Category: Outdoors

Kiddie Pool 21/12/30

Family fun for the weekend

Head to the museum

Get the family out of the house by sending them to a museum.

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is closed on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, the museum is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $15, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in free) and can be purchased on site (masks for all are required), according to the website. This Thursday, Dec. 30, Kevin Horan will perform from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of the museum’s weekly Art After Work programming (admission to the museum is free after 5 p.m.). On Sundays the Winter Garden Cafe offers a special brunch menu starting at 10 a.m. featuring mimosa flights, according to the website. Current exhibits include “As Precious As Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World,” “WPA in NH: Philip Guston and Musa McKim” and “Tomie dePaola at the Currier,” featuring the works of dePaola, writer and illustrator 270 children’s books.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays (it will be closed New Year’s Day) and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Current displays and exhibits with hands-on examinations of science include BiologYou. Purchase reservations in advance via the website (masks are required for all visitors age 2 and up); admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) is closed New Year’s Day but otherwise open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission to the Millyard Museum costs $8 for adults, $6 for 62+ and college students, $4 for children 12 to 18 and free for children under 12. In addition to the permanent exhibits about Manchester’s history, the museum currently features the “New Hampshire Now” photography exhibit.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), featuring exhibits about the people and events of New Hampshire’s aviation history, will be closed for New Year’s Day but open Wednesday, Dec. 29, through Friday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., and thereafter Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Exhibits include the annual “Festival of Holiday Toy Planes and Model Aircraft.” Admission costs $10, $5 for 65+ and children (6 to 12) and a family max of $30; children 5 and under get in free (masks are required), according to the website.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is closed New Year’s Day but will be open daily through Friday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 2, and Monday, Jan. 3, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The center recommends purchasing timed tickets in advance; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 to 12 (admission is free for children 2 and under; masks required for visitors over the age of 2). Planetarium show tickets are also available and cost $5 per person (free for children 2 and under); see the website for the schedule of planetarium shows.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (2 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) requires pre-purchased admission (which costs $11 per person, $9 for 65+ and no charge for children under 1). The museum will be open Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sunday, Jan. 2 (from 9 a.m. to noon). Masks are required for all guests over 24 months, the website said.

The museum will hold its annual family New Year’s Eve celebration on Friday, Dec. 31. Two time slots are available to reserve, from 9 a.m. to noon or from noon to 3:30 p.m. Museum staff will stage four “countdowns to midnight,” at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. during the morning session, and at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. during the afternoon session. Everyone will receive a noisemaker and will get to create their own sparkly party hat.

Mulching and composting

Little snow means more work in the garden

Although we had a little snow on the ground for much of November and December, snow has been scarce as we move toward the new year. If this continues, does this have any consequences for our gardens? Yes, it can.

If we have bare ground and a very cold winter, roots will see colder temperatures than they might prefer. Like that pink fluffy fiberglass in the walls of our homes, snow is a great insulator. Snow holds tiny pockets of air, holding in warmth from the soil and preventing icy north winds from stealing warmth from the soil.

Lacking snow, what can one do? Fall leaves are great. If you have a leaf pile somewhere, think about moving some to spread around your most tender plants, especially things planted this year. Perennials and woody plants are most vulnerable to the cold their first winter.

I have a tree peony that I planted this year, quite a pricey plant. Unlike the common perennial peony, the stems of the plant are woody and do not die back to the ground each winter. And the blossoms are much more dramatic, up to a foot across.

I have done two things for it: I mulched around the base with chopped leaves, and I wrapped some burlap around it to protect the stem itself and the flower buds that are already in place for next summer. This will help to keep January’s cold winds from affecting it. We have done the same for tender heirloom roses, with good success. Shrub jackets made of synthetic breathable material are also available instead of making your own from burlap.

I worry about voles chewing through the burlap, nesting inside, and then eating the tender bark of my young tree peony. I had some Bobex brand deer repellent and decided to spray the burlap. It is made with rotten eggs and other nasty stuff and might deter voles.

