If you're looking for somewhere to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner while you're in Los Angeles, there are plenty of restaurants ready to carve up turkey with all the trimmings. I've compiled a selection for every budget in the Thanksgiving Dining Guide for Los Angeles.

Christmas is still over 6 weeks away but the holiday decorations were in stores before Halloween and Christmas-themed stage productions have already begun, with momentum building as the big day approaches. Whether you look on the holidays as a time for festivity and family or with a bit of jaded cynicism, there's a show to get you smiling.

This week, How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical opens at the Pantages Theatre; Robbie Jensen: The 12 Steps of Christmas opens at the NoHoArt Center; It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play continues at the Center Theatre in Whittier; and a live stage show introduces Disney's A Christmas Carol in 3D at El Capitan Theatre. For details on these and more visit my list of LA Christmas Plays and Shows.

The first productions of The Nutcracker start on Thanksgiving weekend. Some of them sell out, so get your tickets now. The same goes for popular Christmas Sing-Along Events at the Music Center. Some are already almost sold out.

More:

• LA Christmas Traditions
• Some More Unusual Christmas Traditions
• LA Gift Guide - Experiences to Give
• LA Holiday Boat Parades

Extra: Broadway's  Mary Poppins also opens this weekend at the Ahmanson Theatre at the LA Music Center.

Photo courtesy of Dr. Seuss Enterprises

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will present A Holiday Spectacular beginning November 14, 2009. Over 100 puppets from marionettes to shadow puppets will be used in the one-hour performance. After the show the audience is invited to visit with the Puppeteers and have refreshments in the Theater's famous Party Room.

When: Opens Nov 14, 2009 through January 10, 2010 Sat-Sun 2:30 pm, Tue-Fri 10:30 am
Where: Bob Baker Marionette Theatre, 1345 West First Street, LA
Cost: $20 Children and Adults, $15 Seniors
Info: (213) 250-9995, www.bobbakermarionettes.com
Note: Reservations Required

Photo courtesy of The Bob Baker Marionette Theater

If you're not following me on Twitter, here are a few things you missed that I tweeted or re-tweeted the last couple days. If you'd like to be getting this kind of last-minute stream-of-consciousness deals and updates, you can follow me @LATravelWriter.  For Twitter newbies, @ indicates a Twitter address; RT is a re-tweet of what someone else tweeted; # indicates a subject you can follow. Learn more about Twitter.

Saturday:

• RT @silverlakeart: Free bike rentals for 4 pm Art Ride @bikeoven at Materials&Applications 1619 Silver Lake Blvd http://bit.ly/1387K0
• RT @West_LA: Zagat Food Truck Of The Week - Congrats! RT @mattieskitchen Yeah! Check us out on Zagat! http://bit.ly/1FsQ8V
• RT @LAUniqueTravel: Great site: Real #LA bldgs inspired bldgs in Disney's H'wood Studios at WDW Orlando - http://bit.ly/I6SXf
• Symbolic Wall of Art across Wilshire will collapse Sunday night w/German concert 4 20th anniv of Berlin Wall falling http://bit.ly/3xtQkl
• HSLB/IDA Pare Lorenz Film Fest starts tonight in Long Beach with Pare Lorenz films from 1936 and 1948 http://bit.ly/8cUyg
• Great Chefs of LA go Organic Sunday. Tickets $150 available at the door http://bit.ly/7bqhs
• RT @lahappenings: ART: Silverlake Art Crawl - FREE - http://www.silverlakeartcra...
• RT @TheAutry: Also free for BofA cardholders! RT @FreeFunLA: Headed out to Intertribal Arts Marketplace @TheAutry! #Free for kids under 9!
• RT @TripAdvisor: National parks, forests, & monuments across U.S. will be free this Wed, 11/11 for Veterans Day: http://bit.ly/3V6UL
• RT @blogdowntown: This one slipped under my radar. Panamanian Independence Day parade has Broadway closed.
• RT @LAist: Behold: One beautiful sandwich. But does Langer's truly have the BEST pastrami in America? http://ow.ly/Ahml

Friday

• I object to Christmas events the weekend after Halloween, but Old Towne Orange has their holiday fair this weekend http://bit.ly/Uamoq
• RT @justSantaMonica: Contemporary Craft Show is this weekend. Get a head start on finding the perfect gift.... http://bit.ly/25PZ3V
• @GoldstarLA still has a few dates left for 40% off Cirque du Soleil Kooza tickets in Santa Monica http://bit.ly/19bxiC
• RT @downtown_la: In case you missed the news: You can now see a live map of DASH bus locations on your mobile device http://ow.ly/zHjb
• But all the wristbands were given out yesterday! RT @NBCLosAngeles: OMG. "Glee" at The Grove http://bit.ly/ixBJZ #Glee
• RT @HiltonLongBeach: Happy Hour tonight!! $5 well drinks/house wines $3.50 tap/domestic beer $4 imported beer $6 martinis 1/2 price apps!
• RT @LABargains: Have a Bank of America card? Get FREE admission to LACMA this weekend, Nov. 7-8. (Tix reg. $12) http://bit.ly/17re2I
• LA theatre, comedy and other events for half price or even free http://bit.ly/38deLR
• Half-price tickets this Saturday for kid-friendly comedy at ComedySportz Kidz http://bit.ly/9M7BW