RELIGIOUS, TRADITIONAL

The Nativity
12/3–31 Congo Square Theatre celebrates Christ’s birth with Afrocentric dance and gospel music. Owen Theatre at the Goodman; 170 N. Dearborn St., congosquaretheatre.org 

TRADITIONAL, SECULAR/JOLLY

A Christmas Carol
11/19–12/31 God bless us, every one, it’s Dickens’s greatest hit. Albert Theatre at the Goodman; goodmantheatre.org

It’s a Wonderful Life
11/26–12/31 How George Bailey got his groove back—the radio play. American Blues Theater at the Victory Gardens Biograph; 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., americanbluestheater.com

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
12/1–22 Mean kids are redeemed by a school pageant. Provision Theater; 1001 W. Roosevelt Rd., provisiontheater.org

Sanders Family Christmas
11/23–12/23 Think Forever Plaid but performed by carol-loving Baptists in the 1940s. Provision Theater

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
12/15–1/2 Pro: suitable for ages tot to tottering. Con: The title tune has more narrative than the plot. Broadway in Chicago at the Bank of America Theatre; 18 W. Monroe St., whitechristmasthemusical.com

NONTRADITIONAL, SECULAR/JOLLY

The Nutcracker
11/11–12/26 Tchaikovsky’s ballet reimagined for hipsters. House Theatre at the Chopin Theatre; 1549 W. Division St., thehousetheatre.com

A Klingon Christmas Carol
11/26–12/19 Scrooge, but with Vulcans. Commedia Beauregard at the Greenhouse Theater Center; 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., cbtheatre.org

IRREVERENT, NONTRADITIONAL

Rudolph, the Red-Hosed Reindeer
12/2–1/1 This revision of the animated classic outs Herbie, the elf who aspires to be a dentist. Hell in a Handbag Productions at Mary’s Attic; 5400 N. Clark St., handbagproductions.org

The Santaland Diaries
11/26–12/31 And speaking of gay elves: A reluctant Santa’s helper dishes on life at the mall. Theater Wit; 1225 W. Belmont Ave., theaterwit.org