Around Charlotte This Week

SHOPPING: 20th Annual Holiday Pottery Sale
Friday, Dec. 4… By Anita overcash You can't really go wrong in gift-giving with pottery, but finding just the right type to satisfy the receiver may be an issue. On Dec. 4, Winthrop University will have its 20th Annual Holiday Pottery Sale, which showcases an array of hand-crafted decorative vessels and ceramic sculptures by Winthrop students and faculty, including featured potter Jennifer Mecca. You're bound to find something here. 12 p.m.-6 p.m. Held in Winthrop University's Rutledge Building G-10, 701 Oakland Ave., Rock Hill, SC. 803-323-2323.

ART: Impressionism, Then and Now at Elder Gallery
Tuesday, Dec. 8… By Anita overcash Art fans can splatter themselves with glee, as Elder Gallery's newest exhibition Impressionism, Then and Now, is an all-out exploration through the 19th-century art movement of impressionism — coined from Claude Monet's work “Impression, Sunrise.” Works by European and American artists — including Daniel Bayless, Tom Perkinson, Michael Strang, Thomas Van Stein, and selections from the Leon A. Makielski Collection — dating from 1906 to 2009, will be on display for folks to eye. Just don't stare so hard at

SHOPPING: The All Arts Market
Thursday, Dec. 3… By Anita overcash It's hard to shop for picky people during the holidays, but knowing where to go to find a vast array of items makes it easier. The All Arts Market, an indoor marketplace, at Neighborhood Theatre should make buying gifts a bit more manageable. Featuring all hand-made goods and arts and crafts, including jewelry, photography, clothing, paintings, bags, and more, there's something for everyone here. Free; $10-$30 sign-up for artists to participate for two nights. Dec. 3, 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Dec.

THEATER: A Tuna Christmas
Wednesday, Dec. 9… By Anita overcash The holidays are in full swing, and things are starting to smell fishy. You can thank Carolina Actors Studio Theatre for that, as the local theater company reels in performances (for the fourth year in a row) of A Tuna Christmas. This funky, far-fetched play — written by Joe Sears, Jason William and Ed Howard — is set in a fictional city in the Lone Star State of Texas, and follows a series of holiday-related chaotic events, from gone-wrong performances

THEATER: It's A Wonderful Life
Sunday, Dec. 6… By Anita overcash Do you ever just sit and ponder “What if” to past decisions in your life? In the beloved holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life, George Bailey of Bedford Falls is pretty much forced into this train of thought. Sinking into despair and nearly suicidal, because of his own shortcomings in life, George sees himself in a new light when an angel shows him what life would have been like for those he has helped had he not been there to

SPECIAL EVENT: Holiday Lights at the Garden
Monday, Dec. 7… By Anita overcash At some point during the season, you've got to get out of the congested malls and department stores, to really enjoy the spirit of the holidays. At Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens' Holiday Lights at the Garden, you can get back to nature while being surrounded by holiday displays with more than 600,000 lights and decorative scenery. Oh, and make sure you're being nice, as Santa Claus will be roaming the garden too. Continues through Dec. 31. Hours for Holiday Lights

THEATER: A Christmas Carol
Saturday, Dec. 5… By Anita overcash Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has always been a favorite of mine, though the new animated film version of the tale with Jim Carrey looks a little too freaky for my taste. Luckily, Theatre Charlotte is bringing the classic — adapted by John Jakes — to its stage for a series of performances through Dec. 13. Stop in to see the cold-hearted Ebenezer Scrooge turn into a softie with Christmas cheer, as he is visited by the ghosts of Christmas'