It’s the holiday season and a friend calls with an extra ticket to The Nutcracker. Neither of you has kids; you have no relatives in the performance—why should you go?

You were a kid yourself once. Occasionally, it’s nice to be reminded of that child’s universe—a world that seemed more magical and fun. The Nutcracker gives you a chance to revisit that special place.

Las Vegas audiences have several Nutcrackers to pick from this year, including the Nevada Ballet Theatre debut of a new Nutcracker at Paris Las Vegas, choreographed by Peter Anastos, known for his ability to inject humor into his work without destroying the core meaning.

That’s the most lavish local production, but for those on limited budgets, there are two community-based Nutcrackers at either end of the Las Vegas Valley. This weekend, Boulder City Ballet presents its popular, cozy family version at the Historic Boulder Theatre, an easy drive for Henderson residents. The following weekend, the Las Vegas Ballet Company, with its roster of impeccably trained students, offers Nutcracker Highlights, an innovative program presented with the Las Vegas Academy. Act II will remain the traditional “Land of the Sugar Plum Fairy,” but, in place of the first-act party scene, a story-time session with live music by Las Vegas Youth Orchestra.

Support the arts. Go to one of them. Give that inner kid a holiday treat.