December 2021
‘He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.’
Does it feel like we’ve lost a couple of years? It’s a bit of a blur. Things are back…sort of. Things are open…sort of. Things are back to normal…not at all. We are wading through our existence, trying to celebrate. Our new nemesis, Omicron, is out there, and we are waiting to see what that will bring us. We want to celebrate, but travel is both a hassle and expensive.
Sorry that this newsletter is coming out late…life sometimes gets in the way.
It is so interesting how this time changes our perspective on the holidays. The holidays always bring joys and challenges to all of us. I am looking forward to a simple homebound holiday without the pressure of doing anything…
Las Vegas seems to be busy… The casinos are busy, the shows are filled, the Strip is packed…and yet, life is still odd.
December is a unique time for the city. The first couple of weeks in the month stay fairly busy, the week just before Christmas is the slowest time of the year, and the week, after Christmas and before New Year’s, the town usually gets neurotic. During that week prior to Christmas, a lot of the shows take a holiday break and close down. Visitors need to be sure to check the show listings to see the status of their favorite production.
Hanukkah 2021 began November 28 at sunset and ends December 6 at nightfall.
Kwanzaa 2021 begins December 26 and ends January 1, 2022
Christmas is December 25, 2021.
There are several events that make the first part of the month very busy: The Great Santa Run, the NFR, and at the end of the month of course, New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve is going to happen this year…again, sort of.
There are many Christmas attractions, celebrations, and entertainment; and most of these things are geared to the locals and not to the tourists. People forget that the Strip is not the city. The Strip is a fantasyland where people work, but do not live. The city is truly everything else, but the Strip. Yes, Virginia, we do have neighborhoods, schools, grocery stores, and parks just like every other city in the country.
There are a few conventions during the first couple of weeks of the month, but then there are no more conventions booked for the rest of the year…at all. In a city of conventions, it is amazing to have an empty convention calendar for two weeks. Things get going again in January when the International Consumer Electronics Show comes in…it will still be a smaller scaled back version, and the Adult Entertainment Expo is at the same time.
One of my favorite winter attractions is Opportunity Village’s, "The Magical Forest," running through December. The Enchanted Carousel, the Forest Express Trains, live music, sweet treats, lavishly decorated trees, whimsical displays, millions of lights and visits with Santa Claus provide people of all ages with a winter wonderland each night during the holiday season. You will also have the opportunity to take in Boris the Elf’s 3-D Experience, ride the rails on the Forest Express train, take photos with Santa in his workshop or go for a spin on Cheyenne’s Enchanted Carousel. Other can’t-miss attractions at the Magical Forest include a gingerbread house display, Rod’s Mini-Golf course and Rudolph’s Raceway. Opportunity Village is a not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and interesting. Once thought by society to be unemployable and unimportant in the community, people with severe disabilities are engaged, active residents who contribute to our society. Through Opportunity Village’s programs and services, hundreds of people with disabilities are learning vocational skills and being placed in jobs throughout the community.
Another good holiday attraction is “Glittering Lights,” at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, running through January 3, 2022. This will be the sixth year that it is being hosted there. “The Glittering Lights” is a holiday drive-thru spectacular featuring millions of twinkling and animated displays, and part of the proceeds go to charities. And you can also receive a discount on the admission if you bring a bag of stuff for Goodwill. Being at the Speedway is a bit of a drive to get to it, but it will be worth it.
"Tournament of Kings: 'Twas the Knight" will make its return to Excalibur Hotel & Casino November 24 – December 27, continuing the popular holiday tradition at The Strip's longest-running dinner show. The Tournament of Kings Arena will transform into a magical winter wonderland, guaranteeing all a 'holly jolly' time during this limited engagement.
