holidays. AvonClub.BenAvon.org/site/house-tour 

WYEP Holiday Hootenanny 7 p.m., Thursday, December 7 (August Wilson Center): Silent Auction, DJ dance party and concert by the Holiday Hootenanny Band. Tickets can sell out. www.WYEP.org/HolidayHootenanny17

Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour Friday and Saturday, December 8 and 9 (Calvary United Methodist Church): Visit six restored Victorian homes and the historic Calvary United Methodist Church, all decked out for the holidays. www.AlleghenyWest.org

Festival of Chanukah 5 to 9 p.m., Tuesday, December 12 (Waterfront Shopping Center): Live music, heated tent with food vendors, games, activities and grand menorah lighting. www.ChabadPGH.com

Holidays Around the World Saturday, December 16 (Carnegie Museum of Natural History): Holiday-themed stations throughout the museum will include crafts, traditions, food, artifacts and more from other cultures. www.CarnegieMNH.org

Christmas Bird Count Walk 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Saturday, December 30 (Emerald View Park): Join local naturalists on an easy 3-mile walk to collect data for the Audubon’s Christmas Bird Count Database. www.VentureOutdoors.org

Cookie Walk 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (St. Peter and St. Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Carnegie): Eastern European cookies, homemade lady locks, pizzelles, nut rolls and other holiday favorites, sold by the pound. www.OrthodoxCarnegie.org

Entertainment

The Nutcracker December 1 to 27 (Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre): One hundred dancers, 200 costumes, a colossal Christmas tree and Tchaikovsky’s classic score set in turn-of-the-century Pittsburgh. www.PBT.org

Handel’s Messiah 8 p.m., Saturday, December 2 (Heinz Hall): See Handel’s prolific oratorio performed by one of our nation’s finest orchestras. www.PittsburghSymphony.org

Midnight Radio: A Christmas Story December 7 to 23 (Bricolage Production Company): Enjoy Ralphie’s iconic quest for the perfect Christmas gift in the form of a live 1940s radio broadcast. Free pre-show happy half-hour included in admission. www.BricolagePGH.org

A Musical Christmas Carol December 8 to 23 (Byham Theater): Dickens’ holiday favorite set to recognizable yuletide melodies. This year, starring Broadway’s Patrick Page as Scrooge. www.PittsburghCLO.org

Holiday Pops December 8 to 17 (Heinz Hall): The PSO, The Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh and Broadway’s Ryan Silverman present an unforgettable holiday concert. www.PittsburghSymphony.org

Brown Bag Concert 12 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters): Bring lunch and a friend to this free holiday concert presented by Pittsburgh Opera’s resident artists. www.PittsburghOpera.org

Hi Ho the Holly 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, December 15 and 16 (Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair): Holiday music close to home, performed by local singers. www.SouthHillsChorale.org    

A Jubilant Season 8 p.m., Saturday, December 16 (Calvary Episcopal Church, Shadyside): Soprano Pascale Beaudin joins Chatham Baroque for a joyful program of holiday favorites from the baroque period. www.ChathamBaroque.org

White Christmas Breakfast & Movie 10:30 a.m., Sunday, December 17 (Hollywood Theater): Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, plus brunch catered by Prohibition Pastries. Tickets sell out, so buy in advance. www.TheHollywoodDormont.org

Trans-Siberian Orchestra 3 and 8 p.m., Friday, December 22 (PPG Paints Arena): Rock-opera-style holiday favorites complete with dazzling lights and pyrotechnics. www.Trans-Siberian.com      

Handmade Arcade 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday, December 2 (David L. Lawrence Convention Center): Find aunique gifts at Pittsburgh’s award-winning independent craft fair. www.HandmadeArcade.com

Holiday Glass Sale Friday to Sunday, December 1 to 3 (Pittsburgh Glass Center): Funky, fancy and functional glass on sale for three days only. www.PittsburghGlassCenter.org

