Getting Up Guide: Survive the holidays through story and song

Morning, Washington. Here's what's happening Monday:

Toast the season with special brews
Okay, so it's technically not an event, per se, but that's okay: You don't need an invitation to enjoy Christmas beers, you just need to know where to find them. Let us direct you to the bars across the area offering special seasonal selections, whether a strong Belgian ale, a dark and malty English "winter warmer" or even the Winter White wheat beer from Michigan's Bell's Brewery.

My So-Called Jewish Life
While gentiles the world over are busy fretting over Christmas tree decorations, tinsel placement and stocking stuffers, this can be one of the slowest, least cheerful weeks of the year for Jewish folk. Thankfully, there's a group therapy session tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the form of SpeakeasyDC's spoken-word showcase at Sixth and I Synagogue. Hear tales from Wired magazine's Spencer Ackerman, NPR's Alix Spiegel and Slate's Emily Yoffe.

Holiday Mayhem
Keep your holiday spirits high without overdosing on saccharine seasonal songs at the Signature Theatre's annual winter cabaret. Emcees and mischief-makers Evan Casey and James Gardiner oversee four evenings of off-kilter holiday satire and songs with a twist, beginning tonight at 8:30 p.m.