december 21
Not necessarily the "Night Before Christmas" Christmas lovers of all ages are invited out to hear readings, not of Clement Moore's A Visit from Saint Nicholas, but of parodies, satires and imitations of the venerable tale. This is the second annual of these whimsical readings, and hearing the variations on the jolly old elf's breaking and entering of a Victorian household should be a hoot. And, certainly, there's no place like a bookstore for last-minute gift shopping. 7 p.m. Borders Book Shop, 570 Meyerland Plaza, 661-2888.
A Celtic Christmas A lot of what we think of as traditional Christmas stuff -- the trees, the holly and the all-important mistletoe -- come from Celtic, or, to be more specific, druidic, traditions. At least that's the accepted story, and hey, citing these traditions is as good a reason as any for a Christmas party with the O'Maoileidigh Irish Dancers. The Texas Chainsaw Ceili Band and the Scottish Rogues will play, too, along with less goofy musicians such as St. Stephen's Choir, the Houston Saengerbund Choir, "Doc" Grauzer the Harper and Ceili's Muse. All this music is to celebrate the birth of Christ and the winter solstice. Although there will be no burning of people in baskets (something Julius Caesar swore those people did), there will be hot food -- roast pig, soda bread and that perennial favorite, haggis. Wash the lot down with "Celtic spirits," cider, soda and coffee. We're told that this fest will have an "extensive coffee bar," something offered not because the Celts were java hounds -- they weren't -- but because the current crop of Celtophiles enjoys the New World flavor of a cup of joe. Bring the kids and join the lively dancing. 4 p.m.-2 a.m. Garden in the Heights, 3926 Feagan, 880-1065. $7; free, children under 12.
friday
december 22
The Attitude Club The holidays, as women's magazines and TV talk shows point out, are a high stress time. While the traffic and credit card stretching and family squabbles might send one screaming for a shrink and his prescription pad, there is a better way to deal with the pressure. Tonight is the next-to-last evening of The Attitude Club, or, we should say, the very last night of yet another return engagement. When Houston performance artist Marianne Pendino's "one-woman seven-character race through the personal growth movement" opened in the summer of1993,itwasextended,and then extended again. Ever since, the lovely and talented Pendino has been fine-tuning her surprisingly touching and wonderfully clever show. Now, she says, "the piece is much more of a play .... It is more focused on my characters' spiritual journey to change a very bad attitude." She has added two characters: Ramon, a paletero who wants to be the Ben & Jerry of Mexican popsicle vendors, and guru Hazel Dun. Through December 23. 8 p.m. tonight and Saturday. Main Street Theater, 2540 Times Boulevard, 524-6706. $15.
saturday
december 23
The Last Days of Charles/Kathryn Celebrate diversity, quietly, in the privacy of your own home. Houston's favorite transsexual, Charles/Kathryn McGuire, is the subject of an up-close and personal documentary to be shown on television tonight. Rice University professor and filmmaker Brian Huberman began interviewing construction boss, socialite and transexual Charlie McGuire before the Mr. became a Ms., courtesy of a surgeon's knife. After the operation was complete, Huberman continued recording the most intimate thoughts of the person now known as Kathryn. McGuire tells all, in her own charming, folksy way. The subjects covered include not just her "change of life," but also the mister's pre-surgery existence. This celebration of diversity heralds not only the free-spirited life of Kathryn McGuire, but also our idiosyncratic society. The film, which contains explicit subject matter, also features the country and western song, "The End of Charlie McGuire," a ballad in tribute to the life and times of the male McGuire that used to be. 10:30 p.m. Southwest Alternative Media Project, The Territory, KUHT/Channel 8. Free.
sunday
december 24
Back-to-back brunches Christmas Eve and Christmas day, the hard-working cooks at the Omni Houston Hotel will prepare a yummy brunch. Today's brunch is great for those who want a day off before the Christmas cooking marathon; tomorrow's is great for those who ... let's just say that not all cooking marathons are successful. Turkey, naturally, is a main dish at both brunches, but brunchers will also be offered roast beef loin, salmon in brioche (kids love brioche -- it's the haute cuisine version of smiley face toast), Louisiana crab cakes, caviar, omelets made to order, waffles and crepes, leafy green vegetables and a dizzying array of desserts. Along with this feast, adults will be served champagne. (This complimentary champagne, we hear, will not be a Veuve Clicquot. One of the sad facts we learn as adults is that complimentary champagne is rarely Veuve Clicquot. Perrier-Jouët, Roederer and Chandon will be sold by the glass.) Today and tomorrow, 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Omni Houston Hotel, in the Palm Court, La Reserve and the cafe, 4 Riverway, 624-4870. $32.95; $16.50, children ages six-12; free, children under six. Tax and tip not included in brunch price.
