It’s the home stretch of the holiday season, and food and drink venues are ready to celebrate — be it virtually or safely in-person. From wine pairings and a tea party to a pop-up restaurant in a parking lot, the options are many in the coming weeks. (Why not treat someone else as a holiday gift?) Here are the most delicious events happening before Christmas. Looking for places to eat on Christmas Eve or Day? Find that list here.

Ongoing

Miracle at Nickel City Bar
Miracle, the Christmas-themed pop-up cocktail bar hosted in over 100 locations worldwide, is back in Fort Worth, this time at the Near Southside’s new Nickel City Bar. Known for its over-the-top holiday decorations and nostalgic vibes, the pop-up runs through December 31. Visit for kitschy craft cocktails in festive glassware, like the Snowball Old Fashioned made with rye, gingerbread spice, and orange essence; the Fruitcake Flip with Jamaican rum, amaretto, and fruitcake cherry bitters; and the Christmapolitan with vodka, elderflower liqueur, dry vermouth, and spiced cranberry sauce. Nickel City is open daily, 2 pm-2 am.

Make & Take: Decorate a Gingerbread House at Central Market Fort Worth
Up your gingerbread house decorating game with instruction from the pasty pros at Central Market Fort Worth. Participants will receive an authentic Swiss lebkuchen (gingerbread) house, lots of royal icing, and mountains of candy to get crafty. The $65 price also includes light snacks and a box to transport your masterpiece home. There are a dozen classes available on various days and times from December 9-20, all just in time for the gourmet grocer’s gingerbread decorating contest. Now through December 27, contestants can upload a photo of their best gingerbread creations for a chance to win a $500 Central Market gift card. Entries will be judged on creativity and originality, theme, and execution.

Thursday, December 10

DAOU Virtual Tasting at Thirty Eight & Vine
There are four tasting packages to choose from for this virtual event led by Erik Johsnon, a former sommelier of California’s The French Laundry. Select the reds ($115), whites ($85), holiday ($155), or “date night” ($95) packages and pickup on Thursday before the 6:30 pm. virtual tasting begins. Craving more? The Carroll Street wine bar has lots of options for DAOU add-ons, including a magnum of rose for $50.

Saturday, December 12

Holiday Tea at Fort Worth Botanic Garden
Celebrate the season in elegant English fashion with afternoon tea in the gardens. Patrons will receive three courses of savory and sweet bites paired with various teas. The price is $45 for adults and $35 for children and the event will run from 1 to 3 pm. The holiday tea is part of a full day of festive Holiday in the Garden events, including a sip-and-shop with food trucks, 10 am-4 pm; a visit from Santa, 11 am-2 pm; and strolling performances by the Fort Worth Opera, 11 am-2:30 pm.

Sunday, December 13

Virtual Wine Tasting with Dumplings at The Table
This tasting is for two. The dumpling queens Hao Tran and Dixya Bhattari — partners in The Table market and culinary studio — will lead a virtual dumpling tasting paired with clean-crafted Scout & Cellar wines. The $55 price includes different four mini bottles of wine ranging from bubbly to red zin to pair with an array of dumplings including shrimp shumai, kimchi mandu, cheese ravioli with Bolognese sauce, and chicken khinkali. Two wine glasses, chopsticks, and dumpling prep instructions are also included. Get ready for some day drinking as this one starts at noon.

Annual Christmas Brunch and Market at Bearded Lady
The South Main restaurant-bar with an expansive outdoor patio is adding a holiday market to its annual Christmas brunch. Visitors can shop for fun, locally made gifts while they savor holiday brunch specialties and sip cocktails and beer. There'll be live music and a few surprises, too, they promise. Brunch is served 11 am-3 pm, and the shopping goes until 4 pm. Follow Bearded Lady's Facebook page for updates on menu, vendors, and more.

Pop-up at Sammy’s Restaurant
The granddaughters of beloved restauranteur Sammy Pantoja are at it again. After a successful pop-up last month in which sisters Alysia and Angela Castillo resurrected their grandpa’s famed potato soup recipe in the parking lot of the long lost Sammy’s Restaurant, the girls will host another pop-up dining event with an expanded menu. This time drive-by diners can pick up chicken flautas with rice and beans ($9) and the fan-favorite sopapilla cheesecake ($5 a slice) along with more potato soup ($6) and chips and hot sauce ($3). Folks can visit starting at 1 pm until sell-out, at 300 West Central Avenue in North Side.

Tuesday, December 22

Feast of the Seven Fishes at Grace
Chef Blaine Staniford will present his take on the traditional Italian Christmas Eve meal, also known as The Vigil. The seven-course dinner will start with a crudo of fluke followed by lump crab toast, red scarlet prawn with romesco sauce, grilled octopus, capellini with Italian anchovy sauce, Mediterranean branzini, and vanilla and apple cider panna cotta with gingersnap cookies and pinecone syrup. All courses will be paired with Italian wines. The $175 per-person price does not include tax and gratuity. A welcome reception with bubbles begins at 6:30 pm, followed by dinner at 7 pm.