Sacramento Ballet brings back The Nutcracker (surprise!) this month.

Much like awkward mistletoe encounters and forcing oneself to drink eggnog, the Sacramento Ballet's production of The Nutcracker is an essential part of the holiday season, combining the otherworldly talents of the company's professional dancers with the cuteness of local kiddie ballerinas. The sprawling narrative follows young Clara and her Nutcracker Prince, featuring an epic battle with rats, a lady whose kids live under her skirt, a sexy, borderline-inappropriate dance of Arabian coffee and dancing candy canes that do hula hoop tricks—what's not to love? Select shows are made even sweeter by the presence of a live orchestra performing Tchaikovsky's iconic score (see website for dates).