MONDAY, DEC. 20, 2010 >>>

1. So the tree and the fairy lights are up, you have enough booze and unhealthy snacks to sink the Titanic, and your television is about to explode in a flurry of consumerism and romantic schmaltz. But there's something missing. That's right, folks: it just wouldn't be a happy holiday without some singing about God. And for that, there's no beating Handel's "Messiah," a piece for choir, orchestra and soloists that has delighted audiences worldwide for more than 250 years. As 18th-century music historian Charles Burney once said, ""Messiah" has fed the hungry and clothed the naked, fostered the orphan, and enriched succeeding managers of Oratories more than any single musical production in this or any other country." We're not totally sure what that means, so check it out yourself at 7:30 p.m. inside the Washington Center when the Student Orchestras of Greater Oympia presents their version, which so happens to be a sing-along. Nice.

2. "He sees you when you're sleeping, he knows when you're awake..." growls the tongue-in-cheek voice-over during the trailer for Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale, a Finnish import screening at 3 and 7:45 p.m. inside The Grand Cinema. Will this sinister Santa flick unravel into nostalgic camp like its '80s predecessors, Christmas Evil or Silent Night, Deadly Night? Find out for yourself.

3. The Harmon Brewery and Eatery has launched a Monday night blues series kicking it off with HD Hobson from 7-10 p.m.

4. The Tacoma Cult Movie Club is a collective of people who enjoy cinema on the outer fringe of the spectrum. They'll convene at 7 p.m. inside the Acme Grub Cage to enjoy a double feature based on a theme "Don't Feed The Plants" plus with shorts, trailers, film serials, and the lifeblood of the TCMC: the raffle.

5. The Jerry Miller Band will perform at 8 p.m. inside The Swiss.

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