Holiday listings are compiled by Cheryl Eddy. Listings for Nov 26-Dec 2 below; check back each week for updated events. For information on how to submit a listing, see 8 Days a Week.

attractions

'Great Dickens Christmas Fair' Cow Palace, 2600 Geneva; 897-4555, www.dickensfair.com. Nov 29-Dec 21: Sat-Sun, 11am-7pm. $6-20 (season pass, $25-55; parking, $7). The annual event invokes Charles Dickens's London with strolling performers, costumed Victorian characters, food booths, and vendors selling arts and crafts.

'Holiday Gingerbread House Contest and Display' Pan Pacific San Francisco, 500 Post; 771-8600. Dec 1-30. The 18-story-hotel lobby hosts a competitive display of holiday gingerbread houses built by local pastry chefs, culinary school students, home cooks, and youths.

Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink Embarcadero Center, Justin Herman Plaza (foot of Market St); 772-0500, www.embarcaderocenter.com. Daily, 10am-10pm (Fri-Sat, until 11:30pm). Through Jan 4. $3.50-7.50 (skate rental, $3.50). Aspiring gold medalists and klutzes alike are welcomed at the seasonal outdoor rink.

Metreon 101 Fourth St; www.metreon.com. Nov 28-Dec 28. The mall hosts indoor snowfalls (daily, noon, 2, 4, 6, and 8pm), plus "Studio 105," featuring Live 105 radio broadcasts daily and appearances by rock stars and celebrities.

Bay Area

'Spirit of the Holidays Crafts Faire' Sonoma County Fairgrounds, Grace Pavilion, 1350 Bennett Valley, Santa Rosa; www.spiritofchristmasfaire.com. Nov 28-Dec 14: Fri, noon-8pm; Sat-Sun, 10am-6pm. $2-5. This year's fair boasts a "North Pole-Elfin Village" theme, with costumed characters, craft booths, wine tastings, and continuous live entertainment.

benefits

'Teddy Bear Tea' Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton; 773-6198, www.ritzcarlton.com. Nov 28-Dec 24: daily, 10-11:30am and 1-2:30pm. $58. The Greater Bay Area Make-a-Wish Foundation benefits from this daily activity (with storytelling, hot chocolate and cookies, balloons, and more) for kids and their stuffed animals.

'Wreaths for the Arts' New Conservatory Theatre Center, lobby, 25 Van Ness; 861-4914, www.nctsf.org. Nov 26-Dec 21: Tues-Sat, 1:30-7pm; Sun, noon-5pm. Wreaths designed by local and national celebrities, public officials, designers, and NCTC students are on display (and on sale, $50-500) to benefit the theater's YouthAware Program and conservatory scholarships.

Bay Area

Holiday wreath silent auction Santana Row, Winchester at Stevens Creek, San Jose; (408) 551-4643. Sat/29-Mon/1, call for hours. The Santana Row shopping area hosts a silent auction of one-of-a-kind wreaths to benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Silicon Valley.

tree lightings and celebrations

Ghirardelli Square tree-lighting ceremony Ghirardelli Square, West Plaza, 900 North Point; 775-5500. Fri/28, 1-5pm (entertainment 1 pm; tree lighting 5:30pm). Free. See 8 Days a Week.

Ritz-Carlton tree-lighting ceremony Ritz-Carlton, 600 Stockton; 773-6198, www.ritzcarlton.com. Tues/2, 5:30pm. Free. Apple cider and roasted chestnuts are provided at this ceremony, attended by Santa Claus, costumed carolers, and KRON-TV's Tom Sinkovitz.

Bay Area

'Christmas Cruise' Meet at Cafe Acri, 1 Main, Tiburon; (415) 435-5633. Tues/2, 7-10pm. $40. The Tiburon Chamber of Commerce hosts this ferry cruise around the bay, featuring hors d'oeuvres, wine, games, and live Bolivian music by Oscar Reynolds.

Jack London Square tree-lighting ceremony Jack London Square, 427 Water, Oakl; (510) 645-9283. Fri/28, noon-7pm (tree lighting 5:15pm). Free. The first annual High School Choir Competition takes place all day before the tree lighting; other highlights include ornament-making activities for kids, arts and crafts vendors, and a performance by the Christmas Revels.

thanksgiving

'Tenderloin Tessie's Holiday Dinners' volunteers First Unitarian Church, 1187 Franklin; 255-7503, 922-0422. Wed/26, 4-7pm; Thurs/27 and Dec 25, 12:15-4pm and 4-6pm. Volunteers are needed to help prepare and serve holiday meals; call to sign up.

