The stockings have been hung with care, the presents placed under the tree and every last card mailed. You’ve made your list and checked it twice, but there’s one more thing you need to do this month: See a show! December is packed with exciting dance events from coast to coast that are fun ways to celebrate the spirit of the season. We’ve picked out two dance performances going on this winter season that you just can’t miss.

1. The San Francisco Ballet “Nutcracker”

Recorded for PBS’ “Great Performances” series and called one of the best “Nutcracker” performances in the country by critics, seeing this legendary show at the majestic War Memorial Opera House has been the Christmas wish of young and old alike since the ballet premiered there for the first time in the U.S. in 1944.

SFB puts a local spin on the classic story, setting the tale in the romantic streets of historic San Francisco. Come to watch in wonder as toy soldiers march out of larger-than-life presents, sparkling snow begins to fall and the company’s athletic dancers leap to jaw-dropping heights. Leave with visions of sugarplum fairies dancing in your head. See “Nutcracker” Dec. 20-29 at the War Memorial Opera House, 301 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA.

2. Wonderbound “Snow”

Wonderbound, an innovative and boundary-breaking dance company in Denver, presents “Snow”, an original fable about a dark and magical night. The one-of-a-kind show immerses audiences in the story by using their five senses, incorporating sense, projections and food created by local restaurants into the performance, along with audience participation. See “Winter” Dec. 13-22 at Wonderbound Studio, 1075 Park Avenue West, Denver, CO.