The Magic of Christmas concert at the Merrill Auditorium in Portland in 2023. Sofia Aldinio/Staff Photographer

Sexy and funky might not be the first words that come to mind when thinking about holiday traditions.

But for audiences in Portland, a city with a rich and varied arts scene, those elements can be found in the list of annual Christmas and holiday shows. Vivid Motion Dance has been putting on a sexy holiday burlesque show for more than 20 years, while the funk band Model Airplane has been holding its Funksgiving concert for about 15.

Of course, there are plenty of more traditional shows that have had long holiday runs in the city. The Portland Symphony Orchestra’s “Magic of Christmas” has been held for more than 40 years, while Portland Ballet’s “Victorian Nutcracker” – the classic ballet but set in Portland’s Victoria Mansion – has been performed for about 30 years.

Other annual holiday shows include ones by rapper Spose and The Fogcutter’s big band, and a concert by municipal organist James Kennerley.

“The winter holidays are all about traditions,” said Jessica Means, artistic director of Vivid Motion Dance. “When we started, there were a lot of family traditions and things for young people, but adults sort of got lost. We wanted to to have something magical and special for the adults.”

Vivid Motion Dance has been putting on a holiday burlesque show in Portland for more than 20 years. Photo by Katy Day

Leaning into the fact that “The Nutcracker” is such a bedrock holiday tradition, Vivid Motion began its sexy burlesque run by putting on “Nutcracker Burlesque” from 2003 to 2019, before switching to different themes. This year’s burlesque show is called “Holly Jolly Follies,” opening Dec. 13 at The Hill Arts in Portland.

The show focuses on a delivery person hectically trying to get holiday packages to their destinations on time, while getting involved in some “sexy” situations, said Means. The 20 or so musical numbers in the show feature dancers and a DJ spinning a mix of pop tunes, including from pop stars Beyonce, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. There’s also a waltz.

The burlesque is “sexy and tasteful,” Means said. Some numbers include less clothing, some are just cheeky and heavy on innuendo.

Don Campbell, a Maine singer songwriter, started his annual Christmas concerts more than 20 years ago, mostly because he loves Christmas music. His shows this year – in Boothbay Harbor, Scarborough and Waterford – will feature a mix of songs he wrote and some of his favorites.

Campbell started his shows in 2002, partly because December was a slow time of year for him as a performer. But also because he loves Christmas music and wanted to make a Christmas album. He thinks holiday shows like his can become traditions because the songs have so much emotional power.

“I just love how Christmas songs can be such a time-travel machine. I mean, I can hear a certain Christmas song come on the radio that will bring me right back to my mother’s kitchen,” said Campbell. “And I almost smell it.”

Model Airplane’s Funskgiving show has been happening for about 15 years in Portland. Photo by Devin Green

Nostalgia is component for pianist Heather Pierson’s holiday shows. For the past 15 years, the Heather Pierson Trio has been performing songs from the beloved 1965 TV special “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”

Pierson formed her jazz trio in 2010, after years of playing piano at resort hotels in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, and thought that jazz pianist Vince Guaraldi’s songs for the “Charlie Brown” special would be fun to perform live. The trio did one show in Eaton, New Hampshire, in 2011, adding more performances every year, with 17 scheduled this year in Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. Two shows at One Longfellow Square in Portland are already sold out, as are two shows at Cadenza in Freeport. Both venues will likely livestream the shows as well, Pierson said.

“It just keeps growing. We get people who’ve already heard us, but now they’re bringing their families and making it an annual tradition,” said Pierson.

The Heather Pierson Trio will perform “A Charlie Brown Christmas” in Maine and around New England this year. Photo by Meagan Poirier

Holiday traditions might be even more important right now, as they bring some joy and stability in a world that seems increasingly volatile and unpredictable all the time. Michael Tobin, director of The Footlights Theatre in Falmouth, thinks that’s part of the reason people keep coming back each year for his venue’s annual holiday shows. The venue has hosted a dual presentation of  “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas and “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote for each of the 12 years it’s been open.

“It’s tradition, and right now, people are holding on, grasping onto traditions,” Tobin said.

Here are the details on these and other Maine holiday performance traditions:

Model Airplane’s Funksgiving, Nov. 30. Aura, Portland, $25. auramaine.com

Don Campbell Band’s Christmas Shows, Dec. 7, Opera House at Boothbay Harbor, $25; Dec. 8, Scarborough High School, free, with donations supporting Southern Maine Hospice; Dec. 14, Bear Mountain Inn, Waterford, $85. doncampbellmusic.com

The Fogcutters Superfantastic Christmas Extravaganza, Dec. 14. State Theatre, Portland, $25 to $30, $15 for 13 and under. statetheatreportland.com

Spose PDank Xmas 24, Dec. 14. Aura, Portland, $23. auramaine.com

“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas and “A Christmas Memory” by Truman Capote, Footlights Theatre, Falmouth, Dec. 15-16, $20. thefootlightstheatre.com

Portland Ballet’s “A Victorian Nutcracker,” shows at Sanford Performing Arts Center, Merrill Auditorium and Westbrook Performing Arts Center; Dec. 7-22; $29 to $68. portlandballet.org

“Holly Jolly Follies,” Vivid Motion Dance, The Hill Arts, Portland, Dec. 13-15 and 19-21, $30. vividmotiondance.org

“Magic of Christmas,” Portland Symphony Orchestra, Merrill Auditorium, Portland, Dec. 13-22, $15 to $102. porttix.com

“A Charlie Brown Christmas” with the Heather Pierson Trio, Waldo Theatre, Waldoboro, Dec. 22, $10 to $20; The Gem, Bethel, Dec. 24, pay what you can. heatherpierson.com 

“Christmas with Kennerley” on the Kotzschmar Organ, Merrill Auditorium, Portland, Dec. 23, $10 to $58, porttix.com