Shag Reunion at Beauty Bar (Thursday, free) It's been something like ten years since Shag initially hit Denver, but the Brit-pop, indie and soul night is back for one last romp in the city. It'll be free, it'll be a blast and it'll be the perfect way to reconnect with old friends before the holidays.
ZOMG at Milk (Thursday, free) If you'd rather not relive old memories at Shag tonight, you can make new ones at ZOMG, and you can do it without worrying about work tomorrow. Well, that's assuming you have Friday off -- if you don't, you might want to take it easy on the dance floor or else suffer the wrath of being hungover and in public on Christmas Eve. Naughty Noel Burlesque at Bender's Tavern (Thursday, $10) You'll need to score tickets in advance if you'd like to keep them at $10, but as long as you do that, you'll be set for a night of raucous holiday-themed burlesque. The plan? Over-the-top holiday numbers, boobs and a super fun evening. Easy enough. Sometimes a name really does say it all.Winter Park Torchlight Parade in Winter Park (Friday, free) We haven't been getting even a hint of snow this year here in Denver, so if you'd like to have that romanticized snowy Christmas, you'd better head up to the mountains. Going up to Winter Park will net you plenty of snow, some kick ass fireworks and a good old-fashioned Colorado parade. That's a Christmas you'll remember.
Black Christmas at the Denver FilmCenter (Friday-Saturday, $9.75) Christmas doesn't have to be all lights and trees -- it can be all about killing sorority girls, too. If you'd prefer to spend your holidays having a very gory evening instead of a boring family outing, Black Christmas should fit the bill perfectly. We promise we won't judge you if you scream a little. Fuck Xmas at 3 Kings Tavern (Saturday, free) After a day of sugarcoated family goodness, the best thing for you to do might be to erase all those memories with tons of booze and boobs. That's the premise behind "Fuck Xmas," anyway, where burlesque and boylesque will keep you occupied in a very adult manner. The best part is that you've already got your presents from Santa, so you can be as naughty as you want. Meatloaf Christmas at Jonesy's (Saturday, price varies) Hey, it's Christmas night, you've just had all your family over and now you need to get out for a little drinky-poo, right? No fear, Christmas isn't stopping Jonesy's from opening up and letting you in for some good deals. We don't know exactly what the Meatloaf portion of the night will entail, but we do know that you can score bottles of wine for $15. Now, assuming you'll be sharing that bottle and not glugging it down yourself, that sounds like a hell of a deal. Blossoms of Light at Denver Botanical Gardens (Sunday, $9.50) Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean you can't hit up the "Blossoms of Light" one last time. It's one of the best light shows in the city and it's an event you won't want to miss. It really is a remarkable feat to light up the Botanical Gardens with such a stunning show.Ice Skating in Denver (Sunday, price varies) If holiday movies have taught us anything, it's that families love to go ice skating around Christmas time. We don't know if that's the case in the real world, but if you're looking to capture that feeling, then there are plenty of ice skating rinks around town that you can hit up on the cheap.
Kuroneko at Denver FilmCenter (Sunday, $9.75) A Japanese ghost story is, without fail, the best way to spend a holiday weekend. Sure, some people might want to spend their days watching Elf or whatever, but for those that prefer a little gore, a little style and a few subtitles then Kuroneko is the movie for you.
