‘Tis the season for Christmas tree lightings, holiday markets, festive meals and maybe even a morning run. Here are the details of what’s happening around the city this month.

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•Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony

December 3 // Hoover City Hall

Hoover residents are invited to kick off the holidays at the city’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting at 5 p.m. A Hoover City School choir will perform, and a student will light the Christmas tree during the ceremony. In keeping with tradition, Santa will make his grand entrance on a fire truck before taking pictures with all of the children.

•Gifts of Art Holiday Market

December 5 // The House at Aldridge Gardens

Enjoy a stress-free, fun day of shopping at this holiday market featuring hand-selected Alabama artists offering reasonably priced, one-of-a-kind gifts of art. Original art pieces will include glass, ceramic, wood, metal, fabric and more. The indoor show will start at 10 a.m. and go until 7 p.m., and admission is free.

•Hoover New Horizons Christmas Luncheon

December 13 // Hoover Senior Center

The Hoover Senior Center will once again host the New Horizons Christmas Luncheon at 11 a.m., and this year’s live entertainment will be provided by the Hoover High School First Edition Jazz Band. The cost to attend is $15, and the deadline to register is Tuesday, Dec. 10, at 1 p.m.

•25th Meadow Brook Runs – Alabama Bicentennial

December 21 // Valley Bank, Meadow Brook Branch

Burn off some of your pre-holiday stress at this year’s Meadow Brook Runs. You can choose the 5K at 9 a.m. or the 1-mile Fun Run at 10 a.m. Prizes will be given, and thanks to Gov. Kay Ivey and her staff, each registrant gift bag will include an Alabama Bicentennial Commission commemorative coin. Valley Bank, formerly USAAmeriBank, is located at 1100 Corporate Parkway in Birmingham.

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WHAT TO DO IN HOOVER

Dec. 5
Sensory Storytime: Snow!
Hoover Public Library
4 p.m.

Dec. 6
Holiday Greenery Sale
Aldridge Gardens
12 p.m.

Dec. 7
Bluff Park Christmas Parade
Bluff Park
10 a.m.

Dec. 9
KJ’s Reader Getaways
Hoover Public Library
6:30 p.m.

Dec. 12
Jammin’ on the Plaza
Hoover Public Library
7 p.m.

Dec. 13
New Horizons Luncheon
Hoover Senior Center
11 a.m.

Dec. 14
Happy Birthday Alabama!
Hoover Public Library
10:30 a.m.

Dec. 17
Santa Stories
Hoover Public Library
6:30 p.m.

Dec. 22
Hunter Street Baptist Church Keyboards and Carols
Hunter Street Baptist Church
5 p.m.

Dec. 23
Monday at the Movies – Home Alone
Hoover Public Library
2 p.m.

AROUND TOWN

Nov. 30-Dec. 1
The Nutcracker
Presented by the Birmingham Ballet
Alabama Theatre

Dec. 6-23
Holiday Movies
Alabama Theatre

Dec. 6-22
RMTC Holiday Spectacular
Red Mountain Theatre Company

Dec. 7+8
Christmas at Arlington
Arlington Historic House and Gardens

Dec. 8-23
2nd Annual Magic of Lights: Vulcan’s Holiday Light Experience
Vulcan Park & Museum
5 p.m.

Dec. 11
Trans-Siberian Orchestra
BJCC Legacy Arena

Dec. 12
Legacy League Christmas Home Tour
Benefits Samford University Scholarsihps
Tickets at samford.edu/legacyleague/
10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4-8 p.m.

Dec. 13-15, 20-22
Alabama Ballet’s The Nutcracker
Samford University Wright Center

Dec. 15
Opera Birmingham Presents Sounds of the Season
Samford University Wright Center

Dec. 19
Birmingham Boys Choir Christmas Concert
Briarwood Presbyterian Church

Dec. 13-15
Once On This Island Presented by Broadway In Birmingham
BJCC Concert Hall

Dec. 20
Handel’s Messiah Presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Alys Stephens Center

Dec. 21
Home for the Holidays Presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Alys Stephens Center

Dec. 28
Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker
Alabama Theatre

Dec. 31
Cheers! The New Years Eve Concert Presented by the Alabama Symphony Orchestra
Alys Stephens Center