My wife, Cindy, and I recently used burlap to prevent hungry deer from eating the leaves and branches of a pair of large yews. First I drove four 1-inch-diameter hardwood stakes into the ground around each 6-foot-tall shrub. I stood on a step ladder and used a 3-pound short-handled sledge hammer to drive the stakes in about a foot. Then we draped the burlap over the top of the stakes and stapled the burlap to hold it in place on windy days. We used a heavy-duty carpenter’s stapler, as a desk stapler would not work. We have done this before, and the deer cannot get to one of their favorite winter meals. The wrapping we did was open to the top as deer can’t reach that high, but smaller plants should be completely wrapped.

Another hazard for plants is heavy snow and ice that fall off roofs or are pushed up by snow plows. Last winter I made three A-frame plywood protectors for small shrubs to protect them. Each used four stakes and two pieces of plywood. At the top of each stake I drilled a hole and slid through both a piece of wire that connected the two stakes. This is a cheapskate’s way of avoiding the cost of hinges. And it works just fine! If the ground is not frozen, push the stakes into the soil, but if it is frozen, it should stand up fine anyway.

Later, after the holidays, recycle your evergreen tree in the garden. After I take off decorations, I use my pruners to cut off all the branches. This helps me find every last little ornament, and then I have a nice stack of evergreen branches to use around or over tender plants. The branches are good windbreaks for small shrubs, and hold snow through winter thaws as they sit over tender perennials. If you use a fake tree, watch for discarded trees waiting curbside, and snag one (or more) for use in the garden.

Composting in winter is a chore that some gardeners don’t bother doing. But you should, as it is a waste to put your moldy broccoli in the landfill. For many gardeners the compost pile is a considerable distance from the house, requiring warm coats, gloves — and perhaps snowshoes. But there is an easy solution.

Invest in an extra garbage can, a large one that will hold 30 gallons or more. Place it inconspicuously but conveniently near the house. Ideally, you have a kitchen door behind the house, and can bring food scraps to it without bundling up for the cold.

Your winter compost will freeze, and will not break down during the cold months. So chop any big things to smaller pieces to allow it to pack down well. Then, come spring, you will have to shovel the material into a wheelbarrow and bring it down to your regular compost pile after it has thawed.

Of course, commercial compost bins are available to buy instead of the Mr. Thrifty 30-gallon plastic can. But since compost does not break down outside in winter, a plastic bin may not hold all the material you produce. If you fill the first garbage can, an extra can is a smaller investment than a bin made just for compost. And those rotating bins? I’ve rarely met anyone who keeps turning them every week anyhow.

So get creative and protect your plants however you can. And if you have a great idea, write me so I can share it with others.

Featured photo: This tree peony had 10-inch-wide blossoms. Photo by Henry Homeyer.

Lighting up the night

LaBelle Winery creates a winter light show

By Paula Constance

[email protected]

Decorative lights continue at LaBelle Winery’s Derry location with LaBelle Lights, an imaginative display on the winding pathways of the winery’s LaBelle Links golf course.

“The golf course lent itself to create this beautiful walking path,” said Michelle Thornton, Director of Marketing and Business Development for LaBelle Winery.

LaBelle Lights opened Nov. 18 and runs through Feb. 26. This self-paced, all-outdoor stroll through dazzling lights opens at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights..

“It’s an ideal place for families,” said Project Manager Danielle Sullivan. “Young kids come and they just love it.”

The walk takes 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how fast or slow you decide to walk. Each month has a theme: in December, the focus was Christmas and the holidays.

“People are pretty joyful on the walk,” Thornton said. “And what I really think is beautiful is that people walk at their own pace and they experience the lights differently, but everyone experiences it with joy.”

On the stroll, there are four bridges on the path, each with a different scene. There are also many attractions along the way, including a tunnel of lights, a snowflake field and a selfie station made of wine barrels called The LaBelle Barrel Tree that was hand-crafted by a LaBelle artisan.

In January the music and light displays will have a “fire and ice theme,” with fire and ice performers, bonfires and specially themed food at LaBelle Market and cocktails at Americus, the on-site restaurant, on Friday, Jan. 14, and Saturday, Jan. 15, according to the website. In February LaBelle Lights will have a Valentine theme.

