Home for the Holidays

Make a Gingerbread House
Dec. 1, 6:30 to 8 p.m., Mt. Lebanon Library. Bring a can of icing and candy, and the staff will supply the rest. For children ages three and up and their families. Please pre-register by calling 412-531-1912.

Out & About­—High Tea—Dec. 3, 2 to 5:30 p.m., Omni William Penn Hotel.
Join the Newcomers’ and Neighbors’ Club of Mt. Lebanon for high tea. Contact mtlnewcomers@gmail.com.

Beverly Brite Nite—Dec 3, 7 to 8 p.m., Beverly Road. Come to Beverly Road for kids’ activities, Santa, music and caroling.

Deacon’s Cookie Sale—Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to noon, Sunset Hills United Presbyterian Church. Homemade cookies, breads and pastries for sale. 412-561-6261.’

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols—Dec. 13, 4 p.m., St. Bernard Church.
The St. Bernard Adult Choir along with the Chancel Choir of Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church bring you music for the holiday season.

Give the Gift of Savings—Buy a $30 Enjoy coupon book at the Mt. Lebanon Recreation Department off Cedar Boulevard, during office hours.

Treats & Sweets

Gateway Clipper Holiday Dinners—Fridays, Saturdays, Nov. 28 through Dec. 19. The sparkling lights of the city are the backdrop for this holiday dinner on the river. Ticket prices vary. Reserve at www.gatewayclipper.com, or call 412-355-7980.

Candlelight Mansion Tour—through Dec. 16 Tours from 6 to 7 p.m., Hartwood Acres. Visit the mansion in its holiday splendor. Reservations are required at 412-767-9200.

2015 Joy of Cookies, Cookie Tour—Dec. 3 to 6, Lawrenceville.Take a walk down Butler Street, visit the shops and enjoy some cookies along the way. www.Lvpgh.com/cookietour.

Dine with Santa—Dec. 12 & 19, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. Have breakfast or lunch with Santa and the zoo animals. Registration is required by calling 412-365-2532.

City Festivities

Ice Skating at PPG Place—through Feb. 28. Enjoy the winter weather in the middle of Downtown. Adult admission is $8.

A Pittsburgh Christmas Carol Tour—Dec.  3, 10, 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get that old fashioned holiday feeling by visiting historic Pittsburgh churches with a sweet treat at The Priory. Register online at www.pghtoursandmore.net/Christmas-Tours.html.

Winter Flower Show and Light Garden—through Jan. 10, 5 p.m.- 11 p.m., Phipps Conservatory. Admire your favorite seasonal foliage with whimsical props, Christmas trees and a light show, all themed “Deck the Halls.” Visit www.phipps.conservatory.org for more information.

Home for the Holidays—Dec.  5,10 a.m. to 12 p.m. John Heinz Regional History Center. Curl up with hot cocoa and listen to WWII-era correspondences of soldiers writing home during the holidays. Call 412-454-6450 to register.

Handmade Arcade—Dec.  5, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Come downtown for Pittsburgh’s first and largest independent craft fair with 150+ vendors. www.handmadearcade.com.

Cool Yule: Free Family Fun Day—Dec 12, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Frick Art Museum. Families with kids of all ages can enjoy stories, interactive tours and holiday crafts at. Visit www.thefrickpittsburgh.org for a full schedule of events.

Santa Trolley—Dec. 5 & 6, and Dec. 12 & 13—Pennsylvania Trolley Museum, Washington. Get into a trolley with Santa, sing some carols and interact with the Lionel Trains in the Visitor Center. www.pa-trolley.org

Town-wide Open House—Dec.  6, 12 to 5 p.m., Ligonier. Enjoy Christmas carolers, the Fort Ligonier Holiday Open House and Christmas shopping in more than 60 specialty shops and restaurants. www.visitligonier.com.

Holiday Open House—Dec. 5, noon to 3 p.m. Christian W. Klay Winery, Chalk Hill. Visit with Mr. & Mrs. Claus while tasting wine and enjoying a holiday food buffet with activities for the kids. www.cwklaywinery.com.

Hogmanay & Scottish Dancing, Dec. 6, Oliver Miller Homestead, South Park. This Scottish New Year’s Eve celebration features Scottish dancers while Haggis is prepared at the open hearth. Call 412-835-1554 for more information.

Old Allegheny Victorian Christmas House Tour, Dec 11 & 12, Allegheny West. Tour restored Victorian homes plus the historic Calvary United Methodist Church, all decorated to celebrate a 19th Century Christmas. Order online at www.showclix.com/event/OldAllegheny2015

In the Spotlight

Oliver Twist—Dec. 3 to 19, Stephen Foster Memorial. PICT Classic Theatre is back with this popular Dickensian tale about the importance of morality and family, just in time for the holidays. Tickets at www.picttheatre.org.

Yinz’r Scrooged: Midnight Radio—Dec.  3  to 19, 8 p.m., Bricolage Production Company. An uproarious parody of Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, set in present-day Pittsburgh. Tickets at www.bricolagepgh.org.

The Nutcracker—Dec. 4 to 27, The Benedum Center. PBT’s classic The Nutcracker, set to Tchaikovsky’s famous score. Buy tickets at www.pbt.org/nutcracker.

A Musical Christmas Carol—Dec. 4 through 23, Byham Theater. Tiny Tim and the rest of Dickens’s colorful characters are featured in this classic CLO production. Buy tickets at www.pittsburghclo.org/shows/a-musical-christmas-carol.

Handel’s Messiah—Dec.  5, 8 p.m. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra and the Mendelssohn Choir present Handel’s timeless classic. Tickets at www.pittsburghsymphony.org.

Celtic Woman: Home for Christmas—Dec.  7, 7:30 p.m., Heinz Hall. An all-female music group from Ireland performs its transformed 2012 sell-out holiday tour. Visit www.Pittsburgh-theater.com for tickets.

A Celtic Christmas Carol—Dec. 11, 8 p.m., St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church; Dec 13, 3 p.m., Sixth Presbyterian Church; Dec. 19, 8 p.m., Mt. Lebanon United Lutheran Church. Recapture the spirit of Christmas with the Pittsburgh Camerata. www.Pittsburghcamerata.org.

Brown Bag Concert—Holiday Edition—Dec.  12, 12 to 1 p.m., Pittsburgh Opera Headquarters. Bring a friend and a lunch and meet the resident artists afterward at this informal holiday concert. Tickets are free and open to the public. Visit www.pittsburghopera.org for more information.

B. E. Taylor Christmas Concert—Dec. 14 & 15, 7:30 p.m., Heinz Hall. Now in its 19th year, B. E. Taylor performs Christmas favorites with a special twist. Tickets at www.betaylor.com.

A Jubilant Holiday—Dec. 18 & 19, 7:30 p.m., Westminster Presbyterian Church, Upper St. Clair. Hear some of your favorite holiday tunes at the South Hills Chorale’s holiday concert. Visit www.southhillschorale.org.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve—Dec.  27, 3 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., Consol Energy Center. Enjoy Rock-opera-style holiday music to keep you in the spirit of the season. Visit www.TicketMaster.com for tickets.