It was exactly a year ago that I made a promise to you, Houston. I vowed that every week without fail, as CultureMap listings editor, a column spotlighting Houston's best and most fabulous events would magically appear.

We'd tell you what we did the previous week and suggest ways to get out and play.

With this story, the Your Weekly Guide to Houston feature celebrates its first birthday. That means that I am now a one-year-old CultureMapper, hitting the scene to help you get the most out of the city's offerings, whether that is an angst-ridden, passionate opera, a sinful wine dinner, a raucous late night dance bash or a sporty outdoors affair.

We've increased our calendar offerings. We've even started a Twitter account just for events. And we've encouraged our entire savvy staff — including arts smarty pants Nancy Wozny, Houston explorer Whitney Radley, the sassy and adventurous Fayza Elmostehi, party gal Caroline Gallay and the cultured know-it-all Tyler Rudick — to contribute their recommendations

How am I doing? How can we get better? How can we help you get the most out of our CultureMap's calendar?

We are all ears.

On tap this week are events that extend the spirit of December. That means a little wintry magic, a bit of the essence of Christmas, British sass and Russian humor.

 Houston Premieres Screening: 2011 British Arrows at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston

There's nothing like a good television commercial imbued with a healthy dose of English sass. Whether it's the foxy accent or the industry's more risqué approach to consumerism, I am always in the mood to learn from the masters of communication, manipulation and capitalism.

The British Arrows, the British Television Advertising Awards, are always a popular offering at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. They're not dissimilar from the American obsession with Super Bowl commercials.

Among those receiving accolades are: T-Mobile, Volkswagen, Virgin Atlantic, Match.com, Nike and Heineken. Thursday and Friday at 7 p.m.

 River Oaks Chamber Orchestra's Amahl and the Night Visitors at The Church of St. John the Divine

One might think that the holiday season is over and done with. One would be wrong. The 12 days of Christmas actually begins on Christmas day and ends the eve of the Epiphany, when Amahl and the Night Visitors is supposed to take place.

As far as opera goes, it's fairly new. Actually, its the first of the genre to be written specifically for television. It's a lovely story of selfless giving, love and faith, now such a tradition for the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra that last year's performance was completely packed.

My suggestion? Buy tickets to either the 6 or 8 p.m. performance on Friday, and get there very early for best seats.

True confession: I cry when Amahl regains his ability to walk. I can't help it. I am a softy. There's also a bunch of oboe solos that Alecia Lawyer performs deliciously.

 Fourth Annual Ice Sculpting Competition at Discovery Green

Who would have thought that Houston, with its tropical climate, would be able to host such a competition? Well, it has, and has done so successfully for a few years now. It's thrilling to watch ice artists break out chain saws, chisels, hammers, blow driers, torches, razors and picks to craft larger than life realistic depictions of animals, real and fictional characters, even abstract works.

Better yet, this year the competition is going eco-conscious, using recycled rainwater to make the ice — and later using the ice art to water the ground's landscaping.

The wintry art fest begins at 10 a.m Saturday, judging at 3 p.m. and awards at 5:30 p.m. which will be presented by Aerosol Warfare's GONZO247.

 Screening of The Collaborators at Sundance Cinemas

Live art on screen is big business. Just ask the New York Metropolitan Opera, whose Live in HD series yields a wad of cash. I'll be first to admit that there's nothing like a live performance, but sometimes, it's nice to sit back with popcorn, a Diet Coke and a Michael's Cookie Jar treat and enjoy the sights and sounds in the comfort of a silver screen theater.

The National Theatre of London jumps on that bandwagon and Sundance Cinemas brings it to Houston audiences at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

A series of four limited screenings begins with The Collaborators, a new work by John Hodge, who was the screenwriter for the drug-filled film, Trainspotting. The Collaborators takes place in 1938 Moscow where a playwright is challenged to write a play observing Stalin's 60th birthday.

 Art Opening at Russian Cultural Center: Our Colorful World by Victoria Kovalenchikova

Keeping with the Russian theme I plan on hitting the opening reception of Victoria Kovalenchikova's Our Colorful World set for 7:30 p.m. Friday. Her work is rooted in the environmental reality that we, yes you and me, are screwing up our green surroundings by taking our natural resources for granted, adding to the stress caused by recent weather phenomena, like Houston's drought that killed an unimaginable number of trees.

We all can do and should do better. Perhaps if we are inspired by art?

 Houston explorer and CultureMap's newest staff writer Whitney Radley's pick: Screening of Bill Cunningham New York at 14 Pews

Whitney says: "I'm curious to know more about Bill Cunningham, New York city fashion documentarian and the original street style photographer. Though he has been snapping celebrities for nearly 40 years, Cunningham is extremely private about his own life.

This documentary by Richard Press looks behind the scenes. Screenings at 14 Pews, Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 6 p.m."

 Arts smarty pants and beer loving lovable dance maven Nancy Wozny's pick: "Free of the Ground" presented by Musiqa at Hobby Center for the Performing Arts

Nancy says: "I look forward to the Musiqa Houston Ballet II collaboration every year. This year, 'Free of the Ground' on Saturday at Hobby includes a new work by ballet master Claudio Muñoz set to a live performance of Astor Piazzolla's Tango Suite for Two Guitars imaginatively arranged for piano by Kyoko Yamamoto.

"Muñoz is known as a teachers' teacher and has a tremendous influence on many Houston Ballet dancers who traveled through HB II. Plus, the so called B team gets better every year. The program also includes Karim Al-Zand's Tagore Love Songs, Anthony Brandt's Creeley Songs and Philippe Hurel's Tombeau In Memoriam Gérard Grisey."

 Managing editor Chris Baldwin's picks: An NFL Playoff Game in Houston & Kevin Durant's MVP tour

Chris says: "It's been 18 years since an NFL playoff game's taken place in the city of Houston — and the crowd at Reliant Stadium will do its best to make up for that this weekend for Texans-Bengals. Even the Houston players are wondering just how loud and crazy it's going to get." 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

"If you cannot get into Reliant — and you'll have to turn to the secondary ticket market if you want a ducat — there is another sports option. Watch Texans-Bengals on TV and head to the Toyota Center to see Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma Thunder take on the Houston Rockets after the main event is over.

"The Rockets' lockout-shortened home schedule is light on superstars (no Miami, no Lakers) — but you can watch the future MVP with University of Texas ties." 7 p.m. Saturday.