6th wedding anniversary gift

L.A. THEATER WORKS' `THE PLAY'S THE THING

Culture Clash rips apart the notion of aliens terrestrial and otherwise--in Bordertown (Nov. 28 to Dec. 2), and Stockard Channing loses the gown but none of the steel when she reprises her Tony-winning role as Eleanor of Aquitaine in The Lion in Winter (Dec. 12 to 16). The only thing missing from this stage-to-radio series is the hometown broadcast of yore now that KCRW has pulled out. Call for times. Tickets, $36-$40. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A., 310-827-0889.

THE TOP TEN

1 MOSES UND ARON

DEC. 9. Los Angeles Opera conductor Kent Nagano leads his Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester (yes, he does double duty as its music director) through Arnold Schoenberg's opera about a golden calf, two brothers, and ten commandments. At 7:30. Call for prices. Los Angeles Opera, Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., 213-365-3500.

2. A NORTHERN NIGHT

DEC. 28. Via games, crafts, and a tour of the "Vikings" exhibit, little Leifs learn how animals survive on the tundra. (Bring an adult, a sleeping bag, and an air mattress.) 7 p.m.-9 a.m. Tickets, $30-$40. Natural History Museum, 900 Exposition

3. THE ST. NICK CONTROVERSY

DEC. 9. Even the mice are stirring now that Clement Clarke Moore's authorship of the poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" (aka "Twas the Night Before Christmas") is in question. Sue Hodson, the Huntington's curator of literary manuscripts, parses the debate. At 2:30. Admission, free. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marina, 626-405-2100.

4. KATSUDO SHASHIN: JAPANESE CLASSIC FILMS RETURN TO LITTLE TOKYO

DEC. 15. Cineasts will be knocked out by Shuji Terayama's The Boxer (screening at 1), and the kitsch camp will roar approval for the original Godzilla (at 5). Call for prices. Japan America Theater, 244 San Pedro St., 213-680-3700.

5. KURT ELLING QUARTET

NOV. 27-DEC. 2. Jazz cat Elling can scat, riff on the beats (Ginsberg, to be exact), and give voice to heartbreak like his hero Sinatra. Call for times and prices. Jazz Bakery, 3233 Helms Ave., Culver City, 310-271-9039.

6. ACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BILL OF RIGHTS DINNER

DEC. 13. This organization exists to protect free speech--even yours, Mr. Falwell. (Proceeds benefit American Civil Liberties Union.) At 6. Tickets, $150-$1,000. Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 877-ACLU-4-US.

7. DELIA BROWN

THROUGH DEC. 22. The L.A.-based painter, known for her narrative-laden photo-realist works, has cast gallery owner Margo Leavin as her mother in her No Place Like Home series. Margo Leavin Gallery, 812 N. Robertson Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-273-0603.

8. READINGS AT SKIRBALL

NOV. 28, DEC. 5, AND DEC. 16. Poet Charles Simic (who's taken home every big award from a MacArthur on down) plans a Night Picnic (Nov. 28), novelist Nomi Eve plucks the best passages from The Family Orchard (Dec. 5), and Lannan recipient Lucille Clifton makes waves with Blessing the Boats (Dec. 16). Call for times. Tickets, $5. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A., 323-655-8587.

9. AVALON BLUES: A TRIBUTE TO THE MUSIC OF MISSISSIPPI JOHN HURT

DEC. 7. Musician-folklorists Dave Alvin and Peter Case delve deep into the sound of this Delta songwriter-guitarist, who honed his craft off the beaten path. At 7:30. Admission, free; reservations required. Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Dr., West L.A., 310-440-7300.

10. JASPER JOHNS TO JEFF KOONS: FOUR DECADES OF ART FROM THE BROAD COLLECTION

CONTINUING. For locals lacking the password to Eli and Edythe Broad's private gallery in Santa Monica, LACMA fills the breach by exhibiting iconographic works (think Koons's Balloon Dog and Ruscha's Norms, La Cienega, on Fire) from this modern art collection. Los Angeles County Museum of Art, 5905 Wilshire Blvd., 323-857-6000.

HOLIDAZE

Downtown on Ice Continuing. Slice some ice on L.A.'s answer to Rockefeller Plaza. Call for times. Tickets, $6 per hour; skate rental, $2 per pair. Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., 888-LA-PARKS.

A Christmas Carol Nov. 24-Dec. 23. Acrobat Donald Forrest (who's also the co-artistic director of the Pickle Family Circus) jumps through hoops as the curmudgeon who runs the Fellini-esque Scrooge & Marley Circus. Call for times and prices. San Diego Repertory Theater, Horton Plaza, San Diego, 619-544-1000.

