...but Christmas plays tend to go over much better; especially in the Lehigh Valley, where the holidays are as important to the local economy as they are to the malls. Each major Lehigh Valley theatre is offering up something this season, and a couple of these should appeal to us 20-somethings.

"The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge" at DeSales University (opens tomorrow night)

It's no surprise that the most innovative holiday offering this year belongs to a college, as this twist on Charles Dickens' classic begins one year after the original left off, but with a Scrooge that has reverted back to his miserly bleak self. Playwright Mark Brown previously adapted Jules Verne's "Around the World in 80 Days" for the local stage; he's developed perhaps the first comedic courtroom drama with holiday overtones in history and it's got the best chance out of all the plays opening this weekend to make the Daily Show/Colbert Report generation fall out of their seats with laughter.

"Christmas City Follies VII" at Touchstone Theatre (opens tomorrow night)

Follies is designed to be a family-friendly show, like most holiday offerings, but 20-somethings will still find quite a bit of humor in a production that is closer to Saturday Night Live than It's a Wonderful Life. A different Lehigh Valley celebrity (I'm aware of just how close to an oxymoron that is) will host the show each night and interact with Touchstone's professional actors in many of the skits. Local musicians are also on hand for what is the most community-minded of the holiday theatre offerings.

There are two other productions of note that fans of the stage should definitely consider: the Civic Theatre's "A Christmas Carol" and Pennsylvania Playhouse's "Tidings." The Civic's offering of "Carol" is a Lehigh Valley standard and under the direction of artistic director William Sanders will likely be the best-produced show this season. Veteran Valley actor Pat Kelly takes the stage for the first time as Scrooge after killer roles this year in "Cider House Rules" and "Man of No Importance;" look for him to bring an understated vulnerability to the role that only a vet could provide.

"Tidings" is written by Allentown native Brian McDermott and could easily be billed as "Christmas Carol," "Miracle on 34th Street" and "It's a Wonderful Life" all smashed together and presented in present times. People our age will likely find many of the comedic points a little dumb for our tastes, but kids and grandparents both will find themselves laughing out loud more often than not. Numerous Playhouse veterans have roles; look to Ralph Schwamm as the Scrooge-like Neezer for the lion's share of the laugh-inducing lines.

There it is; there's no need to sift through the drudge of "Deck the Halls" and the like in the movie theatres this season (Hollywood should have just stopped after National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation- every Christmas movie since has been some sort of bad derivative) when there are plenty of funnier and more original offerings on the stages only minutes from your place.

-Ryan