The December plan: 28 holiday events around Boston
Each event here has dates confirmed on the organizer's own page. Long runs are for any night you pick; the rest are listed by day, December 1 through 31. Tick the boxes as you go.
December at a glance
The number is how many of the dated events below fall on that day. Free picks: 6 of 28.
Pick any night: the long runs
These run for weeks. Choose a date, check the box, buy tickets early where it says so.
Boston Ballet: Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker
Show · Citizens Opera House, Boston · Varies by performance · Check price
Boston Ballet's full-length holiday production, about two hours with one intermission. Includes a sensory-friendly show and a premium add-on experience.
Tip: Groups of 10 or more get up to 35% off; check the Boston Ballet page for the performance times.
Christmas Festival of Lights Free
Lights · National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Attleboro · Lights 5-9 pm nightly · Free
Large free walk-through light display across the shrine grounds, with the International Creche Museum, carousel, hayride, Santa photos and food.
Tip: Carousel, hayride and Santa photos run Fri-Sun only, 5-9 pm. Call 508-222-5410 to confirm before you drive.
Deck the Halls at Hammond Castle Museum
Day trip · Hammond Castle Museum, Gloucester · Daily 9 am-3:30 pm (last entry 2:45 pm) · Check price
Castle decked out with candlelit greenery, fairy lights, a gingerbread castle replica and two menorahs; about 60 minutes.
Tip: Tuesdays and Thursdays have later tour hours if you want an evening visit.
It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Show · Greater Boston Stage Company, 395 Main St, Stoneham · Showtimes on the theater's page · Check price
Greater Boston Stage Company's holiday show, staged as a vintage radio play.
Tip: Box office 781-279-2200 (Tue-Fri noon-4pm); $6 tickets for EBT holders.
Merrimack Valley Celebration of Lights
Lights · Mann Orchards Riverside Farm, Methuen · Opens 5 pm · Online per car: weekday $22.99, weekend/holiday $26.99, Flex
Drive-through light show, priced per vehicle, with one-hour time slots.
Tip: Tickets sold out online are not available at the gate; hotline (978) 219‑4232.
Salem Holiday Happenings Free
Walk & stroll · Downtown Salem, Salem · Varies · Free
Downtown holiday season with a window contest across 30+ businesses, Small Business Saturday and Wassail Weekend.
Tip: Salem Main Streets: 978‑224-5551.
Snowport Free
Market · Seaport Common / 100 Seaport Blvd, Seaport, Boston · Free
Outdoor winter village with a 130+ vendor holiday market, food and drink, iceless curling, a Christmas tree market and photo spots.
Tip: Saturday and Sunday need timed-entry tickets via the Seaport Insider app; weekdays are easier. Iceless curling lanes are reservable for groups of up to 8.
The Port of Wonder Free
Walk & stroll · Downtown Newburyport (Market Square, State St, Inn St, Pleasant St, Water St), Newburyport · Free
Month-long downtown holiday celebration from the Greater Newburyport Chamber, opening with the Market Square Christmas tree lighting, with weekend programming along State, Inn and Pleasant Streets.
Tip: The chamber posts the schedule of events (tree lighting, Santa parade, Friday Holiday Nights) on its page.
ZooLights
Lights · Stone Zoo, Stoneham · 4:00-9:30 pm nightly · Plan-ahead pricing changes daily
Nightly walk-through light displays across the zoo grounds, with a carousel, jungle fun and Santa visits on select dates.
Tip: Buy online ahead; gate tickets cost more and evenings can sell out. Parking is free and the walk takes about 1-1.5 hours.
Edaville Winter Wonderland
Train ride · Edaville Family Theme Park, Carver · Fri 4-9 pm, Sat 2-9 pm, Sun 3-7:30 pm · General admission $38
Weekend evenings of light displays, unlimited Holiday Express train rides, skating, carriage and pony rides and Santa photos; a pricier First-Class Pajama Express adds a reserved seat and cocoa.
December 1 to 6
Winter Extravaganza
Walk & stroll · Venue not stated (listed on the City of Medford calendar), Medford · 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm · Check price
A city-listed winter event on the city calendar; details to come.
Tip: Check the city calendar again in late November for the location and program.
Boston Common Tree Lighting Free
Tree lighting · Boston Common (near Visitor Information Center), Boston · 6-8 pm · Free
City's signature tree lighting with the Nova Scotia tree, hosted by Mayor Wu and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston; the Commonwealth Ave Mall lights follow.
Commonwealth Avenue Mall Lighting Free
Lights · Commonwealth Avenue Mall (Arlington St to Charlesgate), Back Bay, Boston · About 8 pm · Free
The Back Bay mall trees are lit right after the Common ceremony, with a long strip of lights along Comm Ave.
Tip: Walk over from Boston Common through the Public Garden.
A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live on Stage
Show · Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell · 7 pm · Tickets start at $35
Stage version of the Peanuts special with a sing-along of carols at the end.
Christmas at The Gables
Day trip · The House of the Seven Gables, Salem · Tours at 2:30-3:30 pm and 3:30-4:30 pm (Dec 6: 2:30 pm only) · Holiday price not listed
Special holiday tours of the historic House of the Seven Gables waterfront site.
