11 classic, warm and fuzzy Christmas and holiday shows in Indianapolis

Arts groups and museums in Indianapolis know you want warm and fuzzy classic Christmas shows and displays, and they deliver them in droves. Here's where to find your yearly dose of Jingle Rails, The Nutcracker, "Elf" and more.

'A Christmas Carol'

Nov. 17 to Dec. 26. Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St., $25-$85,  irtlive.com or 317-635-5252.

Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the clan return for the classic you've lovingly memorized by now. Indiana Repertory Theatre will bring you back in time to the story from the 19th-century London streets.

Jingle Rails

Nov. 17 to Jan. 21, Eiteljorg Museum, 500 W. Washington St., free with admission ($8-$15, but free for kids 4 and under),  eiteljorg.org or 317-636-9378.

The Eiteljorg is again setting up its beloved electric trains so you can watch them wind around the Indianapolis skyline and icons of the American West. Hilbert Circle Theatre and Route 66, which passes a miniature St. Louis Gateway Arch and Blue Swallow Motel, are new this year. Check the museum's website for a full schedule of events, like ornament-making and a storyteller.

'Elf: The Musical'

Nov. 23 to Dec. 31, Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, 9301 Michigan Road, $44-$69, with $6 off tickets available to kids ages 3-15, beefandboards.com or 317-872-9664.

Buddy is all grown up and, um, just a little taller than his so-called peers. The trait is just one of the clues to Buddy's past as he hunts for his real identity.

'A Very Phoenix Xmas 13: Merry Superstitious'

Nov. 23 to Dec. 23, Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St., $24-$39, phoenixtheatre.org or 317-635-7529.

Part music, part sketch comedy and part dance, this Saturday Night Live-style show is a staple for Indy (hence the No. 13 in the title). Playwright-in-residence Tom Horan chooses seven or eight submitted sketches to fit into two acts. In the past, the show has included tributes to Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa along with political and social pokes. This year, the cast will comprise only women.

'The Nutcracker'

The longevity of this 1892 ballet has proved that its magic doesn't wear off. If it did, then every dance group wouldn't perform some rendition of the Tchaikovsky classic each year. Here are some of the best.

• Butler Ballet and the Indianapolis Children's Choir: Nov. 29-Dec. 2. Clowes Memorial Hall, 4602 Sunset Ave., $28-$58, events.butler.edu or (800) 982-2787.
• Gregory Hancock Dance Theatre: Nov. 30-Dec. 1, Pike Performing Arts Center, 6701 Zionsville Road, $15-$25, gregoryhancockdancetheatre.org or (317) 844-2660.
• Indianapolis Ballet: Dec. 14-16, Murat Theatre at Old National Centre, 502 N. New Jersey St., $15-$80, indyballet.org or (317) 231-0000.
• Ballet Theatre of Indiana: Dec. 20-23, Basile Theatre at The Athenaeum, 407 E. Michigan St., $25,  btindiana.org or (800) 316-8559.

The 33rd Yuletide Celebration

Nov. 30 to Dec. 23, Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle. $13.40-$130, indianapolissymphony.org. or 317-639-4300.

You know it's a big deal when the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra puts tickets on sale and so many people flood the website that they're placed in a virtual waiting room. Pops conductor Jack Everly and the hosts — singer Angela Brown and "The Voice" winner Josh Kaufman — have that kind of heft. The tap-dancing Santas, traditional favorite Christmas songs and a North Pole reality singing competition are all part of the biggest orchestra-produced holiday pops concert of its kind in the country. 

Home for the Holidays

Dec. 6 to 16., Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St.,  $23-$48, dancekal.org or 317-635-5252.

The delightfully unpredictable Dance Kaleidoscope is offering up two acts of holiday celebration. The first focuses on Hanukkah with "Let There Be Light" and the second will be a medley that mixes in Christmas traditions.

'Twas the Night Before

Dec. 13 to 16, Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, 1230 N. Delaware St., $14.95-$17.95, free for kids under 3, bhpsite.org or 317-631-1888.

You'll watch a performance in several rooms at the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site while you meet characters from Charles Dickens' stories and drink cider. The intimate show is produced by Candlelight Theatre and written by James Trofatter. 

'KEVIN!!!!!!'

Dec. 13 to 23, The District Theatre, 627 Massachusetts Ave., $15-$25, indydistricttheatre.org or 317-308-9800.

Even if you wanted to, you can't forget hearing Kate McCallister scream her son's name in "Home Alone." New York City company the Recent Cutbacks re-imagines one of the best Christmas movies in this parody with live puppets, live projections and a four-person choir.  

Handel's 'Messiah'

Dec. 13 to 14, The Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts, 1 Center Green in Carmel, $10-$78, thecenterpresents.org or 317-843-3800.

You've heard the "Hallelujahs" in what feels like every holiday commercial and parody by now, but don't let that color your judgment of one of the best works ever written for chorus, soloists and orchestra. Every good live performance of the "Messiah," with its soaring lyrics and melodies, brings a measure of peace. On that front, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra will not disappoint.

Call IndyStar reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.