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The holiday season brings with it all sorts of things to do, and by that I don't mean shopping and decorating. Each December artists of all striped vie for your attention, offering a dizzying array of activities to choose from.

I was going to attempt to write a complete lists of EVERY HOLIDAY SHOW on offer this month. But then I realized it would be too overwhelming, for you and for me.

Joe Leary is Crumpet the Elf in The Santaland Diaries

So instead, I'm going to break down the holidays into some manageable bite-sized portions, giving you an opportunity to pick and choose your personal style of holiday merriment.

We begin with a look at all the belly laughs you can get this year by attending any of these holiday comedies:

Once edgy and new, this tale of Crumpet the Elf and his less than merry job dealing with Santa and the kids at the local department store has become its own sort of holiday classic. 

 returns with its highly acclaimed staging, featuring Joe Leary, at the 

Brave New Workshop presents its annual holiday sketch comedy show. featuring some old chestnuts along with new gems made shiny by other people's absurd behavior. 

 runs through January 12 at BNW's Hennepin Ave location.

When a global conspiracy of sinister puppets threatens to steal all the world's toys, only one man can sneak into their deadly lair and return the toys before Christmas morning: 

 return with another action packed comedy for the whole family. Performances run through December 21 at Bryant Lake Bowl.

Yippe Kai Yay Father Christmas! NYPD's John McClane is back, and he's out to prove that Die Hard is actually a Christmas movie. This new holiday treat promises to come with all the trimmings: singing, dancing, and bloodshed. Performances run through December 15 at the 

Mary Mack's St. Paul "North Star Comedy Hr & Meat Raffle" Holiday Edition

It's a meat raffle. It's a comedy show. It's the holidays.

 Featured acts include Mary Mack as host & house band, with accordionist Karen Townsend, poets Paul Dickinson & Annette Schiebout, tongue-in-cheek Rap Group Valley Meadows, and comedian Tim Harmston as Tony Pastrami the Butcher. Holiday sing-along to be led by the Profanity Singers with closing rock and roll music performed by Frances Gumm. One night only: Thursday December 13 at the 

Arts and Culture

State of the Arts Blog

Marianne Combs

Author

The holiday season offers a heavenly host of opportunities for art of all kinds; here's a selection of the more humorous kind.

Four weeks of festive fun: comedy

Go Deeper.

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