Y’all. Christmas is next weekend. I repeat: Christmas is next weekend! Have you been procrastinating getting holiday shopping done like I have? Well, don’t worry: we’ve rounded up the markets happening this weekend to get all your locally made gifts. Not a procrastinator and looking to fill your weekend with cheer? We’ve got those too!
COUNTRY CHRISTMAS
Friday, 7 p.m.
La Retama Central Library
Dust off your dancing boots and cowboy hats, pardners, and mosey downtown for a holiday hoedown at the La Retama Central Library (yup, you read that right). There’s plenty of reindeer – err, cowboy – games for the whole family to participate in, including: Christmas crafts, a “yee haw” hollerin’ contest, ugly sweater contest and more. Can’t dance? No problem: there will even be two-step and polka dancing lessons. Bring an unwrapped toy to donate to CASA’s toy drive – or something for the Animal Care Services’ Critter Comfort Drive (new, unopened cans of dog and cat food, blankets, chew toys). Free to attend. 
HOT YOGA, COLD BEER
Friday, 6:30 p.m.
Nueces Brewing Company
Life just got you feeling a little downward dog? Want to sweat out some calories before that big holiday dinner? Do you find you can stretch a little more with some liquid help? This donation-based class is held weekly in the brew room of Nueces Brewing. Grab a cold one for some hot yoga, and we promise you, you’ll feel less like a Grinch and more like a happy baby in no time.
PET PICS WITH SANTA
Saturday, 11 a.m.
Animal Hospital of Padre Island
Don’t forget about the furbabies this howl-iday season! Every dog (and cat, rabbit, and lizard) has its day, and why not make some Christmutts memories with a photo with Santa? While Fluffy and Rover get their closeups, enjoy some hot cocoa and candy canes at the Animal Hospital of Padre Island.
ROCKPORT FULTON MARKET DAYS
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
100 Seabreeze, Rockport
Escape the holiday hustle and bustle and take a quick drive to Rockport for the annual Rockport Fulton Market Days. With over 100 vendors and artisans, there’s bound to be plenty of options to check off the rest of your Christmas shopping list. There’s fun to be had for the whole family from food trucks and live music to face painting and pony rides! (Can adults also get a pony ride? Asking for a friend.)
KYLE PARK AT CHRISTMAS ON THE COAST
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Portland
Two-step your way across the bridge to Portland for country artist Kyle Park’s free concert in the Portland Community Center parking lot. If that’s not enough to entice you: Lace up your running shoes and participate in the Illuminated Tinset Trot 5K and kid’s Merry Mile before the concert. So, run, run, reindeer! It’s bound to be one jolly party on the coast.
KEVIN FOWLER: DECK THE DANCEHALLS
Friday, 8 p.m.
Brewster Street Icehouse, Downtown
Don’t feel like making the trip across the bridge? Boot scootin’ boogie to Brewster’s Street Icehouse for Kevin Fowler with special guest Carson Jeffery. Kick one back and kick up your feet for a fun show. If you miss out, don’t blame us if you feel like #?*! General admission tickets are $25 in advance, $27.50 day of show.
JINGLE ALL THE WAY 1K, 5K & 10K
Saturday, 7:30 a.m.
Water’s Edge Park
Kick start your Saturday burning off those calories so you can look your best in those matching Christmas pajama photos. Run, run, Rudolph, down to Water’s Edge Park for V Fit’s 1K, 5K, and 10K. For those of y’all who don’t want to sleep in on Saturday, you can register here.
BREAKFAST WITH SANTA
Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon
USS Lexington
Ahoy there! Santa’s on his way – and you and the kiddos can welcome him with a pancake breakfast on the USS Lexington. After breakfast and photos with Santa, get some lessons on how to be nice (or naughty) with a showing of “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” in the MEGA Theater. Then you and your first mates can take part in a scavenger hunt on the historic ship. Every family will receive a custom USS Lexington holiday ornament to remember this bright and merry memory. (Anyone want to adopt me for the weekend? Asking for myself.) Tickets are $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers.
HOLIDAY EXTRAVAGANZA
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Choice Living
Have yourself a merry little Christmas at the Choice Living Community’s Holiday Extravaganza. Decorate cookies, snap some photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus and belt it out with some karaoke (dibs on “Last Christmas”). This free-to-attend event will also feature a giveaway of 33,000 books to local families, and, most importantly, give the community a chance to view the center and meet the residents. Name a better way to simply have a wonderful Christmastime. I’ll wait.
HOLIDAY BY THE BAY
Saturday, 3-9 p.m.
American Bank Center
Ring in the fa-la-la-lidays at the American Bank Center with an evening of ice skating, inflatables and other activities. Santa’s on his way – and kiddos can bring their letters for him and meet the Grinch. Warm up with some hot cocoa after all those figure eights on the ice rink and grab a snack or two from food trucks. Cap off your evening with a performance by rising Texas Country singer Robert Ray at 7 p.m.