“So even if you come in December to see the LaBelle Lights, there will be something new to see and experience in January and February,” Thornton said.

Special events, like the New Year’s Eve dinner and Big Band celebration on Dec. 31, also include a free stroll through LaBelle Lights.

The walking paths are kept clear for guests to walk and are also handicapped-accessible. Thornton reminds visitors that winter nights can get cold and to dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear.

Tickets are transferable for another date. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but advanced ticket purchase is recommended.

LaBelle Lights

When: through Feb. 26, open Thursdays through Saturdays, 4:30 to 9 p.m.
Where: LaBelle Winery, 14 Route 111 in Derry (labellewinery.com, 672-9898)
Tickets: $15 for adults, $10 for seniors, $8 for ages 4 to16, free for ages 3 and under. Parking is free. (Tickets can be purchased through the website and at the door.)

Featured photo: LaBelle Lights. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 21/12/23

Family fun for the weekend

See Santa

• As of Dec. 20 a few slots were still open for Santa’s Christmas celebration at Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com) on Thursday, Dec. 23 and Friday, Dec. 24. Attractions include a horse-drawn wagon, live animal Nativity, visits with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and live “reindeer,” s’mores kits available for purchase, and hot cocoa and complimentary sugar cookies provided by Mrs. Claus.

• And as of early this week, a few slots still appeared to be available for Afternoon Tea with Santa Claus atYa Mas Greek Taverna & Bar (125 Bridge St. in Pelham; yamasgreektaverna.com), on Thursday, Dec. 23, and Friday, Dec. 24, with times at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The cost is $55 for adults and $35 for kids. Find the link to the eventbrite registration page in a Nov. 25 post on the restaurant’s Facebook page.

At the movies

• The Music Hall (28 Chestnut St. in Portsmouth; themusichall.org) will host a screening of the 2018 animated film The Grinch (PG) on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 3 p.m., with a children’s storytime preceding it at 2 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults and $12 for seniors and students, and includes access to the storytime. If you want to attend just the storytime and not the movie screening, admission is $5 per family.

• Also in theaters for the G- and PG-rated crowd: Sing 2 (PG), the animated sequel to the 2016 movie about singing and dancing animals, is slated to open Wednesday, Dec. 22. Clifford the Big Red Dog (PG), the live-action plus CG dog movie, is in theaters and on Paramount+. Encanto (PG), Disney’s latest animated movie, featuring songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is in theaters and will stream on Disney+ starting Dec. 24.

See some lights

Get some hot chocolate to go and buckle in the family for a ride to see some displays of holiday lights:

• Find a map to all the entrants in the Manchester’s Holiday Lights Contest at manchesternh.gov. The site also features three different routes to see lights in different city neighborhoods.

• The Southern New Hampshire Tour of Lights features a listing of decorated homes in Amherst, Bedford, Milford, Jaffrey, Antrim, Fitzwilliam, Keene, Merrimack, Peterborough, Rindge and Troy. See the rec department websites of participating towns for lists of houses on the tour, which runs through Dec. 27.

• Find a list and map of lit-up homes in New Boston at newbostonnh.gov/recreation.

Or for something a little more organized, check out these ticketed events:

• The Gift of Lights at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1122 Route 106 North, Loudon), runs daily through Sunday, Jan. 2. The 2½-mile drive-thru light show features a variety of scenes making up more than 500 different light displays along the track. It’s open from 4:30 to 9 p.m. every Sunday through Thursday, and 4:30 to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, depending on weather conditions. The cost ranges from $30 to $35 per carload, and is $60 per limo or bus. See nhms.com/events/gift-of-lights.

• LaBelle Lights continues at LaBelle Winery’s Derry location (14 Route 111) now through Feb. 26. This festive outdoor light show features displays that are being changed periodically throughout its run, taking place on the facility’s golf course along a paved walking path. The display includes a 15-foot-tall selfie station made of wine barrels, designed and installed by LaBelle vineyard manager and professional woodworker Josh Boisvert. Hours of operation are from 4:30 to 9 p.m. on select days throughout the season. Tickets are $15. See labellewinery.com/lights.

