Explore St. Louis

Holiday Countdown for December 16, 17 and 18

Need to deal with family members over-anxious about the impending holidays?
Relax their jingle jangled nerves with a dose of holiday fun in St. Louis this weekend. Take in any of the following Gateway City activities as a “do open before the holiday” treat.

Feel the spirit of Christmas past, present and future at the Fox Theatre’s presentation of the classic, “A Christmas Carol.” Performances are 7:30 p.m. on Friday, December 16 and Saturday, December 17 and 6:00 p.m. on Monday, December 19. Matinees are 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:00 p.m. on Sunday. A 45-minute, “squirm free” version of the Scrooge tale titled “Bah! Humbug!” will delight kids with an updated take of the ubiquitous holiday stage play. In this incarnation, Bob Cratchit works inside an ATM and Scrooge tosses TV remotes at the ghosts. Saturday, December 17 at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

Holiday music fills the air all weekend long. It’s a Gospel Christmas Concert at Powell Symphony Hall on Friday at 7:30 p.m. The Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is joined by the amazing IN UNISON Gospel chorus. Or, this evening, head to Forest Park to join the sing-along led by the Christ Church Cathedral Choir at the Saint Louis Art Museum during the Winter Glow Holiday Concert. You can sing to the animals at the St. Louis Zoo while strolling through the illuminated “Wild Lights” display. The melodies continue on Saturday with a massive “Sing Out St. Louis” choir event (pictured) at St. Louis Union Station; Saturday and Sunday performances of Handel’s inspiring “Messiah” at Powell Symphony Hall

On Saturday, December 17, the Missouri Botanical Garden holds its “Chanukah: Festival of Lights Celebration” complete with an Israeli shuk, or marketplace, offering Chanukah gifts and merchandise.

The Winter Solstice is observed with a sunrise ceremony on Sunday, December 18 at Cahokia Mounds Historic Site, where you can learn about Woodhenge, the site’s reconstructed sun calendar that had been used by ancient St. Louisans to observe the movements of the sun.

A complete listing of weekend events is available on the Calendar of Events section of the Explore St. Louis web site.