Everybody loves a Christmas gift, even those who aren't Christian.

Theaters in particular look forward to the largesse of the season, when families - many who haven't gone to the theater all year - get dressed up and buy tickets.

So it's no surprise that you'd be hard-pressed to find a David Mamet Holiday Spectacular this season. Rather, it's an endless bounty of (mostly) Christmas-themed fare. A Chicken Lips Christmas

Sketch comedy hosted by DJ Steve Cassidy. $11 to $22. Nov. 28 to Dec. 31, Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave. 303-321-5925, avenuetheater.com.

The Christmas Express

A tiny town springs to life when a stranger arrives. $12 to $15. Nov. 28 to Dec. 14, Festival Playhouse, 5665 Olde Wadsworth Blvd., Arvada. festivalplayhouse.com, 303-422- 4090

Jingle With the Cringles

Sketch comedy. $16. Through Dec. 20, Bovine Metropolis Theater, 1527 Champa St. bovinemetropolis.com, 303-758-4722

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

An "E" Project production. $13 to $16. Nov. 28 to Dec. 21, West Colfax Event Center, 9797 W. Colfax Ave. 303-232-0363, theEproject.org

Who Killed Santa?

A twisted holiday musical whodunit. $10. Dec. 5 to 28, Dangerous Theatre, 2620 W. Second Ave. dangeroustheatre.com, 720-233-4703.

Humbug

Six short comic plays. $17 to $22. Dec. 19 to 28, Vintage Theatre, 2117 E. 17th Ave. 303-839-1361, vintagetheatre.com

A Wonderful Life

Musical based on the Frank Capra movie. $45 and up. Nov. 25 to Dec. 28, Arvada Center, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. 720-898-7200, arvadacenter.org

A Christmas Carol

Denver Center Theatre Company presents the Dickens tale. $36 and up. Nov. 28 to Dec. 27, Stage Theatre, Denver Center for the Performing Arts, Speer Boulevard and Arapahoe Street. 303-893-4100, denvercenter.org

Godspell

Stephen Schwartz musical. $22 to $26. Nov. 21 to Dec. 21, Aurora Fox, 9900 E. Colfax Ave. 303-739-1970, aurorafox.org

It's a Wonderful Life: The Musical

Inspire Creative presents a musical based on the Frank Capra film. $12 to $15. Dec. 5 to 13, locations at inspirecreative.org

An O. Henry Christmas

The Gift of the Magi and The Last Leaf. $25. Through Dec. 21, Miners Alley Playhouse, 1224 Washington Ave., Golden. 303-935-3044, minersalley.com

When Pigs Fly (With Santa)

Drag holiday show by Theatre on Broadway. $25. Through Dec. 27, New Denver Civic Blackbox, 721 Santa Fe Drive. 303-309-3773

A 1940s Radio Christmas Carol

Sequel to The 1940s Radio Hour. $10 to $25. Through Jan. 4, Bas Bleu Theatre, 401 Pine St., Fort Collins. 1-970-498-8949, basbleu.org

Cricket on the Hearth

Dickens tale with comedy revue. $27.50 to $40.50. Through Dec. 31, Heritage Square Music Hall, 18301 W. Colfax Ave., Golden. 303-279-7800, heritagesquare.info

A Child's Christmas in Wales

Colorado Shakespeare Festival production based on the Dylan Thomas short story. $14 to $54. Nov. 26 to Dec. 31, University Theatre, University of Colorado. 303-492-0554, coloradoshakes.org

What the Dickens

Comedy with new and borrowed songs. $10. Dec. 2 to 24, Avenue Theater, 417 E. 17th Ave. 303-321-5925, avenue theater.com

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