A Highly Caffeinated Comedy: One might think family-friendly humor relies heavily on tired pratfalls and punch lines, but Triple Espresso: A Highly Caffeinated Comedy is freshly written. The secret of the show’s success is that every joke and riff is new, not borrowed from other humor genres. Audience participation is a defining part of the production, but is done so gracefully and gleefully that even theater sophisticates play along. The production includes an emotionally stunted lounge pianist, an elusive Zairian expatriate and a taciturn magician along with profanity, sexual innuendo and stereotypes. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the Horton Grand Theatre, located at 444 Fourth Ave. Tickets are $33.50 to $36.50. (619) 232-2411, www.tripleespresso.com/sandiego.

Wine Street: Tour of France: Wine Street, Inc. will feature samples of Bordeaux, chateauneuf du pape, champagne and sauternes from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. There is a reason why these names are famous in the world of wine. Come and taste for yourself the exquisite and unique samples, provided you are willing to venture off the beaten path for a surprise or two. Tickets are $20. Wine Street, Inc. is located at 6986 El Camino Real, Suite D, in Carlsbad. (760) 431-8455, www.winestreet.com.

Tour of Historic Gaslamp Quarter: Back in the day, prostitutes, gamblers and street kids ruled the barren city streets of San Diego’s once-remote seaport. As you stroll through the quaint city street and gaze up at the burgeoning new skyline, learn about the city’s movers and shakers, deal makers and breakers, and how each of these charming buildings have been renovated and painted to maintain their classic charm. The tour begins at 11:00 a.m. The Gaslamp Quarter Museum is located at 413 Market St. Tickets are $10. (619) 944-9255, www.gaslampquarter.org/tours.

“Blasphemous Guitars”: Chicano entertainer El Vez will be performing his Christmas Show, “Blasphemous Guitars,” at the Casbah beginning at 8:30 p.m. The Latino Elvis impersonator is infamous for tackling serious and controversial issues such as immigration and civil liberties. No subject is taboo for this 44-year-old comedian/musician, who’s been making people laugh for almost two decades with such album titles as Graciasland and Sno-Way José. Tickets are $20. The Casbah is located at 2501 Kettner Blvd. (619) 232-HELL, www.casbahmusic.com.

Ice skating: Want a taste of what winter offers the rest of the country? Head on down to Horton Plaza between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. for an invigorating spin around the ice rink. Then leave winter behind and hit the beach for a uniquely San Diego Christmas Eve. Admission to the rink is $12 for adults. (619) 234-1031, http://westfield.com/hortonplaza.

Anglo-Catholic parish holiday worship: All Saints Church is hosting its annual San Diego Anglican worship for the holidays. With all the pageantry and beauty one would expect, low Mass will begin at 8:00 a.m. with high Mass at 10:00 a.m. Solemn Mass, a service reserved for families and for setting up the Christmas creche, will begin at 10:30 a.m. Midnight Mass will begin at 11:00 p.m., including a procession and the blessing of the Christmas creche. All are welcome. All Saints Church is located at 625 Pennsylvania Ave. (619) 298-7729, www.allsaintschurch.org.

Communitywide Christmas potluck: A Christmas Day Potluck for the Greater San Diego community will take place at 1:00 p.m. at the Seaside Center for Spiritual Living. All are welcome, including those who cannot bring a potluck dish. The Seaside Center for Spiritual Living is located at 1613 Lake Dr. in Encinitas, next to the Cardiff Sports Park. For more information or to volunteer for the event, call Vivian at (760) 730-1427 or e-mail vivianchandler@sbcglobal.net.

Rainbow Cyclists bike ride: Get rid of those midweek cobwebs by venturing out on the trail for awhile. Actual rides will vary but may include Penasquitos, San Clemente Canyon or Mission Trails. Bring flashlight or bike light as it will get dark. The ride begins at 5:30 p.m. and is set to last a couple of hours. Call Bill Rountree one to two days ahead of time to get ride and start-point info. (858) 467-1090, www.rainbowcyclists.org.

Dance for free, dance for fun: Dance lovers of all ages and abilities are invited to tour San Diego’s new state-of-the-art dance facility. Meet the instructors and take sample classes during this free day of dance classes, which begins at 9:30 a.m. and is presented by Malashock Dance, the San Diego Ballet and the Jean Isaacs San Diego Dance Theater, all of which are part of the newly-formed Dance Place San Diego. The studio is located at 2650 Truxtun Rd. (619) 260-1622, paloma@malashockdance.org.

San Diego International Auto Show: Looking to see your favorite new model vehicle? Want to take a peek into the future? How about getting behind the wheel of a new truck and going “off road”? All of this can happen at the San Diego International Auto Show, where the cars are the stars, which begins at 7:00 p.m. More than 400 new-model vehicles, concept cars and alternative-fuel vehicles will be on display. Tickets are $10 and the event will take place at the San Diego Convention Center, located at 111 West Harbor Dr. (858) 550-0080, www.sdautoshow.com.

Bumble Bee Foods Run: The annual Bumble Bee Foods 5K Run, presented by San Diego-headquartered Bumble Bee Foods, will kick off the Port of San Diego Big Bay Balloon Parade. The race, which will begin at 9:45 a.m., will feature a costume contest where participants are invited to come dressed in their most creative interpretation of this year’s theme, “Fun in San Diego.” Participants can enter individually or as a team. The costume contest offers a cash prize of $500 and tickets to the 2006 Bowl game, where the winner(s) will show off their winning costume(s) in front of more than 60,000 fans. The event will take place along Harbor Drive at Ash Street in downtown San Diego. (858) 268-1250, www.bumblebee.com.