Happy Tuesday, Lincoln. In today’s edition: Nurture Nebraska parenting tips, storytime with Santa, holiday entertaining cooking class, and more.

Let’s get to it — Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Small moments shape futures: Nurture Nebraska, a Husker-led campaign, spotlights how everyday interactions build children’s social and emotional skills. It shares tips as one in four Nebraska children face social, emotional or behavioral problems — learn how you can help.

Generosity meets real need: After a record Channel 8 Coat Drive, People’s City Mission in Lincoln received 2,600 coats and had given out 300 within hours, with volunteers organizing donations and a two-per-person limit — see how donations are distributed.

Statewide holiday safety effort: Thirty Nebraska law enforcement agencies received NDOT grants supporting Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, underway through Jan. 1, increasing patrols to curb impaired driving amid 2024 DUI crash data — see the full grantee list.

Protect your nest egg: Savvy investors are turning to gold amidst today’s inflation, national debt, and market uncertainty for a reason. It holds its value when everything else feels shaky. Case in point: it’s up ~62% since January. If you’re curious about adding it and other precious metals to your portfolio, American Hartford has a super helpful guide that covers everything you need to know. It’s free, and definitely worth a read — check it out here.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Highlights this week

• Explore vendors at free Lincoln craft fair
• Experience candlelit Christmas carols on strings
• Bring food donations, meet the Grinch
• Stroll through dazzling Zoo Lights display
• Meet Santa at SouthPointe Pavilions
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%
• A home warranty that actually pays is 30% off

🫶 We got your back

Neighborhood light show season: Phillip’s Lincoln Lights is back for 2025 with an updated map and family-friendly routes. About 75 verified displays are listed so far, with more added daily. Expect 60–75 minute tours by city region and two contests, one judged and one public vote, with QR-code yard signs for easy voting. Details on their site and Facebook. See routes and contest details.

Amplify staff voices campuswide: UNL staff nominations are open now through 5 p.m. Feb. 16 for the 57-member Staff Senate. Staff can nominate themselves or colleagues to represent one of eight districts, with three-year terms starting July 2026. Ballots go out in March. Service counts as time worked and meetings run every other month. See how and when to nominate.

Your art‑house fix: Indie gems, international standouts, and documentary detours await at The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center, with Met Opera and National Theatre Live broadcasts, plus series like the Native American Film Series. Smart programming, comfy seats, and a reason to catch a movie this week.

Hear me out: My mom’s been asking people to repeat themselves 5,281 times too many for years. She always avoided hearing aids like the plague — they’re clunky, obvious, expensive, not really worth it. I always thought “she’s not wrong” until I saw these new invisible hearing aids going viral. In the same boat? Now’s a great time to check them out before unused health benefits expire on the 31st.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I discovered Keranique’s hair regrowth system. Everything with them is surprisingly easy: no quizzes, no pills, no choosing between dozens of products. Just grab the kit and follow the instructions. The best part? It’s $75 off right now + you’ll get your money back if you don’t love the results.

📆 Around town this week

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

This week

👮 LPD Cocoa with a Cop @ Bloom Coffee | Tuesday (12/16) at 5:00pm – Bring the kids to meet Lincoln Police officers in a friendly, relaxed setting. Free hot cocoa from Bloom Coffee, toys and gifts courtesy of Phi Beta Sigma and Zeta Phi Beta, say hi to Captain Tarvis Banks and the Northwest Team, and holiday cheer. RSVP, please.

✨ Cooking Class | Holiday Entertaining @ Art & Soul | Wednesday (12/17) at 5:30pm – Grab your apron and a sense of humor for a holiday entertaining cooking class that actually helps. Learn crowd-pleasing apps, stress-proof mains, and make-ahead tricks, so Aunt Carol thinks you catered, the house smells amazing, and you still sit to enjoy dessert.

🎸 Mike Zito @ Zoo Bar | Wednesday (12/17) at 6:00pm – Think you know your blues heroes? Mike Zito is the real deal, bringing big tone, bigger heart, and zero fluff to the Zoo Bar’s cozy chaos. Grab $20 advance tickets before it’s $25, 21+, then let the room, and a cold one, do its thing.

