This year's pandemic Christmas will be unlike any other in history.

But one thing you can count on to be the same?

Traditions like Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker (plus their new take, called The Gift), Handel and Haydn's Messiah and the Boston Pops Holiday Special are still on this year — and you can catch them all from your home as virtual and streaming presentations.

For David Snead, president and CEO of the Handel and Hayden Society, it was a priority to ensure that the organization's 167-year-old tradition of performing the Messiah went on this year, despite the coronavirus.

"We're out here to bring something to Boston in this most unusual, and in many ways dark, holiday season that will shine a light and hopefully bring people up," Snead said.

We also heard from Meredith Hodges, executive director of the Boston Ballet Company and Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops.

You can stream Messiah, The Gift and the Holiday Pops Spectacular online.

Click on the audio player above to listen to the full episode.

Segments:

Meredith Hodges - 1:47
Keith Lockhart - 21:22
David Snead - 35:45