70th Anniversary Hollywood Christmas Parade Nov. 25. Witness revisionist history when Grand Marshal Peter Fonda dons his Captain America jacket from Easy Rider. Call 323-469-2337.

Smooth Jazz Christmas Nov. 30-Dec. 1. Sax man and DJ Dave Koz adds extra syrup to the season when he joins pianist David Benoit and singer Brenda Russell. At 8. Tickets, $42-$52. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr., Cerritos, 800-300-4345.

Too Many Tamales Nov. 30-Dec. 30. In Gary Soto's play, the kids come to the rescue when Maria loses her mom's wedding ring on Christmas Eve. Call for times and prices. Bilingual Foundation of the Arts, 421 N. Avenue 19, 323-225-4044.

Mr. Scrooge Dec. 1-2 and 8-9. Nine O'Clock Players Theater for Children turns the Dickens classic into a musical comedy in which all the roles, including the cranky guy, are played by women. At 2. Tickets, $9. Walter Lantz Magic Auditorium, 1367 N. St. Andrews Pl., Hollywood, 323-469-1970.

Kid Stuff at the Central Library Dec. 1-29. Puppets come in from the cold for the "Snowflake Festival" on the 1st, the peripatetic Karen Golden reads Hanukkah stories on the 8th, storyteller Asha Baba celebrates Kwanzaa on the 15th, and New Year's yarns fill the bill on the 29th. At 2. Admission, free. Richard J. Riordan Central Library, 630 W. 5th St., 213-228-7250.

Les Arts Florissants Dec. 2. Composer-conductor William Christie leads the Paris-based baroque ensemble in 17th-century holiday fare, such as Marc-Antoine Charpentier's Messe de Minuit pour Noel and In Nativitatem Domini Canticum. At 7. Tickets, $16-$55. Royce Hall, UCLA, Westwood, 310-825-2101.

Los Angeles 4 Kids: Tree of Life & Festival of Lights Dec. 4. Performers from Aida and The Lion King, along with the Los Angeles School of the Performing Arts' Gospel Choir, flip the switch on the jumbo menorah and the 50-foot Christmas tree. (Proceeds benefit Children's Cancer Research Fund.) 5:30-7. Admission, free: donations welcome. California Plaza Watercourt, 350 S. Grand Ave., 310-441-9264.

Creative Giving Dec. 5. Artists Pinch Lee and Li Minot help gift givers craft low-tech presents like boudoir boxes, estrella parcels, and washi money cards. 3-5. Tickets, $45-$55. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, 626-405-2100.

5th Annual Bobby Rodriguez's Latin Jazz Christmas Dec. 8. The trumpeter can testify that a salsa-fied holiday satisfies. At 8. Call for prices. Luckman Fine Arts Complex, Cal State Los Angeles, 323-343-6600.

Hand-Crafted Ornaments Dec. 8. Artist Ruth San Pietro and kids seven and up design holiday objets with seed pods, fabric, and paint. 9-11:30. Tickets, $20 (includes materials and one free adult admission). Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, 626-405-2100.

LyonSong Dec. 8. The Huntington continues its holiday tradition by booking the Renaissance-music ensemble for chants, polyphony, and a sing-along wassail for those of extra good cheer. 11:30 and 1. Call for prices. Huntington Library, Art Collections & Botanical Gardens, 1151 Oxford Rd., San Marino, 626-405-2100.

White Christmas Dec. 8. Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, and Danny Kaye do a little dreaming on our behalf. At 8. Tickets, $7-$9. Warner Grand Theater, 478 W. 6th St., San Pedro, 310-548-7672.

Chanukah Celebration Dec. 9. Jerry Stiller, Elayne Boosler, and Alfred Molina read holiday stories, composer Gordon Lustig leads a sing-along, and kids get even more spun around with crafts classes. 11-5. Tickets, $4-$8. Skirball Cultural Center, 2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd., West L.A, 323-655-8587.

Holiday Tour at the Castle Green Dec. 9. This landmark's decked with festive decor, Stickley furniture, and Arts and Crafts collectibles. Live music and refreshments on the porch complete the scene. (Proceeds benefit Friends of the Castle Green.) 1-6. Tickets, $15. 99 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, 626-577-6765.

Fiesta Navidad Dec. 11. Linda Ronstadt lets her roots show with Natividad "Nati" Cano and his ensemble, Mariachi los Camperos. At 8. Tickets. $20-$65. Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Dr., Costa Mesa, 914-553-2422.

The Colors of Christmas Dec. 14-16. Michael McDonald (who would make many a gal happy if he were the one sliding down the chimney), Oleta Adams, and Sheena Easton join stalwart Peabo Bryson. Call for times. Tickets, $50-$70. Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, 12700 Center Court Dr., Cerritos, 800-300-4345.