If you wanted to, you could enjoy holiday events nearly every day through Christmas. From elaborate theatrical productions to special meals with Santa (or penguins), this list has it all.

November

Nov. 15-20, “White Christmas,” Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

Nov. 17, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Mid-America Center, 1 Arena Way, Council Bluffs, Iowa

Nov. 18 through Dec. 23, “A Christmas Carol,” Omaha Community Playhouse, 6915 Cass St.

Nov. 20 and Dec. 3-4, Omaha Ballet presents “The Nutcracker,” Arts Center at Iowa Western Community College (Nov. 20) and Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St. (Dec. 3-4)

Nov. 22, Iowa Western holiday jazz ensemble, Iowa Western Community College Arts Center, 2700 College Road, Council Bluffs, Iowa

Nov. 23, Shadow Lake Tree Lighting, Shadow Lake Towne Center, 72nd Street and Highway 370, Papillion, Neb.

Nov. 25 through Dec. 18, “Prancer,” Rose Theater, 2001 Farnam St.

Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Lighting Ceremony, Gene Leahy Mall, 14th and Farnam streets

Nov. 24, Holiday Lights Festival concert, Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.

Nov. 25, Tree Lighting Ceremony, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Nov. 25 through Dec. 19, “The Ultimate Christmas Show (Abridged),” The Bluebarn, 1106 S. 10th St.

Nov. 25 through Dec. 23, Santa’s Magic, Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St.

Nov. 25 through Jan. 1, 2017, Ethnic Trees Exhibit, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Nov. 25 through Jan. 4, 2017, Holiday Poinsettia Show, Lauritzen Gardens, First and Bancroft streets

Nov. 26, Milk and Cookies With Santa, Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St.

Nov. 26 and 27, Handmade Omaha Craft Show, Bancroft Street Market, 2702 S. 10th St.

Nov. 26 through Jan. 1, Holiday Lights Spectacular, Midtown Crossing, 30th and Farnam streets

Nov. 26, Dec. 3, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18, Sounds of the Season, Gene Leahy Mall and Old Market

Nov. 27, Santa’s Sleigh Ride, route begins west of 84th Street from approximately 3 to 5 p.m. and he’ll conclude east of 84th Street

Nov. 28, Santa at Freddy’s Steakburger, 5210 S. 136th St.

Nov. 28 through Dec. 27, “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol,” Mahoney State Park Kountze Memorial Theatre, Ashland, Neb.

Nov. 29, “An Advent Celebration” with Kenneth Bé, St. Paul Lutheran Church, 239 Frank St., Council Bluffs, Iowa

Through Dec. 31, Gingerbread Festival, Mormon Trail Center, 3215 State St.

Through Dec. 31, Gingerbread at the Tabernacle, Kanesville Tabernacle, 222 E. Broadway St., Council Bluffs, Iowa

Have a holiday event to add to this list? Leave a comment with event details like the date and location, and I’ll add it!

December

Dec. 1, “Home for the Holidays” with The Ten Tenors, Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.

Dec. 1, Bit of Bronze Holiday Handbell Choir, Omaha Public Library Millard branch

Dec. 2, Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and special guest Catherine Russell

Dec. 2, First Friday Family Date Night – Winter Wonder Fun, Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St.

Dec. 2-17, “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Circle Theatre at Urban Abbey, 1026 Jackson St.

Dec. 2 and 4, “Christmas at the Cathedral” with Omaha Symphonic Chorus and Omaha Symphony Chamber Orchestra

Dec. 2, Christmas concert at College of St. Mary, 700 Mercy Road

Dec. 2, Cocoa With A Cop, Stinson Park at Aksarben Village

Dec. 2, Ethnic Holiday Festival, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Dec. 3, Saddlebrook Welcomes Santa, Omaha Public Library Saddlebrook branch

Dec. 3, Christmas in the Village, 24th and Lake streets

Dec. 3, Holiday Music with Cecilia Jensen, Omaha Public Library Willa Cather branch

Dec. 3, Santa in the Village, Rockbrook Village, 2800 S. 110th Court

Dec. 3, Handmade Holiday for Kids: Gingerbread Houses, Omaha Public Library Willa Cather branch

Dec. 3 and 4, Hot Shops Art Center Holiday Open House, 1301 Nicholas St.

