| It's always a good thing when families can enjoy | | | | enjoy at Christmas time. While one can always catch |
| outings together. Attending Christmas plays, | | | | various groups singing carols in downtown areas or at |
| performances and concerts offer wonderful holiday | | | | malls, there are other places to hear rich, melodious |
| entertainment for all members of the family. Attending | | | | performances of Christmas music. These include |
| Christmas performances and concerts offers | | | | concerts by acclaimed or recognized conservatories, |
| wonderful entertainment for the entire family and | | | | orchestras, symphonies and renowned choir groups. |
| provides another way to enjoy the festivities of the | | | | The beauty of hearing Christmas music by these |
| Christmas season. | | | | groups is in the accompaniment of instruments and the |
| Families usually don't have to venture too far from their | | | | harmonious blending of voices, which all happens in a |
| home to enjoy a Christmas play or concert. That's | | | | venue that has acoustic features to optimize the |
| because amateur actors, singers and budding | | | | auditory pleasure of the performances. The different |
| musicians in their neighborhood will usually take part in | | | | components that together make the whole |
| several Christmas performances for local residents. | | | | performance offers a richer quality to Christmas |
| These amateur but entertaining events can be found | | | | songs and carols that may be described as 'sounding |
| at local schools, churches or at a community theater or | | | | heavenly.' |
| performance center. | | | | Another popular artistic performance that is popular |
| It's very popular for those groups to stage | | | | during the Christmas season is classical dance in the |
| performances of the Nativity story, or other Christmas | | | | form of ballet, and particularly the performance of the |
| related works such as 'A Christmas Carol.' churches | | | | 'Nutcracker' ballet. With music written by Tchaikovsky, |
| and school groups may even have a complete | | | | the story is about a young girl who has a dream on |
| concert series that includes a full- length production of | | | | Christmas Eve of a Nutcracker Prince and a fierce |
| a play along with choirs, soloists and the band singing | | | | battle with a Mouse King that has seven heads. After |
| Christmas carols and other Christmas songs. | | | | a fierce battle between the Nutcracker, who leads an |
| What makes local Christmas performances special is | | | | army of toy soldiers, and the Mouse King who leads |
| that members of the community and maybe even of | | | | an army of mice, the Nutcracker is captured. But the |
| your own householdcan be among the entertainers. It | | | | little girl throws her slipper at the Mouse King, hits him in |
| is therefore special to see familiar faces doing | | | | the head and kills him. In the end, the Nutcracker turns |
| something interesting and different. For those who are | | | | into a Prince and takes the little girl to the magical and |
| budget-conscious, the performances are usually priced | | | | enchanting Land of Snow with dancing snowflakes |
| to be very affordable, therefore offering an economic | | | | and the Land of Sweets with the Sugar Plum Fairy. |
| incentive to go out and have an enjoyable afternoon | | | | Attending Christmas plays, concerts or musical |
| or evening. | | | | performances serves the basic purpose of providing |
| Those people who are lovers of the arts and who are | | | | enjoyment, but it can also help young people, and even |
| more interested in seeing a professional performance | | | | adults, to develop an appreciation for the arts. Seeing |
| will likely also have a professional theatrical company | | | | different variations and the creativity in performances |
| within reasonable proximity of their residence. | | | | of Christmas plays, as well as hearing different |
| Professional groups may also perform Christmas | | | | renditions of Christmas songs, can be the first |
| classics such as 'A Christmas Carol' or they may do | | | | exposure that leads to a lifelong love of the arts and |
| another dramatic production from the works of other | | | | maybe a dream to pursue a career in the arts. |
| playwrights. | | | | To read about parrot care and parrot pet, visit the |
| Music lovers also have a variety of performances to | | | | About Animals site. |