Top 10 Christmas shows to see in Las Vegas

As Nestor, the Long–Eared Christmas Donkey, once said: “You can’t be bothered by all those wicked-annoying carolers if you’re not home, dude.”

Sage advice.

This means it’s time to get out and see some seasonal sights and sounds you might actually enjoy with this roundup of the top 10 Christmas shows coming to town:

■ “The Nutcracker,” The Smith Center, Friday-Tuesday: Regifted fruitcakes, telling the boss what you really think after too much spiked eggnog at the office holiday party, more regifted fruitcakes: Christmas is all about tradition, right? And what seasonal tradition is better than seeing Nevada Ballet Theatre perform this timeless classic? That right there is what you call a rhetorical question, Rudolph.

■ “Rockabilly Christmas,” Friday, Sand Dollar Lounge: While we’re on the subject of regifted fruitcakes, work off some of that brick-heavy confection on the dance floor with this swingin’ combo of rockabilly revivalists: Cherry Rat and the soulful, R&B-indebted Shanda & The Howlers. It beats going to the gym.

■ “Tony Orlando’s Incredible Christmas Show,” Friday-Sunday, Showroom at the South Point: What makes Tony Orlando’s Incredible Christmas Show so incredible? Two words: Tony. Orlando. He famously took you halfway to paradise back in the day, see if he completes the journey this weekend.

■ Chris Isaak, Friday-Saturday, Encore Theater at Wynn Las Vegas: “Baby Did A Bad Bad Thing”: She failed to get you a new Xbox for Christmas. Ah well, the Fonzi-cool Chris Isaak will get passions inflamed regardless with a mix of his own hot-and-bothered hits and Yuletide favorites.

■ “A Peter White Christmas,” Friday-Saturday, Access at Aliante: Break out the smelling salts for the smooth-jazz aficionado in your life with this teaming of British acoustic guitar maestro Peter White, sax favorite Euge Groove, rising singer Lindsey Webster and multi-instrumentalist Vincent Ingala.

■ “Human Nature Sings Christmas, Motown and More,” Friday-Monday, Sands Showroom at The Venetian: Having recently been inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association Hall of Fame, pop vocal group Human Nature should be especially merry when wishing you a merry Christmas in song.

■ Martin Nievera & Pops Fernandez Holiday Concert, Saturday, M Pavilion at M Resort: Introduce your family to theirs when the Filipino “Concert King” and “Concert Queen” team up once more for their “Two-gether Again 2” holiday show, which will also feature their son Robin Nievera. Does that make him the Filipino “Concert Prince”?

■ “A Touch of the Holidays,” Saturday, Ron DeCar’s Event Center: Delivering a nonstandard take on various Christmas standards, this seasonal variety show feature singers Ron DeCar, Jeannine Mason and Kathryn Arianoff along with dancers Diane Day Crump-Richmond, Peggy Sue Munson, Kimba Munford, Jeanne Laubscher and more as old-school Vegas gets a new twist.

■ “Storm Large’s Holiday Ordeal,” Saturday, Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center: With a voice that lives up to her surname, Storm Large first made a name for herself as a contestant on reality-TV show “Rock Star: Supernova” in 2006. She’s since toured with classical pop troupe Pink Martini, collaborated with the likes of Rufus Wainwright, George Clinton and k.d. lang and now hits town to soundtrack the season with pipes as big as the puddle that Frosty the Snowman will make come spring.

■ “Michelle Johnson’s Vintage Christmas,” Cabaret Jazz at The Smith Center, Sunday: “Las Vegas’ First Lady of Jazz,” Michelle Johnson revisits the Christmas specials of the ’40s and ’50s in this throwback show. Joined by the Strictly Taboo Big Band, Johnson will outfit vintage classics by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Nat King Cole, Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney in a voice as warm as your ugly Christmas sweater that no one finds funny anymore.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian.

Contact Jason Bracelin at jbracelin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0476. Follow @JasonBracelin on Twitter.