The Napa Valley Museum has a holiday open house Friday from 6-7:30 p.m. Mezzo-soprano Meghan Scheibal, tenor Nick D’Avila and soprano Naomi Silva will sing early traditional Christmas carols, and after the program hors d’oeuvres and wine will be served.

Members will receive a 20 percent discount for purchases in the museum store. It’s also a chance to see the museum’s current show, “The Art of Collecting” a diverse, intriguing glimpse into collections from Napa Valley homes — everything from Christmas elves to canes to masks from New Guinea.

The open house is free with museum admission. Call 944-1500 for reservations.

Vocali  — “Lighting the Way”— an inspirational concert for the Advent Season, features sopranos Vaida Falconbridge and Lisa van Stuijvenberg, accompanied by Francesca Fanelli and Lyn Walkenhorst with guest appearance by Lisa Jouaneh. The performance is Sunday, Dec. 16, 3 p.m. at  St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Wine and refreshments will be served at intermission. Admission is $10, adults; $5, students. Proceeds benefit the parish music program.

 

The di Rosa Preserve presents the next in its family workshop series Sunday, Dec. 16, 9:30-11 a.m. In “Form and Function” families explore artwork that is functional and beautiful as they create gift boxes. Children ages 4 to 10 and their adult companions join other families for an interactive tour of the Preserve galleries and grounds followed by art-making workshop. The cost for this monthly family art program is $10 per family with membership, $15 per family general, up to five people. To reserve a place call, 226-5991 ext. 47 or e-mail janet@diros apreserve.org for information

In what has become an annual event, San Francisco Ballet dancers donned Nutcracker costumes and participated in two special visits to UCSF and CPMC children’s hospitals, reaching more than 50 children and their families this holiday season. The visits included a presentation of the Nutcracker story, acted out by the dancers, followed by personal bedside visits with the children. In addition, the dancers handed out Nutcracker keepsakes and posed for photographs with the patients.

On Dec. 13, Jennifer Fisher, an associate professor of dance at University of California Irvine, will present “Everything You Need to Know About Life, You Can Learn from the Nutcracker,” in which she explores why the ballet has become an annual event that brings joy to such a wide variety of people. Fisher wrote “Nutcracker Nation: How an Old World Ballet Became a Christmas Tradition in the New World,” which won the 2004 Special Citation given by the de la Torre Bueno Prize and the Society of Dance History Scholars. The talk takes place in Koret Auditorium in the San Francisco Main Library (100 Larkin St.) 5-6 p.m., followed by a book signing. The event is free and open to the public.