Highland Park Pottery Tour 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, December 9 and 10 (Union Project): Visit the studios of five Highland Park potters, socialize and buy local pottery! www.UnionProject.org

Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, December 9 (4701 Butler Street, Lawrenceville): Unique Ohio-based craft show. A portion of proceeds benefits Girls on the Run. www.AvantGardeShows.com 

Crafts and Drafts: Holiday Ornaments 6 to 9 p.m., Friday, December 15 (Contemporary Craft): Saw, hammer and finish your own metal ornament and enjoy adult beverages. Basic skills will be taught. www.ContemporaryCraft.org

Botanical Garden Crafts 1:30 to 3 p.m., Sunday, December 17 (Pittsburgh Botanic Garden): Gather evergreen branches with your family to create a holiday decoration for your home. www.PittsburghBotanicGarden.org

2018 Enjoy Coupon Book Give the gift of savings! Get your coupon book for $30 from the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department, which includes deep discounts on local activities, restaurants and shopping. 412-343-3409

Out of Town

Ligonier Town-wide Open House 12 to 5 p.m., Sunday, December 3 (Ligonier): Enjoy carolers, festive decorations and specials in local stores and restaurants. www.Ligonier.com

Christmas Tree Capital of the World Now thru December (Indiana, Pa.): Pop-up holiday market, weekend festivals, “It’s A Wonderful Life” inspired atmosphere and an enormous Christmas tree. www.WonderfulLifeFestival.com

Civil War Christmas Now thru December (Gettysburg): Daily festive events and holiday-themed tours in the various historic Civil War locations around town. www.DestinationGettysburg.com

Elf Tuck-Ins Now thru December 24 (Nemacolin Woodland Resort): One of Santa’s elves will come to your room to read a holiday bedtime story to your kids and bring reindeer dust and a stocking full of gifts. Elf visit booked separately. www.Nemacolin.com

New Years Celebrations

Hogmanay Sunday, December 3 (Oliver Miller Homestead): Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration features haggis, highland games and Scottish dancers. www.OliverMillerHomestead.org. 

Noon Year’s Eve 11 a.m., Sunday, December 31 (Mt. Lebanon Public Library): Celebrate 2018 12 hours early with family-friendly activities, songs, crafts and some bubbly when the clock strikes noon. www.MtLebanonLibrary.org.   

First Night 6 p.m. to Midnight, Sunday, December 31 (Cultural District): Enjoy a 14-block celebration including live music, dance, theater, magic, fireworks and the raising of the Future of Pittsburgh Ball. www.FirstNightPgh.TrustArts.org.

Giving Back

Coat Collection Now thru December 16 (Public Safety Building, 555 Washington Road): The Mt. Lebanon Police Association is collecting winter coats, hats, scarves and other outerwear for the Salvation Army. Collection bin located in the basement lobby. 412-343-4068

Gift Wrapping Now thru December (The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon): Humane Animal Rescue is wrapping presents at the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. Support them by visiting the wrapping station, or volunteer to help with the wrapping. www.HumaneAnimalRescue.org

Holiday Breakfast 8:30 a.m., Friday, December 8 (Crowne Plaza Pittsburgh South): Coldwell Banker hosts a breakfast benefitting Make-A-Wish Greater PA and West Virginia and the Pittsburgh Community Food Bank. 412-901-6808

Help the Food Bank Saturday, December 16 (Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank): Adults and children ages six and up are invited to work on volunteer projects every third Thursday of the month. Preregistration required. www.PittsburghFoodBank.org

Family Volunteer Day Saturday, December 16 (Global Links): Families can volunteer to help prepare and sort medical supplies to send to areas affected by natural disasters. Preregistration required. www.GlobalLinks.org

Mitzvah Day Sunday and Monday, December 24 and 25 (Various Locations): The Jewish Federation Volunteer Center organizes two days of service, with projects taking place all over the city. www.JFedPgh.org