Las Vegas' longest-running and most-awarded tribute show, is ready to celebrate the holidays as they launch their annual Holiday show in Las Vegas. This season features The Strip debut of Legends of Country and will pay tribute to some of the biggest icons and luminaries in country music history, together on one stage. Audiences can expect to hear signature hits from the stars that made them legendary, and holiday classics that they recorded during their illustrious careers. This very special holiday production at Legends in Concert begins November 26 and continues through December 30.
Sam's Town Hotel and Gambling Hall is making the season merry and bright with the return of Mystic Falls Park®'s winter wonderland display, featuring festive décor, more than 26,000 points of light and the return of its holiday laser light show. The holiday attraction can be enjoyed starting at sundown on Wednesday, November 24 through Saturday, January 1, 2022.
The Beauty of the Holidays Returns December 11th! Get the best seats now before they're gone The most visually beautiful production ever staged in Reynolds Hall. At last it's time to rejoice and celebrate with family and friends as we gather together once again. Las Vegas' favorite holiday tradition returns to the stage with all the beauty, magic and joy to make the season sparkle brighter than ever before. Happy Holidays indeed! NBT invites you to revel in the glittering cheer of The Nutcracker. Reserve your seats today to guarantee this holiday season will be the most joyous season of them all.
Criss Angel and Franco Dragone each separately revolutionized entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip. Angel and Dragone have teamed up to create AMYSTIKA – The Secret Revealed, a fantastical and mysterious production which immerses the audience in a spectacle of euphoric, stunning illusions, one-of-a-kind special effects, jaw-dropping stunts and much more. Criss Angel’s Theater comes alive in an immersive, interactive spectacle that rewinds time to the days before he was the Mindfreak. AMYSTIKA begins preview performances Dec. 27 with opening night to be announced in the Criss Angel Theater at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino and performs Wednesday through Sunday at 10 pm. Tickets are on sale now at CrissAngel.com, ticketmaster.com or planethollywoodresort.com.
It's the most wonderful time of the year and Enchant is overjoyed to partner with the Vegas Golden Knights and the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation to host a special 'Knight of Giving' on Monday, Dec. 13. Holiday and sports fans are welcome to this special evening of showing your team spirit while giving back to the community, all while having fun at the most magical holiday attraction taking place at the Las Vegas Ballpark from Nov. 26 through Jan. 2. Proceeds from this evening will benefit the Vegas Golden Knights Foundation, which supports multiple local non-profits and organizations that make a difference in the community every day through youth sports and education, first responders, military, health and wellness, and much more.
There will be no shortage of country western fun as Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, part of Curio Collection by Hilton, plays host to a variety of entertainment, activations and events to celebrate the return of Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) to Las Vegas, Dec. 2 – 11.
Downtown Summerlin®, a development of The Howard Hughes Corporation® located in the heart of the Summerlin® master planned community, kicks off the 2021 holiday season on Friday, November 19 with the beloved Holiday Parade that returns in all its glory after a one-year hiatus, running every Friday and Saturday evening at 6 p.m. from Nov. 19 – Dec. 18.
Grammy Award-winner and one of the best-selling holiday music artists of all time, Chip Davis, will bring "Mannheim Steamroller Christmas" classics to Orleans Arena on Sunday, December 26.
For the third consecutive year, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas is thrilled to welcome comedian Bill Burr back to The Chelsea as a part of his 2022 residency on Friday, March 18, Saturday, March 19, Friday, July 15 and Saturday, July 16. The highly anticipated announcement comes on the heels of a successful two-year run with several sold-out shows at the luxury casino-resort.
Comedy titan and Emmy® Award-winning actor Katt Williams announces his World War III Tour will come to Las Vegas Saturday, Jan. 22. Performing at Dolby Live at Park MGM, Williams brings his unparalleled talents to the stage with new material that blends sidesplitting comedy with thought-provoking social commentary.
I am so frigging tired of masks.
Igoshows.com is, of course, the place to read the reviews of all of the shows that are in town so that you can be better informed as to what you should expect from a certain production. The reviews are updated as needed to give you the knowledge you need to spend your entertainment dollars better.