For many families, this chilly winter weather means time to retreat to a cozy theater. Family-friendly shows fill stages throughout Seattle and in the nearby towns. Take time to explore. There's no better gift than the memory of a great show enjoyed in the company of parents or grandparents.

Research the show to make sure it is appropriate for your crew. Some kids adore crocodiles with ticking stomachs or giant mice, others find the ghosts of Christmas Carol unbearably scary.

Chat with your child about the story (before you go, not during the show!) and how to behave if needed. Indulge in a little dressing up. Above all, be realistic about a child's attention span and maturity. There's nothing more tragic than a sobbing child having to be carried out. And there's nothing more wonderful than watching young potential theater junkies go spinning through the lobby with dreams of future shows ringing in their heads.

Great for the kindergarten set and older

One of Seattle's most beautiful Christmas traditions is the Pacific Northwest Ballet's Nutcracker, with choreography by the company's former artistic director Kent Stowell and sets/costumes by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are).The lobby hosts almost as many distractions as the performance, with strolling singers of carols, photo opportunities with costume characters, and even a magician doing scarf tricks.

If your kids love pirates more than ballerinas in tutus, go across the Seattle Center to the Seattle Children's Theatre. Their rousing Peter Pan is full of silly jokes, fun songs, terrific pirates, and children who can fly with the help of a little fairy dust. If you have some very small tots in your group, SCT does have a quiet room (a feature not available at Nutcracker). You can retreat behind the glass with a noisy or crying child and still enjoy Peter's flights of fancy.

One of my favorite memories of Christmas is seeing an actual "panto" in London. A zany tradition of Engllsh theater, the pantomine twists a traditional fairy tale by stuffing it with amazingly bad puns, guys dressed as gals, gals dressed as guys, popular songs sung (often with audience participation), and lots of eye candy in the costumes and sets. Think Shrek but even sillier. Centerstage brings its third annual English Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, to Federal Way. If you're heading over the hills to Grandmother's house, consider making this a family stop.

For grade school and older kids

Despite memories of last year's snowpocalypse, nobody can deny the enchantment of a White Christmas. Especially when the snow falls gently over the audience during the grand finale. The 1950s movie has become a beloved Broadway musical, featuring some of Irving Berlin's most beloved tunes including the famous title song. Take a moment before you enter to enjoy the 5th Avenue's shiny new but very retro marquee.

Nothing says holidays like "Bah, humbug." Scrooge's tale of ghostly redemption receives the full-on Victorian treatment at ACT. Gregory Falls' adaptation of the classic tale is now celebrating its 33rd anniversary.  Can 600,000 past attendees be wrong? Kurt Beattie and R. Hamilton Wright alternate as Scrooge. Quick note: ACT does not allow children under the age of four into Christmas Carol.

Intiman's moving Black Nativity mixes Langston Hughes' powerful poetry with rousing spirituals. Pastor Patrinell Wright leads her choir of gospel singers in a magical and moving night of song and dance. Each year, different artists, songs, and poems have been woven into the show by director Jacqueline Moscou and choreographer Kabby Mitchell III. According to recent releases, this year is the final one for Black Nativity at Intiman.

Perfect for tweens, teens, or kids who have seen it all

Want a different Christmas story? Like a phoenix from the ashes, Taproot Theatre triumphed over Greenwood arson fires. When smoke, water, and fire damage forced a one-month closure of their home, they remounted their popular radio play version of It's A Wonderful Life at at North Seattle Community College. Kids who love Garrison Kellior's Prairie Home Companion or other radio shows can see exactly how sound effects and a little imagination can help an angel gain his wings.

The tradition in Elizabethean England was to celebrate the season with tales of love spiced with humor. William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night receives a warm and joyful performance this month at the Seattle Center.  Misguided lovers, a pair of identical twins, a girl disguised as a boy, and a Duke missing the love of his life right under his nose all cross paths with scheming uncles and rebellious servants. Bit like a family gathering, but with more flamenco guitar. Like all good romantic comedies, the evening at Seattle Shakespeare's Center House stage ends with a kiss or two under the mistletoe.