Thursday 12/14
Sleigh, Queen
Union Station is once more a bastion of Christmas cheer, as the Sleigh Shed has returned for the 2023 holiday season. In celebration of ol' St. Nick's impending arrival (oh, and some ancient dude's upcoming birthday, apparently), Union Station's Train Shed (201 South 18th Street, 314-923-3949) has been transformed into a magical Christmas retreat with wall-to-wall bling. The pop-up bar features creative cocktails such as the Sleighcation (double-aged dark rum, coconut rum, hazelnut liqueur, allspice dram, cream of coconut, lime and Angostura bitters) and the Just Beclaus (vanilla vodka, Aperol, Abricot du Roussillon liqueur, cream, simple syrup, lemon and egg white), alongside appetizers and desserts. With its traditional Christmas colors and dripping icicles, the Sleigh Shed is a full-on celebration of the merriest of holiday seasons. Admission is free and the festivities run through December 31. For more information, visit trainshed-stl.com.
Atta Boy, Clarence
What would the holidays be without the iconic Jimmy Stewart Christmas film It's a Wonderful Life? The perennial holiday favorite practically defines the season, and the TV marathons of the Christmas classic are as ubiquitous in some homes as coniferous trees and ceramic ornaments. This year, though, maybe switch things up and enjoy the timeless tale in a new way: performed live as a radio play at the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (130 Edgar Road, Webster Groves; 314-968-4925). You no doubt already know the story, but see and hear it again through fresh eyes and ears as George Bailey and the town of Bedford Falls are re-imagined as an old-time radio drama — very fitting for a film made in 1946. It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play runs until December 23, with times varying by day of performance. Most weeknight shows start at 7 p.m., with earlier start times on the weekends. Tickets are $30 to $155. More info at repstl.org.
Christmas Knights
Sure, Christmas is great and all, but you know what would make it better? Pairing it with a nearly 600-year-old game of wits and strategy, of course. Enter Jingle, an over-the-top, holiday-themed pop-up with a chess twist at the Saint Louis Chess Club (4657 Maryland Avenue, 314-361-2437). And this affair truly brings something for everyone, regardless of where you fall on Santa's list. During "Nice" hours (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.), families and kids can enjoy hot chocolate, cookies and hands-on activities and projects. At night, during "Naughty" hours (4 p.m. to 10 p.m.), adults can sip on chess-inspired drinks and small bites from the neighboring Kingside Diner. The World Chess Hall of Fame, too, will be converted into a frosty fantasy with floor-to-ceiling decorations, themed chess sets and an illuminated, color-changing bar. Tickets during "Nice" hours are $5 per person and $10 per person during "Naughty" hours. The pop-up runs through December 30. Tickets and more info at worldchesshof.org/visit/jingle.
Friday 12/15
Santa's Lap (of Luxury)
Introduce a little extravagance into your holiday festivities this year with a visit to the Chalet pop-up bar. It's perched on the sky deck at Clayton's ultra-swanky Le Meridien Hotel (7730 Bonhomme Avenue, Clayton; 314-863-0400), where you'll find exclusive indoor and outdoor experiences creating the ultimate winter escape in the city. The outdoor pop-up bar is $15 to enter and offers curling for $50 per hour, savory seasonal bites and sips, cozy fire pit seating, live music, s'mores kits, wooden pergolas, heated lamps, twinkling lights and blankets. Looking to take the Chalet experience indoors? You're in luck. There's an indoor private room for up to 10 people with an outdoor patio and direct access to the Chalet pop-up bar for $500. This one-hour and 45-minute experience comes with private outdoor seating with a firepit, curling rink rentals and concierge services. The Chalet is open each Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December; times vary by day. Visit cafelaviestlouis.com for tickets and more information.
Saturday 12/16
Prints of Darkness
This year, why not include a bit of evil in your holiday gift-giving? World-class St. Louis printmaker Tom Hück, well-known for his large-scale satirical woodcuts, has seen his wildly demented but thoroughly awe-inspiring works land in the public and private collections of many an art aficionado and esteemed institution — we're talking everywhere from the Library of Congress to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to, of course, the Saint Louis Art Museum and many points beyond — and now they can grace the walls of your friends and family as well. With the annual Evil Prints Holiday Sale, Hück invites the public to snag some of his art at affordable prices, just in time for the holidays. And it's not just his work that will be available. Joining Hück at the Witt Building (2929 South Jefferson Avenue) this Saturday, December 16, will be 14 fellow artists of similar sensibility peddling their wares from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Skip the long lines at the Galleria or Target or wherever the normies do their shopping in 2023 and give something truly unique that your giftees are sure to love. For more information, visit evilprints.com.
Scary and Fright
What if Christmas wasn't so merry? This Saturday, December 16, watch in terror as St. Louis turns into a winter horrorland for a Krampus Haunted Christmas inside the Darkness (1525 South Eighth Street). Starting at 6 p.m., Santa's asshole buddy Krampus and his evil sidekick Jack Frost will ring in the holiday season by wreaking havoc on everything merry and bright. Experience a horrific Christmas with Krampus photos ops, free candy and more. This one-night-only holiday tradition is limited to the first 1,250 guests. Tickets start at $34.95 and can be purchased online at scarefest.fearticket.com — if you dare.
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