BWW Blog: The 12 Days of (Broadway) Christmas

Does anyone else feel like Christmas 2019 was yesterday, or is it just me? These last few months have flown by, but on occasion this year has felt like the longest one of my life. The fact that Broadway has been shut down since early March certainly has not helped me emotionally cope with the pandemic, so I am always trying to find ways to stay connected to theatre. But it is especially tough around the holidays, since any other year I (and millions of other people) would have been in New York City admiring the beautiful holiday decorations and seeing a Broadway show with my family. I have compiled a list of 12 activities that are easily accessible/doable, and will help any theatre lover embrace the holiday spirit, despite the crazy circumstances.

Day 1: Get together with your family or friends and watch the Jagged Little Pill reunion concert on December 13th! It will be an emotional and exciting night for sure, and is a great way to kick off the 12 day Christmas countdown! The show takes place during Christmastime, which makes it even more appropriate!

Day 2: Make Broadway inspired ornaments for your Christmas tree (see Etsy for inspiration).

Day 3: Purchase some theatre merch! At this point, whatever you order could still possibly arrive before Christmas, so if you're scrambling to find last-minute gifts for the Broadway fans in your life, I suggest you check out my most recent article "9 Must-Visit Websites for Theatre Themed Gifts."

Day 4: Re-watch old Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade performances! By the time the Macy's Parade airs on Thanksgiving morning, the Christmas season is basically in full swing. So what better way to feel some holiday cheer than by watching the Broadway casts of Matilda, Waitress, Hadestown and more perform their hearts out on the streets of NYC.

Day 5: Donate to Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS or The Actor's Fund to help people in need. The holidays are all about giving, and the theatre community needs all the love and support they can get right now.

Day 6: Grab a mug of hot chocolate, sit by the fire, and read some Broadway books! Many novels like Fun Home, Les Misérables, The Color Purple and Be More Chill have evolved into stage productions. And many shows such as Hamilton, Jagged Little Pill, Wicked and Dear Evan Hansen have released companion books that give you a behind-the-scenes look at the show!

Day 7: Watch your favorite episodes of Stars in the House! Hosted by Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley, this daily live streamed series brings performers together to remotely talk, perform and interact with fans! There are a few holiday episodes out right now to enjoy, and you also have the opportunity to donate to the Actor's Fund during the broadcast.

Day 8: Bake Broadway themed desserts (or order some from Schmackary's, aka Broadway's favorite cookie store, if you're not a fan of baking).

Day 9: Jam out to Carols for a Cure, which features the companies of numerous Broadway shows and benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS! Good news - the albums are available on Spotify and Apple Music!

Day 10: Cuddle up in a pair of Broadway pajamas to watch your favorite musical movie, or stream a show on BroadwayHD! (Said pajamas can be found here)

Day 11: Learn the Jingle Bell Rock choreography from Mean Girls. There are quite a few tutorials on YouTube, and once you've learned the dance be sure to check out the video of the cast performing the song at the Rockefeller tree lighting last year!

Day 12: Give the gift of theatre this holiday season with a handmade ticket voucher or a TodayTix gift card that can be used when Broadway reopens in 2021! There is still no much uncertainty surrounding the next few months, so this is the perfect way to give the theatre lover in your life something to look forward to, without purchasing tickets now and risking having to go through the refund process if things get delayed again.