UGLY SWEATER CONTEST
Saturday
Executive Surf Club
Things could get a little ugly this Saturday at the Executive Surf Club’s “Eat, Drink and Be Ugly Sweater Party.” Come dressed to impress: Don your ugliest Christmas digs and duke it out for the coveted top spots. The more, the uglier, the merrier! Contest winners will be announced at 8 p.m.
PEPPERMINT LANE HOLIDAY MARKET
Sunday, 1 p.m.
Downtown
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas … shopping! Grab some hot cocoa and shop local with dozens of vendors and small businesses at the Peppermint Lane Holiday Market. Snap some selfies with Santa and the Grinch while you find the perfect gifts for your loved ones … or while you’re treating your ‘elf’. This Sunday is the last Peppermint Lane Holiday Market of the season!
ANGEL LIGHT PSYCHIC & HEALING FAIR
Sunday, Noon to 6 p.m.
The Bay Jewel
Holiday blues got you feeling a little off balance? Finding it hard to get the perfect gift for your witchy friend that always has the coolest crystals? Get your chakras realigned and pick up some spiritual items at the Angel Light Psychic and Healing Fair. Grab a drink from the cash bar, open up your third eye and raise your vibrations at this free event Sunday.
PET PICS WITH SURFIN’ SANTA
Sunday, 1-4 p.m.
Executive Surf Club
Grab your pets and surf downtown to hang 10 with Santa Paws! Fido can take some totally radical photos with Santa Claus and you can spoil your furbaby even more with gifts from local pet vendors. And, who knows, maybe you’ll give another furbaby a home for the holidays: the Gulf Coast Humane Society will also be there with adoptable pets.
THE NUTCRACKER
Saturday, 7:30 p.m., and Sunday, 3 p.m.
Selena Auditorium
You won’t need to put on your dancing shoes to get visions of sugar plum fairies dancing around your head. Just gather the family for the Corpus Christi Ballet’s annual performance of “The Nutcracker.” (No, not those kinds of nuts, ya filthy animal.) Get your tickets for one of the two shows this weekend.
HOLLY-DAYS AT THE BOTANICAL GARDENS
Friday, 6-7:30 p.m., and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Botanical Gardens
I get it: it’s still a little too warm to feel HOLLY jolly quite yet. But before that holiday blues becomes EVERGREEN, maybe it’s time to SPRUCE up your weekend with a trip to the Botanical Gardens! Check out the gardens’ tree and light displays, as well as environmental artist Sheila Rogers’ “Eco Christmas Tree.” This family-friendly event features photo opportunities with parrots (reservations required) and Santa, a hayride, and a petting zoo. Grab some s’mores and cocoa and slither over to the reptile room. The good time won’t be around FIR long: it’s the last weekend to attend!
TUBA CHRISTMAS
Monday, 12 p.m.
Plains Capital Bank Building Lobby
I’m sorry but the tuba is what hooked me in. From what I can see it looks like anybody who can play the tuba can register to join in at 9 a.m. over at TAMUCC Performing Arts Center. They have a rehearsal right after, then what I picture is they get in one long line of tubas and march all the way down to the Plains Capital Building playing the air is getting slippery tuba version. Yeah, you know the song. I could be wrong but what if I’m right? Don’t worry I’m sure things get uber Christmassy once the conductor corrals them into playing the deepest-sounding version of Feliz Navidad you’ve ever heard.
**SOLD OUT, BUT WE STILL WANNA GO**
ABUELITA’S CHRISTMAS CAROL
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
Aurora Arts Theatre
“She’s no George Bailey. She’s no Ebenezer Scrooge! She’s a little bit spicier: She’s Rosita, aka ‘Abuelita!’” OK, yeah, we’re sold. For one day, and one day only, Alex Garza will return to the Aurora Art’s Theatre on Saturday. His one-man play, written about his maternal grandmother, includes wacky characters … including a pig ghost named Agapito. With a description like that, who wouldn’t want to ring in the holidays with this Tex-Mex classic? Feliz Navidad!
A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL
Friday, Saturday and Sunday
Aurora Arts Theatre
I triple-dog-dare you to pass up on seeing this musical. Tickets are $20 a seat to see this holiday movie classic slide onto the stage at Aurora Arts Theatre. All of the classic scenes are there – including that beloved leg lamp. (… I love lamp.) Hopefully no one shoots your eye out at one of the showings this weekend.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Harbor Playhouse
Don’t Scrooge around and miss out on this timeless holiday classic. Tiny Tim will never forgive you if you don’t grab a ticket and catch a showing of the Harbor Playhouse’s production of “A Christmas Carol.” Don’t let the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future show you what you missed out on this holiday season.
