: Photo Credit: Alli Shillito

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Just think…in less than four weeks, Santa Claus is coming to town. You better watch out for the many fun things going on this week!

On Wednesday, head over to the University of Dayton for their Narrative Enchantment: Nativity Stories in Gold and Blue, which is a visual display created by an award-winning illustrator. You better not cry when you see Scrooge in A Christmas Carolat the Victoria Theatre. At the Robert and Elaine Stein Galleries, bring in canned goods to create an artistic display, which will then be donated to the Foodbank as part of the Show of HeART: The Foodbank Installation. At the Oakwood Dorothy Lane Market, attend the Season’s Greetings Beer Tasting. And in the evening, make your way over to UD Arena to watch the Flyers play East Tennessee State!

On Thursday, learn how social media can help grow your business by registering for Social Media Boot Camp at Sinclair. If you’re a young professional interested in marketing and new media and would like to give back (after all, Santa knows if you’ve been bad or good), you will definitely want to learn about a new and wonderful group in town called CultureMASH at their launch event at Wright State. And if you’re a young professional in the defense industry, definitely check out the Young AFCEAn End of Year Social at the Pub at the Greene. For a good laugh, head over to the Victoria Theatre to see the stand-up comic Lisa Lampanelli. Santa knows who is naughty and nice, and according to what I’ve heard, Lisa’s stand-up routine is more of the former, as she has been hailed the “Queen of Mean”…however, she is well-liked by many! If you’ve been making a list of all the songs of the 70s you know and love, then you’ll be able to listen to them as part of 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre. And if you would like to hear another style of music, watch the University of Dayton Orchestra, as they put on a FREE show!

On Friday, head over to the PNC 2^nd Street Market to make Azra’s Favorite Christmas Cookies. Watch the Miami Valley Dance Company’s Performance of the Nutcrackerat Bellbrook High School. Attend the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s First Friday, which is an amazing art hop downtown. Don’t worry, if you’re not an art fanatic, there are plenty of other things to do while you’re downtown! Ice skate at RiverScape (that sounds like the beginning of a tongue twister) to some music like the professionals do as part of their DJ Skate: Holiday and Top 40, or take a Horse-drawn Carriage Ride. At the Schuster Center, check out the Dayton Philharmonic’s performance, ‘Twas the Night: Holiday at Home’. At The Loft Theatre, be entertained by 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s. And finally downtown, I am so pleased to announce that Bryan Adams will be performing at Victoria Theatre! Yeah, I’m pretty sure that “Bryan Adams” is a common name, but I checked and it is THE Bryan Adams…you know, the singer! Please forgive me for the fact that my words come straight from the heart…I’m just that excited about it! At Triangle Park, take the kids and attend the City Of Dayton Winter Wonderland to experience a fun, outdoor light display…just tell them to be good for goodness sake. And if you are in the suburbs, consider seeing A Christmas Carolat the Beavercreek Community Theatre, the Washington Township Woodland Lights, or Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smellsat Town Hall Theatre in Centerville. I don’t think little Junie is aware of the fact that Santa knows if she’s been good or bad!

On Saturday, you better be making a list of the things you would like to do, as there are so many awesome events from which to choose! Santa Claus will REALLY be coming to town and you can have breakfast with him at Rusty Bucket at the Dayton Mall or at Polen Farms. Also at Polen Farms, you can attend their Holiday Boutique to find unique holiday gifts. Not sure how unique they are, as there will also be the Christkindlmarkt German Christmas Bazaar at Dayton Liederkranz Turner and the Omega Holiday Bazaar at Omega Baptist Church, which both offer one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. Kind of reminds me of the quote, “You’re unique, just like everybody else.” I guess it’s the same way with Christmas gifts. Sorry, I digress. I’m thinking Santa must have a pretty busy day, as he will also be at Uno’s Chicago Grill and at the PNC 2nd Street Market for Pet Pictures with Santa. While at the PNC 2^nd Street Market, you can also participate in the Christmas Walk, which is my kind of walk as it is a “noncompetitive walk for the health of it”. Although my kind of walk is probably more like the We Care Arts Cookie Walk going on at We Care Arts in Kettering, which is a wonderful organization that seeks to change disabilities into possibilities through art. If you’re in downtown Lebanon, check out the Historic Christmas Festival and Horse Drawn Carriage Parade.

Continuing with Saturday…At the Victoria Theatre, check out Mooseltoe: The Moosical…gotta love puns! Also for more theater action, check out Junie B. Jones: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells at Town Hall Theatre, the Miami Valley Dance Company’s Nutcracker at Bellbrook High School, or A Christmas Carol at the Beavercreek Community Theatre. If you enjoy music, consider listening to The Dayton Philharmonic ‘Twas the Night: Holiday at Home’at the Schuster Center, the UD Ebony Heritage Singers at the University of Dayton, or 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre. Eat and dance the night away with The Soul Express Band at the Dayton Neighborhood Ballat the Dayton Masonic Center. Give those vocal chords a workout (although you may need to see one of my colleagues for voice therapy afterwards!) by cheering on the Flyers as they take on Miami at UD Arena. At the University of Dayton’s campus, you will be able to see Holiday Happenings – DCDC2’s Family Holiday Performance, in which there will be fun-filled dance performances to traditional and non-traditional holiday music. And finally on Saturday evening, I am excited to be celebrating with Generation Dayton at their Annual Holiday Party at the Old Courthouse downtown!

On Sunday, you will once again be able to get some holiday shopping accomplished at the Omega Holiday Bazaar at Omega Baptist Church and the Christkindlmarkt German Christmas Bazaarat Dayton Liederkranz Turner. If you’re looking for something musical, check out Mooseltoe: The Moosical at Victoria Theatre, 8-Track: The Sounds of the ’70s at The Loft Theatre, Afternoon Musicales: Dayton Music Club at the Dayton Art Institute, Advent Dinner and Choral Program at Westminster Presbyterian Church, or the UD Choral Union/ World Music Choir/ Hands in Harmony at the University of Dayton. And if you love all the Christmas decorations this time of year, hit up the Washington Township Woodland Lights!

You better not pout because you can’t hit up all these awesome events this week! I’m confident that whatever you choose to do, you’ll have an awesome time!

And now it’s time for the Dumb Joke of the Week. Drum roll please…

What do you call Santa when he has no money?
Saint “Nickel”-less!

These are just a few best bets from the DMM Calendar. There are plenty more events listed there, so if you haven’t, I encourage you to check it out today! Also, if you have an event to share or promote, please submit it– it’s great marketing and better yet, it’s FREE! And finally, if you have a dumb joke to share, I’m all ears!