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Mon 12
NPR’s Ask Me Another The Bell House; 7:30pm; $20, at the door $25
Host Ophira Eisenberg and resident guitarist Jonathan Coulton welcome fashion guru Tim Gunn to share his opinions on our current political reality and try his luck at this brain game.
Full Moon Goddess Gathering Sixth Street Community Center; 8pm; $20–$25
Embrace the power of the full moon in Gemini at this special gathering. Guest host Taisha Cortes will help you form new bonds of sisterhood, open up your throat chakra and vocalize, and feel compassion and comfort before the new year.
St. Bart’s Midtown Carol Sing-Along St. Bartholomew’s Church; 5:45pm; free
In keeping with Christmas traditions, this annual event has enough feel-good merriment to cheer up any Scrooge. Join revelers in a carol sing-along on the steps of St. Bart’s church and warm up with hot chocolate, cider and cookies inside afterward.
Slumber Party Film Society Presents White Christmas Videology Bar & Cinema; 9:30pm; $10
Slumber Party Film Society, the viewing crew dedicated to honoring movies marked as "silly" or "girly" by critics, take on this musical classic starring Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Bing Crosby and Vera-Ellen. Come and join the sing-along, and if you wear costumes from the movie—or arrive with your real-life sister—you're entitled to free drinks and prizes.
The Big Quiet United Palace Theatre; 7pm; $30
Be one of the 3,000 New Yorkers to meditate to a drum ensemble, a modern choir, DJs and more at this rare moment of serenity in NYC.
Annual Beth Stern and Friends Bash for the Bulldogs The London NYC; 6pm; $150, VIP $300
Support Long Island Bulldog Rescue at this massive hotel party hosted by animal advocate Beth Stern. Mingle with big-name advocates like Ice T and Coco Austin, enjoy dinner and cocktails, get down to jazz music, and bid on jewelry, artwork and tickets all for a good cause.
Tue 13
Mean Girls Trivia Poco Bar; 8pm; free
Register a team of up to four plastics for this cutthroat trivia showdown, based on the definitive teen movie of the millennial generation. You have to tackle questions about sweatpants on Mondays, whether butter is a carb and what Janis Ian’s wig is made of. Wear your most expensive hoop earrings, or your Mathletes letterman jacket.
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Brooklyn Bazaar; 8pm; free
If you haven't had the opportunity to hear Julia Louis Dreyfuss utter the words "and why is the carpet all wet, Todd?" with utter disdain, then get your fix at this free screening at the Bazaar. Grab a bite from the food market and head to the main ballroom, where endless Christmas light competition will ensue at the Griswold home.
Cine Soiree! Avant-Garde Short Films at the Morbid Anatomy Museum; 7pm; $8
Legendary short and experimental filmmakers hold court at this night of spectral screenings. Watch mysterious and tantalizing entries from Georges Melies, Anna Kipervaser, Stan Brakhage and more, followed by panels with the creators.
New York: City of the Dead Brooklyn Brainery; 8:30pm; $10
This one-session class will show you the evolution of NYC cemeteries and all their secrets.
Stand with Standing Rock: A NoDAPL Benefit Festival Silent Barn; 7pm; $8–$20
Show your support for the Standing Rock Sioux community and those joining them in protest of the Dakota Pipeline by attending this benefit, which uses the power of music by indigenous artists and allies to inspire hope.
Not Right Now Comedy Teddy’s Bar & Grill; 9:30pm; free
Best buddies Candyce Musinski and Meagan Walsh welcome you to gather around the bar and watch a free roundup of excellent local standup at this monthly show. This month's lineup includes Lindsay Goldwert, Harrison Greenbaum and Noah Gardenswartz.
Wed 14
Mean Girls Winter Talent Show Brooklyn Bazaar; 7pm; student body ticket $32, cook mom ticket $48
Assemble your best Mathletes and relive the definitive high school movie of its generation at this bash from BBQ Films, the crew behind such balls-to-the-walls bashes as the Blade Rave. You get to watch the film, witness performances too hard-core for Amy Poehler’s camcorder and even meet Kevin G. (Rajiv Surendra). Plus: free Kalteen Bars!
Trivia Night with the Bowery Boys The Tenement Museum; 6pm; $10
Greg Young and Tom Meyers, the hosts of the podcast "The Bowery Boys: New York City History," test your knowledge of New York's historic neighborhoods and personalities in five rounds of trivia at the Tenement Museum. Come with a group of four to six, or show up solo and join another team. Only the top three teams will go home with a prize, but admission includes two drink tickets, so really everyone is a winner.
Young Women and Political America with Susannah Wellford Theatre 80; 7:30pm; $19-$24
The president and founder of Running Start, a Washington D.C.–based organization working to bring more women into political leadership positions, discusses the American political system and the ways women can make their voices heard. Women of all ages are invited to attend and a portion of the ticket price is donated to Running Start.
Thu 15
Siri Hustvedt Strand Book Store; 7pm; free
The novelist speaks about her new book of essays A Woman Looking at Men Looking at Women with author Jason Tougaw.
The Yule Ball The Bell House; 6pm; $20
Muggles and wizards, unite! At the Yule Ball, Harry Potter fans don their Hogwarts finest—gowns and robes are encouraged this year—and rock out to bands such as Harry and the Potters, and Swish and Flick, plus enjoy performances by the likes of Potter Puppet Pals. (Yep, they put on a Harry-themed marionette show.) And in case you think this is all child’s play, there’s plenty of booze, and 25 percent of ticket proceeds go to the charitable group the Harry Potter Alliance—so don’t be such a bloody Dursley.
Paul Winter’s 37th Annual Winter Solstice Celebration Cathedral School of St. John the Divine; 8pm; $35–$90
Cathedral of St. John the Divine is the largest cathedral in New York City and one of the loveliest; entering its elegant confines could cheer up even the grinchiest among us. At this nonreligious celebration of the season, watch dancers and musicians reenact ancient solstice rituals for a modern audience. And rock & roll devotees, take heed: This year’s celebration also includes a tribute to Beatles producer George Martin and features the vocals of Gary Brooker, lead singer of Procol Harum.
Seinfeld Trivia Extravaganza & Airing of Grievances Gotham Bistro; 8pm; free
Assemble your most spongeworthy mates, and gather around the aluminum pole for this Festivus trivia face-off.
She Makes Me Laugh Peoples Improv Theater; 8pm; $5
The hilarious ladies of improv group Darling Satan throw this ongoing femme fest highlighting fellow female storytellers, improvisers and stand-up comics.