'Turkey Beach Trot' Ocean Beach (Great Highway at Balboa); 595-6934, www.woohoo.org. Thurs/27, 8am. $23. See 8 Days a Week.

Bay Area

'A Cornucopia Concert for Thanksgiving' MusicSources, 1000 the Alameda, Berk; (510) 528-1685. Sat/29, 8pm. $10-15. (Also Sun/30, 7:30pm, Berkeley Art Center, 1275 Walnut, Berk; 510-644-6893. $8-10.) Tekla Cunningham, Anthony Martin, and Jonathan Shane Davis perform 17th-century music on period instruments.

nutcrackers and cracked nuts

'Nutcracker' War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness; 865-2000, www.sfballet.org. Opens Fri/28, 8pm. Runs Fri-Sat and Dec 9-11, 17-18, and 22-23, 7pm (also Sat and Dec 19, 22-23, and 26, 2pm); Sun and Dec 24, noon and 5pm. Through Dec 28. $12-96. See Critic's Choice in Stage listings.

theater, comedy, and performance

'Beach Blanket Babylon' Club Fugazi, 678 Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd (Green St); 421-4222. This week: Wed/26 and Fri/28-Sat/29, 7 and 10pm; Sun/30, 1 and 4pm; Tues/2, 8pm. $25-70. Evening shows, 21 and over only. Ongoing. Steve Silver's 30-years-running musical revue unfurls its annual holiday version, complete with tap-dancing Christmas trees.

'Black Nativity' Lorraine Hansberry Theatre, 620 Sutter; 474-8800, www.ticketweb.com. Nov 29-Dec 21: Thurs-Sat, 8pm; Sun, 4pm. $25-32. The Lorraine Hansberry Theatre performs its annual production of Langston Hughes's lively gospel musical.

'A Christmas Carol' Geary Theater, 415 Geary; 749-2228, www.act-sf.org. Nov 29-Dec 26. Previews Sat/29 and Tues/2, 7:30pm (also Sat/29, 2pm); Sun/30, noon. Opens Dec 3, 7:30pm. Runs Dec 6-7, 9, 13-14, 16-17, 20-21, 23, and 26, 2pm; Dec 6-7, 10-13, 17-23, and 26, 7:30pm; Dec 24, noon and 4:30pm. $11-68. Steven Anthony Jones stars as Scrooge in ACT's version of the Dickens classic.

'Christmas with the Crawfords' Theatre Rhinoceros, 2926 16th St; 861-5079. Wed-Sat, 8pm (no shows Thurs/27, Dec 25 and 31; show on Fri/28 starts at 8:30pm); Sun, 4 and 7pm. Through Jan 3. $15-25. New York drag star Hedda Lettuce stars as Joan Crawford in this Mommie Dearest-inspired holiday musical.

'Hansel and Gretel' Florence Gould Theatre, Palace of the Legion of Honor, 34th Ave at Clement; 392-4400, www.goldengateopera.org. Sat, 2pm. Through Dec 13. $15-25. Golden Gate Opera performs its annual kid-friendly version of the fairy tale, with a score by Engelbert Humperdinck.

'Kinsey Sicks: Oy Vey in a Manger' New Conservatory Theatre Center, 25 Van Ness; 861-8972, www.nctcsf.org. Wed-Fri and Dec 30, 8pm (no shows Thurs/27, Dec 24-26, and Jan 1); Sat, 7:30 and 10pm. Through Jan 3. $25-34. The New Conservatory Theatre Center hosts "America's Favorite Dragapella Beauty Shop Quartet" in its world premiere holiday show.

'The Velveteen Rabbit' Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard; 978-2787. Fri/28, Sun/30, and Dec 7, 2pm; Sat/29 and Dec 6, 1 and 4pm; Dec 2-5, 11am. $10-38. ODC/San Francisco performs its popular holiday production (advance tickets strongly recommended), choreographed by K.T. Nelson and based on the classic children's story.

