It's getting cold outside, and Boston and its surrounding areas are making sure there is no shortage of ways to warm up with the holiday spirit. From Santa visits for the kids to spectacular performances and family-friendly tree lightings (yes, more than one), here are 20 festive events to look forward to this winter.
A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O’Donovan
This live holiday version of Brian O’Donovan’s radio show, A Celtic Sojourn, attracts some of the best talents from around the world. The show this year will feature musicians Chico Huff, Owen Marshall, Natalie Haas, and more.
Wednesday, December 11 through Sunday, December 22
Various locations. wgbh.org/events
Black Nativity
Produced by the National Center of Afro-American Artists, Black Nativity retells the story of the nativity with the help of a talented group of singers, dancers, musicians, and the poetry of Langston Hughes.
Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 22
559 Washington St., Boston, blacknativity.org
Boston Common Tree Lighting with Mayor Marty Walsh
Since 1941, the city of Boston has lit a tree for the holiday season. This year the ceremony will include a free figure skating show and fireworks following the tree lighting at 8pm.
Thursday, December 5; 7-9:30pm
Boston Common, bostonfrogpond.com
Breakfast with Santa
Breakfast with Santa is perfect for all ages. Kids will get to make seasonal holiday crafts and enjoy an incredible buffet breakfast. The event will also include a reading of “The Night Before Christmas," and of course, an appearance by Santa.
Saturday, December 7 & 14, and Sunday, December 8 & 15
40 Edwin H Land Blvd., Cambridge, eventbrite.com
Christmas on Uranus
Christmas on Uranus is the latest project from the award-winning theater troupe Gold Dust Orphans. We know little about this Christmas-themed musical comedy right now except that it is set in space and written by Ryan Landry.
Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 22
368 W Broadway, South Boston, brownpapertickets.com
Christmas Stroll on Nantucket
Originally conceived to encourage locals to do their holiday shopping in town, Christmas Stroll on Nantucket is now a four-decade-long tradition that has carolers, exhibitions, and live entertainment all along streets lined with decorated trees.
Friday, December 6 through Sunday, December 8
Main St., Nantucket, christmasstroll.com
Dickens Holiday Festival
The Dickens Holiday Festival celebrates both Charles Dickens and the holiday spirit with live readings of “A Christmas Carol” by costumed performers. There will also be fiddlers and carolers performing and vendors selling various holiday goods.
Sunday, December 15; 10am-4pm
154 Moody St., Waltham, charlesrivermuseum.org
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas is a reimagining of the classic Holiday story of Ebenezer Scrooge. In this version, set in the 1930s, Scrooge is the owner of a mining company town in the Smoky Mountains.
Tuesday, December 3 through Sunday, December 29
106 Boylston St., Boston, emersoncolonialtheatre.com
Faneuil Hall Holiday Tree Lighting Spectacular
This tree lighting on December 3 commences the beginning of Blink!, a six week light and sound experience that features more than 350,000 LED lights and daily performances. The event also kicks off the New England Patriots Annual Holiday Toy Drive, and Faneuil Hall will be a drop-off location for toy donations.
Tuesday, December 3 through Wednesday, January 1
Quincy Market Colonnade, faneuilhallmarketplace.com
First Night Boston
Boston will celebrate the arrival of 2020 with an all-day celebration across the city, with music acts, ice sculptures, light displays, and more. All of this will lead up to a midnight pyrotechnics and light show to bring in the new year.
Tuesday, December 31
Copley Square, Boston, firstnightboston.org
Gingerbread Workshop
Boston Harbor Hotel’s Gingerbread Workshop is back for its second year of fun family gingerbread house building. From sipping hot cocoa to writing letters to Santa, the event has everything you need to get in the holiday spirit.
Sunday, December 1, 8, and 22; 1-4pm
70 Rowes Wharf, Boston, bhh.com
Hanukkah
The Museum of Fine Arts is celebrating Hanukkah this year with a free event that will have music, art, and other activities to celebrate the holiday. The event will also include the lighting of a menorah created by local artists.
Wednesday, December 18; 4:30-10pm
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, mfa.org
Holiday Bricktacular
Legoland is celebrating the holidays this year with its annual Holiday Bricktacular. There will be scavenger hunts, appearances from some of your favorite Lego characters, building workshops, and more!
Every weekend in December
598 Assembly Row, Somerville, legolanddiscoverycenter.com
Holiday Pops
The Holiday Pops concert series will feature all of your favorite holiday classics and have several special events including, kid's matinee performances, Bugs Bunny at the Symphony, sensory-friendly concerts, and the New Year's Eve concert.
Wednesday, December 4 through Tuesday, December 31
301 Mass Ave., Boston, bso.org
Irving Berlin’s White Christmas
This stage adaptation of the holiday classic, White Christmas, is filled with music and dancing and is fun for the whole family. There will also be an ASL/open-captioned performance on December 23.
Tuesday, December 17 through Sunday, December 29
270 Tremont St., Boston, bochcenter.org
Jingle Bell Run
Jingle Bell Run is an annual 5k held around the country in the winter to raise money for arthritis research. People come out from all around Boston—dressed in holiday costumes—to help support this cause.
Sunday, December 8
The Boston Commons, arthritis.org
Oliver!
The musical, based on the famous Charles Dickens novel Oliver!, follows a young orphan boy in the 19th-century. This will be the first time that American playwright Michael J. Bobbitt is directing for the New Repertory Theatre.
Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 29
321 Arsenal St., Watertown, newrep.org
The Christmas Revels: An American Celebration of the Winter Solstice
The Christmas Revels is a theatrical experience that explores how the winter solstice is celebrated all over the world. Each year it focuses on one region, and this year they will be exploring the celebration of the winter solstice here in America.
Friday, December 13 through Sunday, December 29
45 Quincy St., Cambridge, revels.org
Urban Nutcracker
Urban Nutcracker puts a unique twist on an old winter classic. This rendition takes place in Boston and incorporates a variety of music, including hip hop, flamenco, and jazz.
Thursday, December 19 through Saturday, December 28
265 Tremont St., Boston, bochcenter.org
Zoolights
Every year, Stone Zoo gets into the holiday spirit with trees decorated in lights and fire pits for roasting smores. This year they added a new exhibit called Brick Safari, where you can see life-size Lego sculptures of animals.
Friday, November 22 through Saturday, January 4
149 Pond St., Stoneham, zoonewengland.org
