1. Celebrate National Ugly Sweater Day at Ugly Sweater Party, with the yule log on loop, beer prizes for best sweaters, bad secret Santa (bring a bad present and gift it to a stranger) and more. (Friday, The Well, FREE)
2. Watch a hefty batch of 16mm animated cartoons at Cartoon Carnival 62: Santa Baby where you’ll feast on a generous helping of Santa’s holiday follies in some of the weirdest, wackiest, and heartwarming Christmas films ever to flow through a projector lens. (Friday, Rubulad, $10)
3. Sip Bacardi like it’s your birthday at December Babies Birthday Party, an all-out celebration for the folks whose birthdays are often forgotten in the midst of the holidays. (Friday, Littlefield, $5, FREE for December babies)
The weather outside is getting frightful, but at Artists & Fleas holiday shopping is delightful. Find unique gifts for everyone on your list while enjoying hot, boozy cider from Olde York Farm. (Friday, Artists & Fleas Brooklyn) {sponsored}
4. Do the snacky dance at Brownies & Lemonade, the LA party bringing YehMe2 (formerly of Flosstradamus) plus special secret guests TBA. (Friday, Schimanski, $20)
5. Be gay and merry at Darkroom V.4 // Queer Electronic Dance Party, a monthly queer dance party that supports electronic DJs and emerging artists working in the fields of photography, film, and animation. (Friday, Gold Sounds, $7-10)
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6. Take in the sights at the Ugly Sweater Art Run, a colorful 5K art run to see the best new murals and Williamsburg street art at a relaxed, 10-minute-mile pace, with stops for photos along the way. (Saturday, McCarren Hotel & Pool, $25)
7. Learn about our borough at the Historic Brooklyn Heights Walking Tour and discuss the neighborhood’s agricultural roots, its emergence as the country’s first suburb, and its 20th century decline and dramatic regeneration. (Saturday, Brooklyn Historical Society, $25)
8. Find Prints Charles at the Dirty Hands: Secret Project Print Fair where Kayrock Screenprinting, Cinders Gallery and SPR are collaborating on this event that will feature affordable prints, musical performances and good times. (Saturday, Secret Project Robot, FREE)
9. Admire the extravagantly decorated homes at Dyker Lights: Sounds of the Season and stop by 1160 85th Street for live musical entertainment and to make a donation to the community’s charitable foundation. (Saturday, Dyker Lights, FREE)
10. Gather to celebrate this thing we call life at Housequake: Prince Party where DJ Steve Reynolds will spin all of the hits, deep cuts, remixes, rarities, songs written for other artists, and more from Prince’s 35+ year career. (Saturday, The Bell House, FREE)
11. Be the next Jesus Christ Superstar: Thunder Gumbo’s America’s Next Top Me$Siah is searching for talented party healers, energy exchange extortionists, and snake oil sideshows to get on stage and work it! Plus a free holiday market during the day with tons of vendors and vintage clothing all day long. (Saturday, DOMLO, $22)
12. Slip on some holiday sparkles for Deep Freeze Disco, an epic night of music, dancing, and more with one of NYC’s longest-running cumbia sound system operators, Alejandro Aviles, and writer and interdisciplinary artist DJ Rupture. (Saturday, Union Docs, FREE)
13. Kick it with Krampus at the Annual Krampus Costume Party with Ghoul a Go Go, featuring a costume contest (with prizes!), performances, and for the naughty, the opportunity to be beaten with a birch switch by our very own horned Krampus. (Saturday, Brooklyn Bazaar, $20)
14. Remix it up with The Hood Internet, the Chicago-based production duo specializing in mashups of hip hop (from the mainstream to the underground) with indie rock. (Saturday, Brooklyn Bowl, $15)
15. Surf into NIGHT.WAV Holiday Synthwave Party for fans of Kavinsky, Carpenter Brut, Perturbator, Robert Parker, Drive, Stranger Things, The Terminator, Blade Runner and all things synth. (Saturday, St. Vitus Bar, FREE)
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16. Search for a four-leaf clover at the Luck Included Holiday Market and find a gift for your arty cousin or I-have-everything grandpa, with 30 hand-picked, talented vendors. (Sunday, Bat Haus, FREE)
17. Spread some cheer at Peck’s Winter Fest to bring the neighborhood together and schmear a little joy with a reinBEER ring toss, cookie decorating and the milk jug igloo, plus fresh latkes, jelly doughnuts, glugg, and more. (Sunday, Peck’s, FREE)
18. Get your boat rocked at Never Let Go: A Truly Unauthorized Retelling of Titanic, which has inspired a stirring solo recreation of the tragic romance, direct from screen to stage. One man, the entire movie (abridged). (Sunday, Vital Joint, $15)
19. Fire up the filth at Bad Behavior: Holigay Party. Turn up the trash and bring your most glamorous garbage to the dance floor. (Sunday, House of Yes, FREE)
20. Shout BINGO at the devil at Satanic Bingo Night, a fun night of bingo hosted by Satan, with burlesque, sideshow, tarot, prizes, and more. (Sunday, Bizarre Bar, $7)
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