Bay Area

'The Christmas Ballet 2003' Dean Lesher Regional Center for the Arts, 1601 Civic, Walnut Creek; (925) 943-7469, www.smuinballet.org. Fri/28-Sat/29, 8pm (also Sat/29, 2pm). $41-50. Also: Dec 3-6, 8pm (also Dec 6, 2pm); Dec 7, 2pm, Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro, Mtn View; (650) 903-6000. Also: Dec 10-28, call for show times, Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater, 700 Howard, S.F.; (415) 978-ARTS. Smuin Ballet performs Michael Smuin's latest version of his holiday show, featuring one act set to classical music and one set to eclectic pop, jazz, country, and other unexpected tunes.

'Guys 'R Dolls Holiday Spectacular' Glenview Performing Arts Center, 1318 Glenfield, Oakl; (510) 531-0511. Sat/29-Sun/30 and Dec 7, 3pm (also Fri/29, 8pm); Dec 6, 8pm. $20-35. Elaborately costumed glamour gals take the stage in this holiday-themed drag performance.

arts and crafts

'Celebration of Craftswomen' Fort Mason Center, Festival Pavilion, Marina at Laguna; 383-3470, www.teamproevent.com. Sat/29-Sun/30, 10am-6pm. $5-7 (two-day pass, $10). The largest women's fine-crafts fair in the nation returns with works by 300 artists.

'Craft Showcase' Museum of Craft and Folk Art, Fort Mason Center, Bldg A, Marina at Laguna; 775-0991. Tues-Fri, 11am-6pm (closed Thurs/27); Sat, 10am-6pm; Sun-Mon, 11am-5pm. Through Dec 28. Free. More than 300 new and unique artworks by California craftmakers – including those who work in glass, clay, enamel, metal, wood, and fiber – are on display and can be taken home at time of purchase.

'The Gift Giving Show' Canvas Gallery, 1200 Ninth St; www.thecanvasgallery.com. Nov 28-Dec 17: Sun-Thurs, 8am-noon; Fri-Sat, 8am-2am (opening reception Fri/28, 6pm-midnight). Free. Paintings, collages, photographs, and other works of art priced at $200 are on display at this exhibit of gift-ready works.

'San Francisco's Christmas Crystal Fair' Fort Mason Center, Bldg A, Marina at Laguna; 383-7837, www.crystalfair.com. Sat/29, 10am-6pm; Sun/30, 10am-4pm. $5. Crystals, minerals, jewelry, and the healing arts take center stage at this fair sponsored by the Pacific Crystal Guild.

Bay Area

'Berkeley Artisans Holiday Open Studios' Various locations, Berk; (510) 845-2612, www.berkeleyartisans.com. Nov 29-Dec 21: Sat-Sun, 11am-6pm. Free. More than 100 Berkeley artists and craftspeople open their studios as part of the annual event. See Web site for map.

Holiday art sale UC Berkeley, ASUC Art Studio (lower level, Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union), Bancroft at Telegraph, Berk; (510) 642-3065. Dec 2-6, noon-5pm. Free. Instructors, staff, and members of the ASUC Art Studio – a public arts program on the UC Berkeley campus – sell their crafts and art.

Holiday crafts sale 21 Grand, 449B 23rd St, Oakl; (510) 444-7263. Sat/29, noon-6pm. Free. Local artists and designers sell their wares.

'Holiday Space Ornaments' Chabot Space and Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakl; (510) 336-7373, www.chabotspace.org. Sat/29, 10-11:30am. $10-20. This family workshop teaches participants how to make space-themed holiday ornaments.

Oakland glass artists holiday exhibit and sale 2680 Union, Oakl; (510) 832-8380. Fri/28-Mon/30 and Dec 6, 10am-4pm. Free. Veteran glass artists Bruce Pizzichillo and Dari Gordon open their studio to the public.

'Richmond Art Center Holiday Arts Festival and Art Auction' Richmond Art Center, 2540 Barrett, Richmond; (510) 620-6772. Preview Wed/26-Sat/29 and Dec 3-5, noon-4:30pm; festival and auction Dec 7, noon-5pm. Free. For more than 60 years, the Richmond Art Center has hosted this silent art auction, with a festival featuring crafts, kids' activities, and more.

'She Made Holiday Arts Bazaar' Pro Arts Gallery, 461 Ninth St, Oakl; (510) 763-4361. Sun/30, 11am-5pm. Free. Local women artists sell handcrafted jewelry, soaps, clothing, and more; the event also features a silent auction to benefit the Women's Daytime Drop-in Center.