Don your favorite holiday duds for 25 holiday shows and performances that are sure to get you in the spirit throughout the 2024 holiday season.
Deck the halls and trim the trees. Houston performing arts groups are pulling out all the stops with holiday entertainment this year.
The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol are back. So are the Houston Symphony’s performances of The Messiah and A Very Merry Pops.
But there’s also a sequel to a fan favorite at A.D. Players, and a brand-new Panto at Stages. Classical and choral ensembles large and small have holiday offerings aplenty. Whatever your plans this season, Houston arts groups have something to get you into the holiday spirit.
Top 30+ Christmas Shows & Holiday Performances: November & December 2024
The Twelve Ways of Christmas at Ensemble Theatre | Friday, November 15 to Sunday, December 22 – The musical revue explores the various ways that Christmas is celebrated; with family, with friends, the importance of the religious significance of the holiday to some, the wonder of being a child receiving gifts, the longing of a soldier away at war, and even explores the reality of those experiencing grief during the holiday season. $45 and up. Showtimes vary.
A Christmas Carol at The Alley Theatre | Friday, November 15 to Sunday, December 29 – The holiday favorite based on Charles Dickens’ classic returns, telling the story of miserly Scrooge, who is visited by three ghosts on Christmas Eve. Times vary.
A.D. Players: A Texas Carol Part Deux at The George Theater | Wednesday, November 27 through Sunday, December 22 – A Texas Carol proved so popular for the theater, they’re mounting a sequel, which finds the Dinkel family back at Mee-Maw’s ranch, two years after we last left them. Ginny and Hugo are getting married, but Hugo is stuck in Dallas. That’s just the beginning of hilarity and hijinks. $20 and up. Showtimes vary.
Houston Ballet: The Nutcracker at Wortham Center | Friday, November 29 to Sunday, December 29 – On a magical Christmas Eve, Clara is gifted a Nutcracker. When it comes to life, it begins an epic adventure that’s made this ballet by Tchaikovsky one of the holiday season’s most enduring traditions. $35 and up. Showtimes vary.
The Hip Hop Nutcracker at Smart Financial Centre | Saturday, November 30 – Experience a holiday mash-up for the whole family, featuring a powerhouse cast of a dozen all-star dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and MC Kurtis Blow, one of hip hop’s founding fathers. $28 and up. 7pm.
SX Branch & Co: The Invitation at MATCH | Sunday, December 1 – As Tracey Ashcroft plans the traditional family dinner, inviting her siblings to her home for the holiday, there’s a crucial element missing. But what will happen when an invitation is issued to an estranged member of the family? $32 and up. 5pm.
Houston Symphony: Swingin’ Christmas with Houston Jazz Orchestra at Jones Hall | Tuesday, December 3 – The Houston Jazz Orchestra and Sass vocal trio perform a swinging selection of holiday favorites. Expect a concert of songs such as “Jingle Bells,” “Joy To The World,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” and others with jazzy arrangements. $48 and up. 7:30pm.
TUTS: The Ugly Christmas Sweater Musical at the Hobby Center| Tuesday, December 3 to Sunday, December 22 – The interactive musical is back after delighting audiences in its debut last year. You can help the employees of Regalia Uniform Company save their company from a corporate takeover. The plan is simple: come up with the best ugly Christmas sweater. $36 and up. Showtimes vary.
The Night Shift Before Christmas at The Alley Theatre | Thursday, December 5 to Tuesday, December 24 – Margot’s working all night at a fast-food joint on Christmas Eve. But a strange transformation begins to take place as she encounters a variety of characters. This retelling of A Christmas Carol stars the incredible Briana J. Reza, back for the second consecutive year of this contemporary holiday story. $61. Showtimes vary.
Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir: Lessons & Carols at Prince of Peace Catholic Community | Friday, December 6 – The Catholic church in Tomball is the stage for an evening of traditional Christmas hymns and sacred selections, woven with the nine scripture verses that explore the fall of humanity, the promise of the Messiah, and the birth of Christ. Pay-What-You-Will. 7:30pm.
