As the holiday season fast approaches, the Kimmel Center heats up the winter yuletide with plenty of joy and mirth. Regional performances take center stage in Kimmel Center Presents, whereas the Cadillac Broadway Series continues to bring blockbuster delights. Whether it's joining Singing City Choir in Handel's Messiah, tooting your own horn at the annual Tuba Christmas! celebration, or relaxing to the smooth sounds of Gerald Veasley's Jazzy Christmas special, regional communities are able to come together to celebrate the season.

Don't know what that special someone fancies? Give the Gift of Kimmel this holiday season, or Light up Your Holidays with Broadway. Within and beyond the month of December, there is always something for everyone - jazz, tango, and great gospel performances at the Kimmel Center coexist with Broadway entertainment at the Academy of Music. And moving forward into the months of January and February, there's more to look forward to on Broadway including productions of RENT (Jan. 4-6), RAIN: The Beatles Experience (Jan. 15-20), and Avenue Q (Jan. 29-Feb. 10).

Gift certificates are available for friends and family, redeemable for tickets to any Kimmel Center Presents or Cadillac Broadway Series performance. Gift certificates may be purchased in any dollar amount by calling Ticket Philadelphia at 215-893-1999 or online or at the Kimmel Center Box Office. Choose three performances and save all throughout the season.

Festive holiday favorites throughout the month of December include:

Sixth annual Tuba Christmas! celebration kicks off in Commonwealth Plaza begins at 1:30pm on Saturday, December 1, 2007, as part of the Free in the Plaza Series. The holidays come to life at the Kimmel Center as over 50 regional tuba and euphonium players join together to perform holiday classics free to the public and for all ages. All regional musicians are encouraged to bring music stand or lyre to rehearsal at Innovation Studio from 11am to 12:45pm. Holiday costume and decorations for instruments are encouraged. Registration begins from 9:30am to 11am at Innovation Studio.

The angelic and critically acclaimed Vienna Boys Choir revisits the Kimmel Center on Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 3pm in Verizon Hall, with seasonal classics, oratorios, traditional Viennese waltzes, and folk songs from around the world. Don't miss this little piece of heaven this holiday season. Ticket prices: $35, $45, $54, $65, $75.

The second annual holiday tradition of Sing Along Messiah at the Kimmel Center's Verizon Hall on Friday, December 7, 2007 at 7:30pm with Music Director Jeffrey Brillhart leading acclaimed Singing City Choir, renowned soloists Barbara Shirvis, Suzanne DuPlantis, Bryan Hymel, Ben Wager, and organist Nathan Laube. Philadelphians are invited to bring their own vocal scores (regardless of edition) along with their friends and family for this very special holiday event. Ticket price: $20.

One of today's most celebrated gospel groups, Grammy ® award-winning Blind Boys of Alabama performs "Go Tell It On The Mountain" special Christmas show on Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 8pm in Verizon Hall. Sharing the bill is the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, the most prolific modern New Orleans brass band. This positive, upbeat show will have you bopping to the beat in no time. Ticket prices: $35, $42, $50, $60.

Have yourself a jazzy little Christmas with Philadelphia native, bassist and WJJZ 97.5 on-air personality Gerald Veasley on Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 8pm in Verizon Hall. Veasley returns to the Kimmel Center to ring in the season with holiday favorites-smooth jazz style, and this time he's brought his friends, Kim Waters, Chuck Loeb, Maysa, and Bobby Lyle. Ticket prices: $34, $43, $49, $55, $65

This holiday season, everyone could use a little Yuletide Cheer! PHILADANCO, Philadelphia's most celebrated modern dance company, brings its soaring passion and dynamic energy to holiday favorites and other works with Xmas Philes on Thursday-Saturday, December 13-15, 2007 at 7:30pm, Saturday-Sunday, December 15-16, 2007 at 2:30pm in Perelman Theater. Ticket prices: $34, $46

Philly's own blue-eyed barons of soul, Hall and Oates, make their long-awaited Kimmel Center debut with a special Home for Christmas concert on Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8pm in Verizon Hall. The Kimmel Center celebrates six years of bringing you the best music on the planet with this special Christmas concert featuring Daryl Hall and John Oates. Ticket prices: $55, $65, $95.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 215.893.1999, online or at the Kimmel Center box office, open daily from 10am to 6pm and later on performance evenings (additional fees may apply). For group sales call 215-790-5883. A limited number of $10 tickets are available for every Kimmel Center Presents performances at the Kimmel Center. Tickets go on sale the day of the event and can be purchased the 2.5 hours prior to evening performances and 11:30am for matinees.

KIMMEL CENTER PRESENTS SPONSORED BY CITI

Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 1:30pm Commonwealth Plaza Stage | Free in the Plaza Tuba Christmas!

Saturday, December 1, 2007 at 3pm Verizon Hall Vienna Boys Choir Ticket prices: $35, $45, $54, $65, $75

Friday, December 7, 2007 at 7:30pm Verizon Hall Sing Along Messiah Ticket price: $20

Sunday, December 9, 2007 at 8pm Verizon Hall Blind Boys of Alabama, "Go Tell It On The Mountain" Christmas Show Dirty Dozen Brass Band Ticket prices: $35, $42, $50, $60

Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at 8pm Verizon Hall Gerald Veasley's Jazzy Christmas Ticket prices: $34, $43, $49, $55, $65

Thursday-Saturday, December 13-15, 2007 at 7:30pm Saturday-Sunday, December 15-16, 2007 at 2:30pm Perelman Theater PHILADANC0 Xmas Philes Ticket prices: $34, $46

Monday, December 17, 2007 at 8pm Verizon Hall Hall and Oates, Home for Christmas Ticket prices: $55, $65, $95.

Friday, January 4, 2008 at 8pm Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 2pm and 8pm Sunday, January 6, 2008 at 1pm and 6:30pm Academy of Music RENT Price: $25, $37.50, $60, $70, $100

Tuesday-Thursday, January 15-17, 2008 at 7:30pm Friday, January 18, 2008 at 8pm Saturday, January 19, 2008 at 2pm and 8pm Sunday, January 20, 2008 at 1pm and 6:30pm Academy of Music RAIN: The Beatles Experience Price: $35, $45, $60, $85

Tuesday-Thursday, January 29-31, 2008 at 7:30pm Friday, February 1, 2008 at 8pm Saturday, February 2, 2008 at 2pm and 8pm Sunday, February 3, 2008 1pm and 6:30pm Tuesday-Thursday, February 5-7, 2008 at 7:30pm Friday, February 8, 2008 at 8pm Saturday, February 9, 2008 at 2pm and 8pm Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 1pm and 6:30pm Forrest Theatre Avenue Q Price: $31.50, $56.50, $74, $86.50, $126.50

For more information, visit www.kimmelcenter.org.