Trans-Siberian Orchestra at The Q December 26

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will be performing “A Lost Christmas Eve” on Wednesday, December 26 at The Q. A musical extravaganza featuring lights and pyrotechnics, the show was written by Paul O’Neill, creator of the orchestra.

“When I was writing the story in ’04, I wanted to write about hope and redemption,” he said. “The underlying theme of ‘Lost Christmas Eve’ is hope and redemption. I’m always fascinated that there’s something about December 24 that allows human beings to undo mistakes.”

The story revolves around a Scrooge-like Wall Street mogul who abandons his newborn child. Unable to hail a cab, he walks home through the snow on Christmas Eve, passing a cathedral, a blues bar, a hotel and a hospital on the way. In the end, he realizes his mistake in giving up his son for the pursuit of money.

There will be two shows the day after Christmas, one at 3pm and the other at 8pm. Tickets range from $30 to $67.50 plus fees, and are available online at livenation.com or at The Q box office.

The Q is located at East Sixth Street and Huron Road in Cleveland.

December Days at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

December Days at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo kicks off today, December 17 at 11am. From now until Sunday, December 30, enjoy fun and festive family events at the zoo, including special seasonal activities such as holiday crafts, live music, cookie decorating, picture-taking with Santa and Mrs. Claus at the Wolf Lodge and more.

The Zoo Gift Shop will have a special pop-up Santa Shop located inside Wolf Wilderness from December 17 to December 24, where you can pick up fair trade and conservations gifts including Congo Coffee, which benefits the Panzi Hospital in Congo; Yerba Mate tea from Argentina; and PooPoo Paper products, which are made from recycled animal dung. Sounds pretty crazy, but don’t knock it till you check it out.

Of course, the main attraction at the zoo will always be the animals. Visit the bears, tigers and reindeer at the Northern Trek, and then ride the complimentary heated shuttle to the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building, where you can see different monkeys, felines and sea creatures.

Don’t worry about the cold weather, as the Zoo also offers warm indoor exhibits. The RainForest houses 600 animals and around 10,000 plants! Kids will especially enjoy watching the orangutans, otters and sloths at play.

The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is located at 3900 Wildlife Way in Cleveland, and will be open from 11am to 3pm from December 17 to December 30 (closed on Christmas Day.)

Cleveland Botanical Garden’s WinterShow November 23-December 31

The Cleveland Botanical Garden’s annual WinterShow kicks off on Friday, November 23 and will run through Monday, December 31. This year’s theme is “Glow,” and the promises to be even bigger, better and more interactive than past events.

In line the show’s theme, the five-story, 18,000 square foot Eleanor Armstrong Smith Glasshouse will be lit up in a bright green glow, as a prelude to the holiday event. Other attractions visitors can expect to see at the event include The Garden Express train for kids, which will run through the outdoor garden paths for the first time.

Kate Fox, director of special exhibits, said, “It’s going to be a big hit. Steam comes out, and it has whistle sounds. It’s really cute.”

Meanwhile, the Garden’s Clark Hall will be transformed into a picturesque Alpine Village, complete with carolers and musicians to set the mood. The Gingerbread Haus bakery, which is inspired by Swiss Alpine architecture, will prove a special treat for children, as they can decorate their own gingerbread houses with candies and other sweets provided by the Garden’s amusing elves.

Kids can also do some shopping at the Treetop Shop, a two-story Alpine-style clubhouse. There they may buy gift bags ranging from $2-8 for their friends and family.
Another heartwarming feature is the Wishing Tree, situated by the Garden’s library. Here children may write their hopes and dreams for the new year on an ornament, and proudly display it on the tree.

Natalie Ronayne, garden executive director, said, “Visiting the Garden around the holidays to see all the fantastic gingerbread houses and trees has become a tradition for many families around town. It feels right for us to build upon that tradition and make the experience much more multisensory and immersive.”

The Cleveland Botanical Garden is located at 11030 East Blvd. in Cleveland. For more information including hours and ticket prices, please visit cbgarden.org.