Houston Bronze Ensemble presents Making Spirits Bright at MATCH | Friday, December 6 | FREE with RSVP – Houston’s premier handbell choir will present holiday fare with virtuosic arrangements in a show to delight all ages. S.L.E.D. brings their magical vocals in close-harmony arrangements of favorite Christmas songs. RSVP required. 7:30pm.
Dickens’ A Christmas Carol at the Grand 1894 Opera House | Friday, December 6 & Saturday, December 7 – The beloved story of miserly Scrooge and his meetings with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future comes to the Island. See how this clutching, grasping, covetous and mean old man confronts his own humanity in this timeless classic. $27 and up. Showtimes vary.
Holiday Follies at Stageworks | Friday, December 6 to Saturday, December 21 – Enjoy a joyful array of songs, dances, and seasonal fun, performed by Houston’s young actors and singers in a show that’s packed with seasonal cheer. $26 and up. Showtimes vary.
Stages: Panto Pinocchio at the Gordy | Friday, December 6 to Sunday, January 5 – Stages’ holiday tradition returns, this time with the story of the beloved wooden boy who longs to be real. Only in this outing, he’s a sentient AI boy created by tech-savvy inventor Gill Bates, on a quest to discover his true essence. Expect Panto laughs and high-tech hijinks. $25 and up. Showtimes vary.
Yuletide with ROCO & Jazz Houston at Houston Botanic Garden | Saturday, December 7 – Savor a brunch and concert, serving up a menu created by Chef Soren Pedersen and the sounds of your holiday favorites in classic and jazz arrangements. Following brunch, enjoy a guided tour of the garden. $75. 10am.
The Houston Pride Band: Kringle Kapers at MATCH | Saturday, December 7 – Hop in your sleight, grab your loved ones and head to Midtown for this jolly performance of merry mischief, featuring familiar favorites in a welcoming, holiday atmosphere. $15. 8pm.
The Shepherd School of Music: Spirit of the Season at Morrison Theater | Saturday, December 7 – This spirited, one-hour performance by the vocal and instrumental students in Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music offers selections from opera and musical theater along with holiday favorites. A reception precedes the performance. $35 and up. 7:30pm.
Houston Symphony: A Viennese Waltz Christmas at Jones Hall | Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8 – This concert of glittering musical delights by Johann and Josef Strauss includes a host of selections from sprightly polkas to the iconic “Blue Danube” waltz. The performance pays tribute to the famed New Year’s Day concerts offered by the Vienna Philharmonic—a sparkling option for holiday entertainment. $51 and up. Showtimes vary.
Houston Chamber Choir: Glory in the Highest—Christmas at the Villa at the Villa de Matel Chapel | Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8 – The choir’s annual holiday feature returns, featuring beautiful seasonal choral arrangements in a stunning surrounding. Paragon Brass and the Treble Choir of Houston at Christ Church Cathedral join the choir for the performances. $45. Showtimes vary.
Mercury: Christmas with Nicole Heaston at Wortham Center | Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8 – The acclaimed soprano performs a concert of holiday favorites, from Baroque tunes to modern songs. $25 and up. 8pm.
Paul Hope Cabaret: Angels Chimes Christmas Showcase at Ovations | Monday, December 9 to Tuesday, December 17 – The Rice Village stage is home to an evening of holiday songs both familiar and new, featuring two favorite Yuletide themes: angels and bells. You’ll hear secular favorites like “Silver Bells,” and “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” along with more sacred carols such as “Angels We Have Heard On High” and “Angels From the Realms of Glory.” $25 and up. 7:30pm.
Houston Symphony: A Very Merry Pops at Jones Hall | Thursday, December 12, to Sunday, December 14 – The annual concert of festival favorites returns, as the Symphony welcomes Tony-nominated Broadway star Betsy Wolfe to Houston. She’ll sing traditional and contemporary holiday selections. And there just might be a special visit from the North Pole… $47 and up. Showtimes vary.
Derek Hough: Dance For The Holidays at Smart Financial Centre | Friday, December 13 – Hough and his cast of phenomenal dancers offer this joyous celebration of incredible choreography, exciting stage production and dance mastery. Favorite holiday tunes come to life through dance, from well sung classics to modern pop hits. $39 and up. 8pm.
