1. See some strange whimsey at The Winter Wonderland Blunderland Variety Show, starring Trixie Little, The Love Show, Samantha Sterman, Cheeky Lane, Poison Eve, and more. (Friday, House of Yes, $15)
2. Laugh for strong gals at The Fempire Strikes Back, with comedy, videos, and funny songs from sketch troupe American Candy. (Friday & Saturday, Actors Fund Arts Center, $25)
3. Spread some cheer at the Bushwick Starr Holiday Party, with free drinks, free food, dancing to DJ Avg Jo, a mistletoe photobooth, and more. (Friday, Bushwick Starr, $25)
4. Giggle witchily at Bitches Brew Comedy, featuring Doug Smith, Cyrus McQueen, Anthony DeVito, Cara Weinberger, and Jordan Temple, plus music by Rebecca Vigil. (Friday, Halyard’s, FREE)
5. Get nostalgic at a screening of Goodnight Brooklyn: The Story of Death by Audio, with a post-film Q&A with director Matthew Conboy. (Friday & Saturday, Alamo Drafthouse, $15)
6. ‘Tis the season for holiday shopping! Check out our roundup for all your crafty, artisanal, bespoke Brooklyn goods. Or if it’s books you’re after, here’s two options: the Lesbian Herstory Archives Annual Book “Sale” and the Old Stone House Holiday Book Fair. (Friday & Saturday, FREE)
7. Try an old-timey holiday celebration at Sinterklass: Saint Nicholas Day, with a concert by colonial balladeer Linda Russell and a visit from St. Nicholas — on horseback. (Saturday, Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, $5)
8. Be handy at the Popular Mechanics Weekend Clubhouse, where you can make gifts, meet the Blue Moon brewmaster, eat treats from Cannibal NYC, and hear music from Jeff Conley and DJ Tekit-izi. (Saturday, Kinfolk, FREE)
9. Pedal around town with Brooklyn Cranksgiving, a community activity day that’s part bike ride, part food drive, and part scavenger hunt. (Saturday, Haven Cycles, FREE)
10. Keep your online self safe in this brave new world at Secure & Resist: A Crypto Party, with talks and workshops on security models, power vs. paranoia, and new technological advances. (Saturday, Eyebeam, FREE)
11. Empower young women at the Other Side’s Winterfest, which “brings together unique performers to create a community of girls through global drama exchange.” (Saturday, Packer Collegiate Institute, $25)
12. Connect over customs at It’s Tradition, a storytelling show about the ways tradition has shaped lives — for better or worse. (Saturday, Muchmore’s, FREE)
13. Go glamorous at the Gemini & Scorpio Holiday Cocktail Party, with loungey holiday tunes and exotic, “stupidly laborious” drinks like Ramos Fizz and Coquito; vintage formalwear encouraged. (Saturday, Gemini & Scorpio, FREE)
14. Pick the right numbers at the NYC Books Through Bars 20th Anniversary Bingo Fundraiser, and support a fabulous prison literacy organization too. (Saturday, Mayday Space, FREE)
15. Work it out on the dance floor at Yas Mama, a Latin queer night with music by Horrorchata, Shomi Noise, and Hannah Lit, performances by Lady Quesa’Dilla, and surprise shows. (Saturday, C’mon Everybody, $5)
16. Stare at stunning street art on the Art Mural Bike Ride, showcasing the highlights, history, and social implications of street art in Williamsburg and Bushwick. (Sunday, Time’s Up, FREE)
17. Do some non-denominational worshipping at Church of the Infinite You with sermons by Minister Jean Grae, plus food, drinks, and music. (Sunday, Union Hall, $5)
18. Sample a range of local talent at Big Irv’s Big Ass Variety Show, featuring acts from all kinds of performers and storytellers, plus an open mic slot for one lucky contestant. BYOB! (Sunday, Big Irv’s, FREE)
19. Laugh the night away for a good cause at Raise the Roof for Syrian Children, with comedy from Maeve Higgins, Jon Ronson, Aparna Nancherla, and more; proceeds go to INARA. (Sunday, Bell House, $25)
20. Or rock out for something righteous at Alphaville’s Planned Parenthood Benefit, featuring Big Huge, Nathan Ma and the International Electric Lovers Club, Weeping Icon, Zodiac, and Dark Tea. (Sunday, Alphaville, $10 suggested)
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