Big Fat Whale

Crappy Christmas Cards

Big Fat Whale

By BRIAN MCFADDEN | December 13, 2011

Christmas time travel
When I needed a bit of help getting into the holiday spirit last week, I decided to kill a bunch of birds and seek that seasonal boost while checking a Portland landmark off my list and getting a history lesson at the same time.
Atheist holiday traditions
Decorating the godless way
Trinity's rollicking Absurd Person Singular
Very strange. It's as though British playwright Alan Ayckbourn had come to Trinity Rep, studied its veteran acting company, laughed heartily at the amusing talent on display, then went home and wrote Absurd Person Singular for six of the actors.
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Christmas time travel
When I needed a bit of help getting into the holiday spirit last week, I decided to kill a bunch of birds and seek that seasonal boost while checking a Portland landmark off my list and getting a history lesson at the same time.
Atheist holiday traditions
Decorating the godless way
Trinity's rollicking Absurd Person Singular
Very strange. It's as though British playwright Alan Ayckbourn had come to Trinity Rep, studied its veteran acting company, laughed heartily at the amusing talent on display, then went home and wrote Absurd Person Singular for six of the actors.
Review: A Radio City Christmas at PPAC
The Radio City Christmas Spectacular , at the Providence Performing Arts Center through November 28, should be called Santa Claus and the 18 Leggy Showgirls . They could have packed the place with hubbies.
Stocking stuffers
So, this does, indeed, come a week after the whole "gifts" issue, but this is traditionally the week for local music suggestions.
Ho-ho-hops!
Beer is the world's most popular alcoholic drink. Living during this current renaissance of craft beer has allowed a wide spectrum of styles and flavors to become available, making the beverage even more accessible than ever.
Customer service
It's that special time of year ...
Wrapping papers
Hoopleville's holiday secret: it's all in the gift-wrapping.
Baseball non-stars
8 trading cards for unlikely baseball heroes.
Review: The Gamm's Child's Christmas in Wales
The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre is presenting Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales , always a good idea at this time of year. This expanded version of the 2003 adaptation by artistic director Tony Estrella incorporates fragments of other works by the Welsh poet, even a complete short story, and continues in a short run through December 26.
Review: Arthur Christmas 3D
The diametric opposite of the Antarctica-set Happy Feet Two , or at least geographically, Sarah Smith's revisionist Santa Claus tale still delivers the same kind of offbeat holiday animation.
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