Dec. 3, 10 and 17, Holiday Happenings, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St.

Dec. 3-24, Holiday Concert Series, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Dec. 4, Wells Fargo Family Festival, Various downtown Omaha locations

Dec. 4, Salem Baptist Church Choir “Joyful Noise,” Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.

Dec. 4, Old Towne Christmas, Bellevue Volunteer Firefighters Banquet Hall, 2108 Franklin St., Bellevue, Neb.

Dec. 6, 13, and 20, Family Nights With Santa, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Dec. 7, 9, 14, 16, 21 and 23, Holiday Under Glass concerts, Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St.

Dec. 8, “Creighton’s Classical Christmas: Beethoven Mass in C,” Chamber Choir and Symphony Orchestra

Dec. 9-17, Ever After Productions presents “Nutcracker Delights,” Bellevue Little Theatre, 203 W. Mission Ave. (Dec. 9-11), and at Kroc Center, 2825 Y St. (Dec. 17-16)

Dec. 9 through Jan. 2, 2017, Conagra Brands Ice Rink, 10th Street and Capitol Avenue

Dec. 10, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical,” Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

Dec. 10, Holiday Harp with Karen Larsen, Omaha Public Library Elkhorn branch

Dec. 10, Merry Movie With Santa, Village Pointe Cinema

Dec. 10, Santa Visits Washington Branch, Omaha Public Library Washington branch

Dec. 10, Ugly Holiday Sweater Extravaganza, Omaha Public Library Saddlebrook branch

Dec. 10, Ornament Making For Teens, Omaha Public Library Sorensen branch

Dec. 10, Celebrate the Season on Center, Westwood Plaza

Dec. 10, Afternoon with Santa, Omaha Public Library Florence branch

Dec. 10, Holiday Music with Kenny Bowtie, Omaha Public Library Florence branch

Dec. 10, Holiday Princess Tea Party, Omaha Public Library Abrahams branch

Dec. 10-18, Omaha Symphony Christmas Celebration, Holland Performing Arts Center, 1200 Douglas St.

Dec. 11, “Gaudete: The Third Sunday of Advent,” with the Omaha Public Schools Mini-Singers and the Omaha Central High School Bel Canto, All Saints Episcopal Church, 9302 Blondo St.

Dec. 13, Christmas Cookie Decorating for Teens, Omaha Public Library Sorensen branch

Dec. 14, Kids Holiday Craft-a-thon, Omaha Public Library W. Dale Clark Main Library branch

Dec. 15, “Lightwire Theatre: A Very Electric Christmas,” Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

Dec. 15, Trains and Trees, Union Pacific Museum, 200 Pearl St., Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Dodge House in Council Bluffs

Dec. 15-18, Supper With Santa, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St.

Dec. 17, Breakfast With Santa, Maple Street YMCA, 7502 Maple St.

Dec. 17, Holiday Open House, Lauritzen Outpatient Center, 4014 Leavenworth St.

Dec. 17, Get Crafty: Gingerbread Houses, Various Omaha Public Library branches (South Omaha and W. Dale Clark Main Library)

Dec. 17, Get Crafty: Ugly Holiday Sweaters, Omaha Public Library Willa Cather branch

Dec. 17, Holiday Strings and Open House, Omaha Public Library Sorensen branch

Dec. 17, The Pathfinder Choirs Annual Christmas benefit concerts at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Fremont (afternoon) and St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church in Omaha (evening)

Dec. 20, Make and Take Reindeer Food, Omaha Public Library Elkhorn branch

Dec. 22 and 23, Mannheim Steamroller Christmas, Orpheum Theater, 409 S. 16th St.

Dec. 22, Kids Holiday Craft, Omaha Public Library Sorensen branch

Dec. 23 and 24, Holiday Family Sing-Along, Omaha Public Library Swanson branch

Dec. 26-30, Penguins and Pancakes, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St.