2 dates in December, Dec 5 to Dec 6
Tip: Specialty tickets are released on a schedule; check the tickets page before you go.
Santa in the City
Santa · Prudential Center, Santa's Pru brownstone across from sweetgreen, Back Bay, Boston · 12:00-6:00 PM · Price not stated on Pru page
Visit Santa in a Back Bay 'living room' set and leave with a souvenir photo. Four Saturdays only.
3 dates in December, Dec 5 to Dec 19
Engelbert Humperdinck
Music · Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St, Medford · 7 pm · $39 to $109
The pop crooner in concert at the Chevalier.
December 7 to 13
Holiday Pops Company Celebration with Sutton Foster
Show · Symphony Hall, Boston · 7:30pm · Check price
Special Holiday Pops fundraising concert headlined by Sutton Foster.
Tip: Benefit concert; call 617-266-1200 for pricing.
Blood, Sweat & Tears
Music · The Cabot, 286 Cabot St, Beverly · Doors 7 pm, show 8 pm · $49.50 to $89.50
The jazz-rock band performs at The Cabot.
35th Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony
Tree lighting · Framingham Memorial Building / downtown Framingham (venue not stated for 2026), Framingham · Time to be announced · Check price
The city's annual downtown tree lighting, listed by the city as a save‑the-date.
Tip: Call the Mayor's Office at (508) 532-5401 or check the city page for the time and location.
Smokey Robinson: Legacy of Love Tour
Music · Chevalier Theatre, 30 Forest St, Medford · 7 pm · Tickets via Ticketmaster
Motown legend Smokey Robinson on tour.
Anthony Williams' Urban Nutcracker
Show · Boch Center Shubert Theatre, 265 Tremont St, Boston · Sat Dec 12 & 19: 2pm, 7pm · Check price
Boston's jazz-and-hip-hop-flavored retelling of the Nutcracker, about two hours with a 20-minute intermission.
6 dates in December, Dec 12 to Dec 20
Tip: The producer says most shows sell out; Boch Center box office 866‑348-9738.
Cohasset Holiday Market
Market · Deer Hill Elementary School, Cohasset · 10am-4pm · Check price
One-day South Shore holiday vendor market.
World Wise and Big 'Ol Dirty Bucket
Music · Off Cabot, 9 Wallis St, Beverly · Doors 6 pm, show 7 pm · $24
World Wise and Big 'Ol Dirty Bucket at Off Cabot.
December 14 to 20
A Christmas Carol
Show · The Hanover Theatre & Conservatory, 2 Southbridge St, Worcester · Thu-Fri 7pm · $56-$86 including fees
Hanover Theatre's annual Christmas Carol production (19th year).
6 dates in December, Dec 17 to Dec 23
Tip: Box office 877-571-7469; buying in person avoids handling fees.
Celtic Christmas by Candlelight
Show · Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell · 2 pm · Tickets start at $49
Nine Irish traditional musicians led by Keith Murphy play carols, dance tunes and slow airs by candlelight.
Rockport Christmas Pageant: A Nativity Re‑enactment
Parade · Dock Square to Congregational Church, Rockport · 5 pm · Price not listed
Torch-lit procession from Dock Square up Main Street to the Congregational Church for a nativity re‑enactment.
Salem Holiday Market
Market · Old Town Hall, 32 Derby Square, Salem · 11am-4pm · $5 at the door
One-day indoor holiday craft and gift market in historic Old Town Hall.
Christmas week and New Year's: still on
Nearby events that run past December 26.
Edaville Winter Wonderland
Train ride · Carver
Snowport
Market · Seaport, Boston
SoWa Christmas Market (11th annual)
Market · South End, Boston
Boston Pops Holiday Pops
Show · Boston
Festival of Trees (18th annual)
Lights · Wellesley / Dover
Midwinter Revels 2026: An American Celebration of the Solstice
Show · Cambridge
Merrimack Valley Celebration of Lights
Lights · Methuen
South Shore Celebration of Lights
Lights · Marshfield
Boston Ballet: Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker
Show · Boston
Christmas Festival of Lights
Lights · Attleboro
Deck the Halls at Hammond Castle Museum
Day trip · Gloucester
Night Lights: Fantastical Forest
Lights · Boylston
Peter Pan Goes Wrong
Show · Back Bay, Boston
Salem Holiday Happenings
Walk & stroll · Salem
Winterlights at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate
Lights · Canton
ZooLights
Lights · Stoneham
Worth the drive
Out of state or 40 or more miles from Boston.
Bright Nights at Forest Park
Lights · Springfield, MA
Christmas in Newport
Walk & stroll · Newport, RI
Gift of Lights
Lights · Loudon, NH
Holiday Lights Spectacular
Lights · Providence, RI
Holidays at the Newport Mansions
Day trip · Newport, RI
Santa Express Trains
Train ride · Lincoln, NH
Sparkling Lights at The Breakers
Lights · Newport, RI
Gardens Aglow
Lights · Sandwich, MA
Boston Neighbor, bostonneighbor.com. Dates, hours and prices come from each organizer's own page (last checked November 9, 2026). Confirm before you go; the live list is at bostonneighbor.com/this-weekend/.
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