Day at the museum

• The Currier Museum of Art (150 Ash St. in Manchester; currier.org, 669-6144) is closed on Christmas Eve, Christmas, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. Otherwise, the museum is open Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission costs $15, $13 for 65+, $10 for students and $5 for ages 13 to 17 (children under 13 get in free) and can be purchased on-site (masks for all are required), according to the website. This Thursday, Dec. 23, Alli Beaudry will perform from 5 to 8 p.m., as part of the museum’s weekly Art After Work programming (admission to the museum is free after 5 p.m.). Kevin Horan is slated to perform Dec. 30. On Sundays, the Winter Garden Cafe offers a special brunch menu starting at 10 a.m. featuring mimosa flights, according to the website. Current exhibits include “As Precious As Gold: Carpets from the Islamic World,” “WPA in NH: Philip Guston and Musa McKim” and “Tomie dePaola at the Currier,” featuring the works of dePaola, writer and illustrator 270 children’s books.

• SEE Science Center (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; see-sciencecenter.org, 669-0400) is open Tuesdays through Fridays (it will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas and New Year’s Day) from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Though normally closed Mondays, SEE will be open Monday, Dec. 27. Current displays and exhibits with hands-on examinations of science include BiologYou. Purchase reservations in advance via the website (masks are required for all visitors age 2 and up); admission costs $10 per person ages 3 and up.

• The Millyard Museum (200 Bedford St. in Manchester; 622-7531, manchesterhistoric.org/millyard-museum) is normally open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (The museum will be closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day; it will be open until 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 31.) Admission to the Millyard Museum costs $8 for adults, $6 for 62+ and college students, $4 for children 12 to 18 and free for children under 12. In addition to the permanent exhibits about Manchester’s history, the museum currently features the “New Hampshire Now” photography exhibit.

• The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire (27 Navigator Road in Londonderry; nhahs.org, 669-4820), featuring exhibits about the people and events of New Hampshire’s aviation history, will be closed for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but open Sunday, Dec. 26, from 1 to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, Dec. 29, through Friday, Dec. 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sunday, Jan. 2, from 1 to 4 p.m., and thereafter Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. Exhibits include the annual “Festival of Holiday Toy Planes and Model Aircraft.” Admission costs $10, $5 for 65+ and children (6 to 12) and a family max of $30; children 5 and under get in free (masks are required), according to the website.

• The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center (2 Institute Drive in Concord; starhop.com, 271-7827) is closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day but will be open daily Sunday, Dec. 26, through Friday, Dec. 31, and Sunday, Jan. 2, and Monday, Jan. 3, with sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The center recommends purchasing timed tickets in advance; admission costs $11.50 for adults, $10.50 for students and seniors and $8.50 for kids ages 3 to 12 (admission is free for children 2 and under; masks required for visitors over the age of 2). Planetarium show tickets are also available and cost $5 per person (free for children 2 and under); see the website for the schedule of planetarium shows.

• The Children’s Museum of New Hampshire (2 Washington St. in Dover; childrens-museum.org, 742-2002) requires pre-purchased admission (which costs $11 per person, $9 for 65+ and no charge for children under 1). The museum will be open Thursday, Dec. 23 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.) and Sundays, Dec. 27 and Jan. 2 (from 9 a.m. to noon), and then Tuesday, Dec. 28, through Thursday, Dec. 30 (from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m.), with special programming on Dec. 31 (see box). Masks are required for all guests over 24 months, the website said.

• The New Hampshire Telephone Museum (One Depot St. in Warner; nhtelephonemuseum.org, 456-2234) is open Tuesday, Dec. 28, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission costs $7 for adults, $6 for 60+ and $3 for students.

Winter plantings

Enjoy paperwhites and amaryllis indoors

As winter drags along, I long for warm sun and green plants surrounding me outdoors. It’s much too early to start spring seeds (even indoors), but I can plant some flower bulbs. I love paperwhites and amaryllis, and both are readily available for planting now — and they will bloom indoors while it snows outside.