Dec. 27, Get Crafty: Gingerbread House, Omaha Public Library Washington branch

Dec. 28 and 30, Kwanzaa Celebration, Omaha Public Library Washington branch

Dec. 30, Light The Night, Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St.

Dec. 31, Noon Year’s Eve Party, various Omaha Public Library locations (Saddlebrook, Sorensen, South Omaha, Main and Swanson)

Dec. 31, Noon Year’s Eve, The Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St.

Dec. 31, Noon Year’s Eve, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, 3701 S. 10th St.

Have a holiday event to add to this list? Leave a comment with event details like the date and location, and I’ll add it!

Note from Kim

Many of these events are FREE (like all library events), but several do require tickets. Make sure you’re purchasing tickets from a reputable ticket outlet or go right to the box office to get them (you avoid service fees if you do that!).

Any other time of year, The Durham Museum is “the train museum” to my kids. But starting the day after Thanksgiving each year, it’s a magical place to them all the way up to New Year’s Eve.

Never thought of visiting “the train museum” during the holidays? Here’s what you’re missing out on:

Day after Thanksgiving

Every year, the museum holds a popular tree lighting ceremony with lots of kid-friendly activities planned throughout the museum before the big countdown.

I attended this year’s tree lighting with my family and my sister’s family. Once the tree was lit, white confetti fell from above.

The tree? A gigantic real tree with huge ornaments. Kids love getting up close to check it out.

Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus are at this tree lighting event, with the tree serving as a cool backdrop to your photos. Expect a long wait, but kids usually get a present after talking with the big guy. And, in my opinion, this Santa looks like the real deal.

Santa at The Durham

Hard to believe this was Farley and Mooch at the Durham just one year ago.

If you missed him on Black Friday, he’s at the museum through Dec. 23 on:

Saturdays, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.

Sundays, 1 to 3 p.m.

Tuesdays, 5 to 8 p.m.

Ethnic Holiday Trees Exhibit

Tucked in the basement of museum is this annual exhibit of mini trees showcasing how cultures from around the world celebrate the Christmas season. It’s on display through Jan. 4, 2015.

This photo was taken of one tree in the Ethnic Holiday Tree exhibit in 2013, since this year my kids breezed past the room.

This is one of those exhibits that adults like way more than kids. We were lucky to get a cursory glance from my son, and my 3-year-old didn’t even pause to notice the room.

Ethnic Holiday Festival

Held Friday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., this event features more than 20 local cultural organizations proudly displaying their crafts and traditional dress, while musicians and dancers perform throughout the evening. It’s also a good spot to buy hard-to-find ethnic foods and gifts you know your grandma will love.

Holiday Concert Series

You can hear holiday music performed live by local entertainers, school musicians and choirs each weekend leading up to Christmas. Performances are by different groups at different times on Saturdays and Sundays, Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21. Want the schedule? Head here.

Family Nights with Santa

The museum stays open late on Tuesdays, so they’ve planned fun nights of holiday crafts, live music and of course, the man of the hour, Santa and his reindeer (including a baby reindeer – SQUEE!). The remainder of these special nights are Tuesdays, Dec. 9 and 16, from 5 to 8 p.m.

Winter Camps

Camps are held Dec. 22-23 and December 29-30, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Each day of camp will feature a unique theme with hands-on activities, tours, games and crafts.

Noon Year’s Eve

Celebrate the 2015 early with an afternoon party on Dec. 31 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’s live music, special crafts and activities, culminating in a celebratory bubble wrap stomp and balloon drop at noon.

If you go

The Durham Museum

Where: 801 S. 10th St.

Hours: Sundays, 1 to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesdays through Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed Mondays and major holidays.

Cost: Adults, $9; seniors (62+), $7; children (ages 3 – 12), $6; and FREE for children 2 years and under and members.

Website 

Tip: Throughout the holiday season, you can drop off non-perishable food items at The Durham for the Food Bank for the Heartland in support of ConAgra Foods’ Shine the Light on Hunger campaign.