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Sookram’s Double Feature Night: Die Hard/Bad Santa

• Park Theatre, 698 Osborne St.
• Tuesday, Dec. 16, 7 p.m.
• Tickets are $15 plus fees at Ticketweb.ca

It’s a holiday tradition as treasured as grandma’s gingerbread cookies: debating whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie.

Sookram’s Brewing Co. is firmly in the yes camp — no argument from us — and is presenting the 1988 Bruce Willis action thriller with the 2003 Billy Bob Thornton black comedy Bad Santa in a holiday double-billing that’s more naughty than nice.

First up is Die Hard. Willis is New York City policeman John McClane, who is visiting his estranged family at a Christmas Eve party at Nakatomi Plaza, the HQ of the business his wife works for (a work party on Christmas Eve is diabolical). The plaza is taken over by terrorists, and it’s up to McClane to save the hostages — and, sure, Christmas.

Next up is Bad Santa, which stars Thornton as Willie T. Stokes, a grinchy alcoholic con man who poses as a mall santa to run a job every Christmas Eve. But when he meets a bullied kid who believes he’s really Santa, a softer side emerges.

If your holiday traditions have typically also included someone screeching “Wait, you haven’t seen Die Hard!?!?!” in your face, you have two fun chances to correct that. In addition to the Park Theatre show, Die Hard will get a screening on Dec. 22 at Movie Exchange on the fifth floor of 75 Albert St. Admission is free; movie starts promptly at 8 p.m. with no admittance after that.

Tickets to the Park Theatre show include a 16-oz specialty draft from Sookram’s. Doors are at 6:30 p.m., Die Hard starts at 7 p.m., followed by Bad Santa at 9:30 p.m. Note: this is an 18+ event.

— Jen Zoratti

Photos with Krampus

• Raven’s End Books, 1859 Portage Ave.
• Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Free admission, pay what you can for photos

Skip the mall and its surplus of faux Santas this year, and head to Raven’s End Books to spice up your festive photos with a pic featuring everyone’s favourite creepy Christmas creature — Krampus.

In eastern European lore, St. Nicholas would visit kids on Dec. 5, with Krampus in tow (the horned man-beast yin to St. Nick’s jolly yang, if you will). Kids who had been well-behaved would be rewarded with gifts by St. Nicholas, while the baddies suffered the wrath of Krampus’ birch rod.

Rest assured that those looking for photos with Krampus this weekend needn’t worry about suffering the same fate as the bad kids of old. And rather than stand in line like you would for mall Santas, those looking for a photo with Krampus will be given a number, meaning they can peruse the bookstore’s horror and fantasy titles while waiting.

Krampus will be around Raven’s End for pics from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Photos are pay what you can and yes, you can bring a pet in for a photo with Krampus, so long as your critter is either held or on a leash.

— Ben Sigurdson

Christmas With The Phil: Let There be Peace on Earth

• Crescent Arts Centre, 525 Wardlaw Ave.
• Sunday, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
• Tickets: thephil.ca

Did you know they’re called steelpans, not steel drums?

The mistake is easy to make because the instruments are played like drums and were originally made from oil drums, repurposed debris from the Caribbean’s colonial oil economy.

But the pitched instrument is technically an idiophone not a membranophone, a fancy way of saying they make sounds from their own vibrations, rather than those of a stretched membrane.

Sounding sweet by any other name, steelpans take centre stage at the Winnipeg Philharmonic Choir’s Christmas concert which features Hi-Life Steel Orchestra. They’ll perform Christmas songs with the choir under the baton of Yuri Klaz.

There are more guests: O.V. Jewitt Community School are featured at the afternoon show, while Ecole Laura Secord Honour Choir sing at the evening show.

—Conrad Sweatman

Fred Penner holiday show

• Burton Cummings Theatre, 364 Smith St.
• Sunday, 3 p.m.
• Tickets $37-$52.25 at Ticketmaster

Fred Heads of all ages are invited to celebrate the holidays with Fred Penner’s Concert for the Season this weekend at the Burt.

The beloved Winnipeg-born children’s entertainer returns to his hometown for a festive performance backed by the Cat’s Meow Band.

Penner, who now lives on Vancouver Island, has made his Concert for the Season an annual affair for the last several years.

Audiences can expect tinsel, classic Christmas tunes, cosy stories and likely a few Penner originals.

— Eva Wasney

A Seussified Christmas Carol

• Crescent Arts Centre, 525 Wardlaw Ave.
• Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
• Tickets: $15, and $15 support tickets available, at dramatictheatre.net

Old Marley is dead — that much will be clear — in the Dramatic Theatre Co.’s final show of the year. A staged reading of Dickens, in the style of Doc Seuss, with apple sauce, mashed potato and delectable goose. Directed by Justin Joseph, Alana Penner and Laurie Fischer, it’s only one night, so you can’t snowcheck, mister. The ticket price goes to charitable ends, for the caregivers, family members and friends, who stick at the side of beloved patients, with all proceeds due to the Never Alone Cancer Foundation.

— Ben Waldman

Ho Ho Holiday Markets

• Various locations
• Starting from Friday onwards

This is by no means an exhaustive list of holiday markets taking place over the next few days but that’s only because there’s not enough room on the page to fit them all in. So we’ve picked three taking place in the immediate future. (If you’re an avid holiday market shopper, make sure you’re following relevant social media accounts for updates.)

Kicking things off on Friday is Pitaw Mino Muskiki — Indigenous Handmade Market (5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday) at Via Rail Union Station, 123 Main St. The three-day market features more than 100 Indigenous makers showcasing their handmade wares, food vendors and family-friendly activities. Entry is free and organizers are accepting accepting monetary and toy donations for the Niji Mahkwa school toy drive.

On Saturday, curated vegan market Herbivore Haven (Windsor Park United Church, 1062 Autumnwood Dr., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) has more than three dozen vendors offering ethically sourced plant-based presents. There is no admission fee and the first 40 visitors will receive a free stocking.

Local market behemoth Lucky Girl’s holiday pop-up is on Sunday at Centennial Concert Hall, 555 Main St., from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with 170 vendors spread out on three floors. Lovers of all things vintage are in for a treat as the organizers have listened to customer demand expanded the Vintage Village section accordingly. Tickets are $13 from luckygirl.ca.

— AV Kitching

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