Paperwhites are a type of daffodil specifically for forcing indoors now. Most grocery stores sell them, as do garden centers and feed-and-grain stores. They usually cost about a buck a bulb, and will produce flowers in four to six weeks. They are not hardy in New England, so don’t bother saving the bulbs to plant outdoors. Just enjoy them, and accept that they are a one-shot deal.

Amaryllis blossoms come in red, white, pink and striped. Courtesy photo.

I should warn you that paperwhites have strong scents, and not everyone is enthralled with their smell. But I like the scent, which I can smell once I walk into a room with freshly blooming paperwhites. If you don’t like strong-smelling musky scents, there is one variety that is barely fragrant: Grand Soleil d’Or. Instead of the traditional white blossoms these bulbs produce gold or yellow blossoms.

If you are in a hurry for blossoms and can select your bulbs from a bin, select those that already have started to grow. They are just aching to grow. Select a nice bowl or pot that will hold water, and get some small stones — three quarters of an inch to an inch is a good size. Garden centers sell white marble chips for this, but you can pick up stones from your driveway or garden, too. Just rinse off any stones before using them.

Arrange the three to five bulbs on a layer of stones, then fill in around the bulbs with more stones. The stems and flowers will get up to 18 inches tall, so they may tip over if not firmly seated and surrounded with stones.

Next, add water until it just kisses the bottom of the bulbs. You do not want the bulbs to sit in water. Those dry roots will quickly wake up and extend into the pool of water around the stones. Top up the water as needed, but try not to let it go dry.

Some people wait until the bulbs have grown an inch or two, drain off the water, and replace it with a 7-to-1 dilution of gin or vodka. This will, I am told, produce shorter, sturdier stems that will not flop. Or use rubbing alcohol and dilute a bit more, 11 to 1.

An amaryllis bulb does not need much soil and needs to be planted like this. Courtesy photo.

A more expensive but more dramatic flower for forcing is amaryllis. This is a tropical flower originally from South Africa — and many are still imported from there each year. Properly cared for, your investment in an amaryllis bulb will produce a plant that will last for up to 75 years, blooming every year

Amaryllis bulbs are big: They are anywhere from 2 to 4 inches across. They are often sold with a kit that includes an appropriate-sized plastic pot, the bulb, and enough potting soil to plant it in.

Smaller amaryllis bulbs are younger and less expensive, but you get what you pay for: A $5 amaryllis at a Big Box Store will probably produce one stem with three or four large blossoms. A $12 bulb will be bigger and should produce two stems with eight or more blossoms. In time, your small bulb will get bigger if you care for it properly.

Planting an amaryllis is easy. You should plant it in a good potting soil, not soil from the garden, which may stay too wet and get compacted. It is important that the bulb not be buried in soil. It may rot if you do that. The shoulders of the bulb should stick up above the soil line, up to one third of the bulb. The potting soil should be lightly moist, not dry or soggy when you plant it.

Place your amaryllis in a sunny window and wait. Sometimes when you buy an amaryllis it will have already started to grow in the box. I like that, as it means that my amaryllis will start growing for me right away.

Other times an amaryllis will sulk for weeks, doing nothing. There is nothing I know of to encourage it to grow, though maybe whispering encouragement to it will help. Only do that, however, when you are the only person in the room!

Amaryllis stems tend to lean toward the light, so rotating the pot every few days will help to keep it growing straight up (and give you something to do). You may need to insert one or more thin bamboo sticks and tie with yarn to help keep the heavy blossoms — up to 4 inches across — from pulling the stem over.

After the first stem has bloomed you may get a second stem. You can cut off the first stem after it is finished blooming. Sometimes the first and second stems grow at the same time, which leads to a little pushing and shoving in the pot, much like teenagers. Once a stem is finished blooming, you can cut it off.

After blooming, keep it in the pot, and put it outside in a sunny location all summer, but bring it inside by Oct. 1. Remove from the pot and let it dry out. Cut off the leaves and place it in a paper bag and keep in a cool, dark place for five or six weeks. Then pot it up, and it will bloom again.

So if you miss gardening, get an amaryllis or some paperwhites. And spring will be along in no time!

