As we get closer to Christmas, I often find that work seems more stressful, my to-do list keeps growing, and I wish I’d been a little more organized about the whole month. But I try to make time each year for an afternoon of Christmas cookies and the 1985 Christmas album from country / southern-rock band Alabama.
I’ve been listening to the CD — my dad’s — since I was a kid, and I know most of the words. I love the southern twang of the band as they sing of “Thistlehair the Christmas Bear” and “Christmas in Dixie.”
This weekend, folks in southcentral Pennsylvania have a few opportunities to hear holiday tunes themselves:
- Trans-Siberian Orchestra at the Giant Center: Trans-Siberian Orchestra is teaming up with Hallmark Channel to present the live debut of the band’s multi-platinum rock opera, “The Lost Christmas Eve,” Friday, Dec. 21, at the Giant Center in Hershey. Performances are 4 and 8 p.m. Dec. 21. Tickets range from $32.75 to $70.75. Call 717-534-3911 for details.
- Holiday Heart Strings in Gettysburg: Celebrate the festive season 8 p.m. Dec. 21 at the Majestic Theater, 25 Carlisle St., Gettysburg, with some of the world’s greatest fiddlers and violinists playing your all-time favorites, such as “The Nutcracker Suite,” “Let it Snow,” “Do You Hear What I Hear”? and “The Christmas Song.” Tickets range from $44 to $53. Call 717-337-8200 or email majestictheater@gettysburg.edu for details.
Want to check out Smart’s Holiday Countdown in full? We’ve got you covered.
