It’s go time for the holiday season. While that’s pretty much top-notch delightful most of the time, it can also be — to be frank — really redundant to look at all those beautifully decorated trees, bright lights, Christmas-oriented sale advertisements and mulled-wine recipes all the time.

So do yourself a favor and take an art break. Sneak out during lunch, grab yourself an hour this weekend or attend the many first, second or third Friday art events that the city has to offer and experience the relief and joy that comes from checking out something beautiful, thought provoking or just different. Plus the following exhibits can be taken in during a short break or carefully perused if you need a whole afternoon to soak up some happiness.

1. See some beautiful fabrics at the Saint Louis Art Museum’s Global Threads: The Art and Fashion of Indian Chintz

click to enlarge

Courtesy Royal Ontario Museum / Brian Boyle

Woman’s Jacket (Wentke) with Flowers and Phoenixes c.1700s; textile: Indian for European market; construction and trim: Dutch; cotton, painted mordants and resist.

The exhibition tells the story of Indian chintz, a fabric as revolutionary as it is beautiful. From the 17th century onward, this cotton textile, which Indian artisans spent centuries perfecting, dominated the global textile scene. Coveted for its brilliant colors…