Featured photo: 5 paperwhite bulbs fit into this soupbowl with gravel. Courtesy photo.

Kiddie Pool 21/12/16

Family fun for the weekend

Ho ho ho holidays

The holiday happenings — plays, concerts, Santa appearances and more! — continue this weekend. Check out our big listings of holiday events in the Nov. 25 issue, packed full of Christmas/winter/general holiday-themed events happening through the end of the year. You can find the e-edition at hippopress.com.

Holiday fun at the movies

This weekend you’ll find fun for families with kids of all ages at area theaters.

• For the littlest moviegoers: Catch The Polar Express(G, 2004) on Thursday, Dec. 16, at the O’neil Cinemas at Brickyard Square (24 Calef Hwy. in Epping; 679-3529, oneilcinemas.com) at 1:30 and 4:05 p.m.

• The Polar Express (G, 2004) will also screen at the Park Theatre (19 Main St. in Jaffrey; theparktheatre.org) on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. Admission is free but go online to get tickets. Have a photo taken with Santa and Elves in the lobby.

• Elf (PG, 2003) is screening at Christmas Break on a Budget on Saturday, Dec. 18, at noon at The Strand (20 Third St. in Dover; 343-1899, thestranddover.com). The afternoon will include storytime, family activities and the movie. The cost is $20 for a family of four or $8 each.

• Show your ballet-loving dancer how the pros do it with a broadcast presentation of the Bolshoi Ballet — The Nutcracker on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 12:55 p.m. at the Bank of NH Stage (16 S. Main St. in Concord: 225-1111, banknhstage.com). Tickets cost $15.

• For the cinephile kid interested in the classics: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) will screen at all three Chunky’s Cinema Pub locations (707 Huse Road, Manchester; 151 Coliseum Ave., Nashua; 150 Bridge St., Pelham, chunkys.com) on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $5.99.

• For the cinephile teen interested in the 1980s version of the classics: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (PG-13, 1989) will screen at Regal Fox Run (45 Gosling Road in Newington; regmovies.com) on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. Tickets cost $5.

• For watching with the teen who is old enough to argue the merits of the “is it a Christmas movie?” debate: Die Hard (R, 1988) is screening at Red River Theatres (11 S. Main St. in Concord; 224-4600, redrivertheatres.org) on Thursday, Dec. 16, at 7 p.m. The screening is part of the theater’s “Vax & Snax” program, when the concession stand will be open but guests must be vaccinated (see the website for details).

Winter-y fun outdoors

• The Beaver Brook Association (117 Ridge Road in Hollis; beaverbrook.org) will hold its annual Winter Solstice Family Event on Sunday, Dec. 19, with time slots from 2 to 4 p.m. There will be a self-guided trail with a nature story about the origins of the winter solstice, plus facts about New England wildlife and the tradition of the Yule log. The cost is $12.

• Charmingfare Farm (774 High St. in Candia; visitthefarm.com) continues its Santa’s Christmas celebration this weekend (Dec. 17 through Dec. 19) and on Thursday, Dec. 23. Attractions include a horse-drawn wagon, live animal Nativity, visits with Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus and live “reindeer,” s’mores kits available for purchase, and hot cocoa and complimentary sugar cookies provided by Mrs. Claus.

Nutcracker season continues

• New England School of Dance presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 2 and 5:30 p.m. at the Stockbridge Theatre (Pinkerton Academy, 5 Pinkerton St. in Derry). Tickets cost $30. See newenglandschoolofdance.com.

• Ballet Misha presents The Nutcracker on Saturday, Dec. 18, at 1 and 6 p.m., and Sunday, Dec. 19, at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., at the Dana Center (Saint Anselm College, 100 Saint Anselm Dr. in Manchester). Tickets cost $26. See dimensionsindance.com.

• The New Hampshire School of Ballet presents The Nutcracker Suite at Concord City Auditorium (2 Prince St. in Concord) on Sunday, Dec. 19, at 2 p.m. (and at the Palace Theatre in Manchester on Sunday, Dec. 26, at 6 p.m.). Tickets cost $22. See nhschoolofballet.com.

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