The Garden Theatre Company: Who’s Holiday at MATCH | Friday, December 13 to Sunday, December 22 – In this new take on the Dr. Seuss tale, Cindy Lou Who is all grown up, and living in a trailer on Mount Crumpet. She’ll tell the story of that night she met the Grinch—and all that came after. The one-woman show stars Houston favorite Chaney Moore and is recommended for ages 16+ due to adult language and content. $25 and up. Showtimes vary.
Houston Symphony: Holly Jolly Holiday at Jones Hall | Saturday, December 14 – Make special memories with the Symphony’s annual holiday concert for kids. One of the orchestra’s most popular events, the show includes a host of kid-friendly holiday songs, plus free hot chocolate, interactive lobby activities, and a chance to visit with Santa. $39 and up. Showtimes vary.
International Voices Houston: Candle in the Window: Songs of Peace at MATCH | Saturday, December 14 and Sunday, December 15 – Houston’s premiere multicultural choir presents a powerful program of songs for peace. The choir celebrates more than a dozen cultures through music in several languages, including: Arabic, Spanish, Turkish, Swahili, Nahuatl, Chinese, French, Latvian, Portuguese, Hawaiian, Ladino, Zulu and others. It’s a testament to Houston’s diversity and the way celebrations can bring us together. $25. Showtimes vary.
Houston Cecilia Chamber Choir: Christmas Bells Are Ringing: A Christmas Concert for All at All Saints Catholic Church | Sunday, December 15 – Spend an evening enjoying the beauty and cheer of Christmas with carols and family favorites. There’s also a baton raffle for a chance to conduct Houston Cecilia through Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus. And the evening wouldn’t be complete without a holiday sing-along. Pay-What-You-Will. 5pm.
Mercury: English Baroque Christmas Around Greater Houston | Thursday, December 19 to Sunday, December 22 – The orchestra offers a series of holiday concerts in the Heights, Memorial, the Museum District, and The Woodlands. The programs of baroque music and traditional English Christmas songs are part of the orchestra’s Neighborhood series. Locations, prices and showtimes vary.
Houston Symphony: Handel’s Messiah at Jones Hall | Friday, December 20 & Saturday, December 21 – One of music’s most-loved oratorios, which includes the iconic “Hallelujah” Chorus, the Messiah tells the story of the birth and life of Christ. The Houston Symphony Chorus joins the orchestra for this majestic holiday tradition. $45 and up. Showtimes vary.
Revels Houston: The Christmas Revels at MATCH | Friday, December 20 to Sunday, December 22 – Be part of a journey to a 17th century English village, where the townspeople are celebrating the winter solstice. Amid the revelry of songs, carols and dances, there’s a skeptic who doesn’t believe that faeries, dragons and hobgoblins are real. Can the other convince him these magical creatures exist? $35. Showtimes vary.
A Prairie Home Companion Christmas at The Grand 1894 Opera House | Saturday, December 21 – Garrison Keillor and the PHC crew offer this special holiday edition of the beloved radio program. The show includes many of the Companion’s favorite sketches, including the Adventures of Guy Noir, Duane & His Mom and the News from Lake Wobegon. There’s also A Christmas Carolette and an audience singalong of five beloved carols. $38 and up. 8pm.
Houston Symphony: Joyful Fanfare: Holiday Brass Spectacular at Jones Hall | Sunday, December 22 – Members of the Houston Symphony brass section headline a concert brimming with holiday cheer. From exquisite classical works by Bach and Gabrieli, to beloved selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, along with festive favorites, these are the sounds that make the season sing. $49 and up. 6:30pm.
Houston Symphony: Mariachi Sol De Mexico de Jose Hernandez’s Merry-Achi Christmas at Jones Hall | Monday, December 23 – José Hernández and his world-renowned, platinum-selling Mariachi Sol de México perform treasured holiday classics and favorites from the mariachi songbook in this holiday fiesta. $65 and up. 7:30pm.
Kevo: Santa Quits Christmas at the MATCH | Friday, December 27 – While working as Santa in the middle of a mall, Jerald is faced with a huge disappointment that becomes a blessing in disguise. The 90-minute, one-act play shows how Jerald must take a look at himself, let go of life’s worries, and focus on tomorrow. $25. 7:30pm.
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