🎸 John Primer and the Real Deal Blues Band @ Zoo Bar | Friday (12/19) at 5:00pm – Clear your calendar for two nights of real-deal Chicago blues at the Zoo Bar, because John Primer is rolling in with the tone, the stories, and the scars. 21 and up, $18 advance or $22 day of, tickets at the bar or Ticketweb.

🎉 Bingo Loco @ Bourbon Theatre | Friday (12/19) at 5:30pm – Bourbon Theatre is hosting bingo that gets loud, weird, and wildly fun. Bingo Loco is part game, part dance party, part prize frenzy, with DJs, confetti, and cocktails, not casseroles. It is 21+, so line up a sitter, and snag advance tickets.

This weekend

🎅 Storytime with Santa @ Lincoln Children’s Museum | Saturday (12/20) at 9:00am – Skip the mall chaos and let Santa read to the kids at the museum, with reindeer, cookies, and hot cocoa. Photo ops, surprises, and the kind of holiday cheer that doesn’t require earplugs. Free for members, and included with Museums for All and regular admission.

❄️ Falling Snow @ Sandhills Global Event Center | Saturday (12/20) at 10:00am – Back again and stuffed like a holiday stocking, this cheery craft fair rounds up cookies, honey, woodwork, crystals, and the usual Tupperware, Scentsy, and gutter-guard temptations. Free admission, bring a friend, and maybe pick up a treat for later.

🕵️ The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show @ The Lincoln Marriott Cornhusker Hotel | Saturday (12/20) at 6:00pm – Turn supper into sleuthing at the Cornhusker, where the killers blend in, the alibis wobble, and your tablemate might be the plot twist. Interactive, funny, and delightfully nosy, with a plated dinner and gratuity included. Great for date night, office bonding, or justified people-watching.

⚡ Riot Ten: Lincoln – House Party 360 Tour @ The Royal Grove | Sat (12/20) at 8:00pm – Expect a high-energy night with a full 360° stage setup, heavy bass, and nonstop movement. A great pick if you love electronic shows with big production. With TYNAN backing him up, expect rail-breaking energy, chest-thumping bass, and a crowd that won’t stop moving until the lights come up. This one’s not for the delicate—bring your stamina.

🍷 Daniel Christian @ Rich Harvest Winery | Sunday (12/21) at 2:00pm – Holiday tunes, good wine, and the kind of small-town charm that actually delivers. Daniel Christian brings songs of the season to Rich Harvest Winery just north of Syracuse. Think Beatles meets Dylan, with Nebraska roots, you sip, he strums, and everyone hums along.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/16 Santa’s Here @ The Chocolate Season – 4 pm
• 12/16 Ekoh and more @ Bourbon Theatre – 7 pm
• 12/17 Mike Zito @ Zoo Bar – 6 pm
• 12/18 Open Mic Nights @ Hub Cafe – 5 pm
• 12/18 Colt Ford @ Bourbon Theatre – 6 pm
• 12/19 Bingo Loco @ Bourbon Theatre – 5:30 pm
• 12/20 John Primer & The Real Deal Blues Band @ Zoo Bar – 5 pm
• 12/20 Riot Ten and more @ The Royal Grove – 8 pm
• 12/27 Ugly Sweater Party @ Bourbon Theatre – 6 pm

🏠️ This house is wild

Listed by: Gregg Boosalis (HOME Real Estate)

This all-brick ranch townhome in south Lincoln’s The Ridge brings 3 beds, 3 baths, and over 3,500 finished square feet, all wrapped in sunlit open-concept living. Hickory floors, fresh paint, new carpet, and a 25 SEER health-grade HVAC keep things crisp and quiet, with air quality near hospital level.

New four seasons office with mini split, a 1,400 square foot lower level with wet bar and a third bed and bath, and a heated two-stall garage with epoxy floor punch above weight. Security and radon systems included, impact shingles, and electric bills around $2,000 yearly. SouthPointe nearby, park-like backdrop.

Take a peek inside →