Holidays - 2008

A guide to holiday celebrations in Massachusetts - from Boston Common to Main Street in Stockbridge. Included are Christmas-tree lightings, Thanksgiving Day gatherings, fairs, and musical productions. Check back for updates.

Tree Lightings | Concerts and Shows | Holiday Fairs
Other Holiday Events | New Year's Eve

Tree Lightings and Santa Appearances

Faneuil Hall Tree Lighting
Nov. 22, 5:30 p.m.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Boston
The switch will be pulled by Boston Mayor Tom Menino.

Copley Square Tree Lighting
Dec. 3; 5-6 p.m.
Copley Square, Boston
Mayor Menino will be present, and there will be hot chocolate and cookies for everyone.

Boston Common Tree Lighting
Dec. 4; 6-8 p.m.
Boston Common, Boston
Boston's Mayor Menino throws the switch for the event, which includes festivities and family fun. The tree is given to Boston from Nova Scotia in thanks for the assistance Boston provided after a December 6, 1917, explosion of a munitions ship in Halifax Harbor.

Essex Holiday Festival
Dec. 4-6
Downtown Essex
The Memory Tree lighting is held Dec. 4 at 6:30 p.m.; Santa and the Toy Land Parade is the following afternoon.

Christmas in Rockport
Dec. 6
Downtown Rockport
Santa's arrival by boat is followed by the annual tree lighting.

Concerts and Shows

The Nutcracker
Nov. 28-Dec. 28
Boston Opera House, Boston
The Boston Ballet acts out the story of a magical Christmas Eve for a young German girl who battles against the Mouse King.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical
Nov. 26-Dec. 28
Wang Theatre, Boston
The holiday classic is brought to live on stage, as Max the Dog narrates.

Holiday Fairs

Harvard Square Holiday Crafts Fair
Nov. 29-Dec. 23, various days
First Parish Unitarian Church, Cambridge
You'll find a mix of goods from local craftspeople and items imported from other countries.

Other Holiday Events

Christmas Stroll Weekend
Dec. 5-7
Nantucket
Santa and Mrs. Clause arrive on a Coast Guard vessel and are transported by a horse-drawn carriage down Main Street. There are also craft shows, holiday house tours, and carolers dressed in period costumes.

Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas
Dec. 6-7
Stockbridge downtown
The Western Massachusetts town that was featured in the Norman Rockwell painting "Main Street at Christmas" re-enacts the scene every year. Weekend activities include concerts, fairs and holiday house tours. The re-enactment is scheduled for Sunday, noon to 2 p.m.

Downtown Crossing's Home Sweet Home for the Holidays
Dec. 13; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
You have a chance to see some Downtown Crossing homes in this self-guided tour.

Berkshire Museum's Festival of Trees
Nov. 15-Jan. 4
The Berkshire Museum, Pittsfield
Trees are decorated by local community groups according to the show's theme.

Christmas in Salem
Dec. 5-7
Salem
See Salem's opulent mansions festively decorated for the holiday season.

New Year's Eve

First Night
Dec. 31
Boston
First Night includes ice sculptures, fireworks, and a Mardi Gras-style procession.

Last update: