Journey
Fill your calendar with enjoyable occasions throughout the month of December.
December brings many enjoyable occasions throughout Massachusetts.
From Christmas tree lightings to pop-up bars to winter hikes, replenish your calendar utilizing our record of 31 issues to do — one occasion for daily in December.
Dec. 1: Attend Gentle Up Seaport
Collect across the 50-foot Christmas tree for the seventh annual tree lighting within the Seaport, full with stay music. Company can even get pleasure from a vacation stroll via the neighborhood whereas trying out promotions by varied retailers. (100 Seaport Blvd., Boston)
Dec. 2: Step right into a Norman Rockwell portray
Stockbridge re-creates the 1967 Rockwell portray “Stockbridge Major Road at Christmas (House for Christmas)” throughout this annual competition filled with vacation markets, stay performances, historic property excursions, and old school automobiles. The occasion takes place Dec. 1-3. (Major Road, Stockbridge)
Dec. 3: Tour the Cushing Home
Guests can tour the 1808 Cushing Home on the Museum of Previous Newbury, adorned for the season by native backyard golf equipment and volunteers. The 2 days of walk-through excursions going down Dec. 2-3 additionally contains festive music. (98 Excessive St., Newburyport)
Dec. 4: Get festive at Snowport
Head to the Seaport for this annual vacation market, which options greater than 120 companies and 17 meals and beverage choices. There’s lots happening, together with holiday-themed bars, an après ski lodge, crafting for youths, iceless curling, a 10-foot mistletoe archway, and extra. (100 Seaport Blvd., Boston)
Dec. 5: Cruise via Shiny Nights at Forest Park
Billed because the Northeast’s premier vacation lighting expertise, the show options themes comparable to a winter backyard, Jurassic World, Kwanzaa, iconic toys and video games, and extra. Tuesday guests get pleasure from a reduction on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. The show opened Nov. 22 and can stay lit via Jan. 1. (300 Sumner Ave., Springfield)
Dec. 6: Seize a espresso at Central Perk Coffeehouse
Calling all followers of the TV present “Mates”: Central Perk Coffeehouse opened on Boston’s Newbury Road final month and serves signature drinks comparable to a “How You Doin’?” espresso mix and “Gunther” espresso. (205 Newbury St., Boston)
Dec. 7: Go on an Ice Sculpture Stroll
Use a vacation map at Meeting Row in Somerville to search out the ice sculptures whereas accumulating holiday-themed giveaways and freebies throughout this annual occasion. When company flip of their map on the finish, they get a free Christmas decoration. (355 Artisan Method, Somerville)
Dec. 8: Trip the Polar Specific
Take the household on a 90-minute journey to “The North Pole” with the Cape Cod Central Railroad, going down on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays via Christmas. Get pleasure from scorching chocolate, a studying of the guide, and a go to from Santa and his elves. (70 Major St., Buzzards Bay)
Dec. 9: Watch a stay efficiency from The Met
The Metropolitan Opera is on the large display due to Showcase Cinema’s “The Met: Dwell in HD.” On today at theaters throughout Massachusetts, watch “Florencia en el Amazonas.” An encore efficiency takes place on Dec. 13. (Numerous places)
Dec. 10: Attend a menorah lighting
Get pleasure from stay leisure, Hanukkah treats, and different out of doors actions throughout the lighting of a 9-foot-tall menorah within the out of doors area outdoors One Seaport, hosted by Chabad of Downtown Boston. (60 Seaport Blvd., Boston)
Dec. 11: Construct and play at Lego Discovery Heart Boston
Lego Discovery Heart Boston, which reopened in April after a $12 million renovation, presents 12 zones of play that embrace a Duplo Park, 4D theater, Kingdom Quest trip, and extra. Don’t miss Mini World, filled with native landmarks made out of Legos. (598 Meeting Row, Somerville)
Dec. 12: Eat at probably the greatest eating places in America
Get pleasure from bragging rights after consuming at one of many 100 finest eating places in America in 2023, in line with OpenTable. There are 5 of them in Massachusetts: Bar Vlaha, Krasi, Mooncusser, Pammy’s, and The Ocean Home Restaurant. (Numerous places)
Dec. 13: Discover Eataly
Fulfill your starvation at Eataly, a forty five,000-square-foot Italian market contained in the Prudential Heart that gives meals counters, plus a market, bakery, butcher, wine store, cheese store, and extra. Eataly additionally has a number of eating places. (800 Boylston St., Boston)
Dec. 14: Peruse artwork at no cost on the ICA
It doesn’t price a factor to take a look at The Institute of Up to date Artwork on Thursday nights when admission is free from 5-9 p.m. A brand new exhibit by Barbara Kruger, which opened in November, “makes use of textual statements and pictures taken from mass media to create memorable artworks that examine concepts of energy, identification, consumerism, and gender,” in line with the ICA. (25 Harbor Shore Drive, Boston)
Dec. 15: Store the Harvard Sq. Vacation Truthful
Peruse a juried market filled with artisans from New England and past promoting specialty meals gadgets, art work, meals, clothes, and extra. The market is open for 2 weekends: Dec. 15-17 and Dec. 21-23. (1 Brattle Sq., Cambridge)
Dec. 16: Go to with Santa and study sharks
The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy is celebrating the vacation season with a number of occasions on the festively adorned Shark Heart Chatham. Santa will hearken to want lists and share shark information. There’s additionally a vacation story time. Pre-registration is required. (235 Orleans Street, Chatham)
Dec. 17: Store the SoWa Winter Competition
It’s the remaining day of the SoWa Winter Competition, the place company can store greater than 100 native distributors on the historic Energy Station. Hungry customers can cease at a meals stand earlier than having fun with drinks and stay leisure on the second ground. (530 Harrison Ave., Boston)
Dec 18: Take a swing at TopGolf
The Dallas-based golf leisure venue TopGolf opened its first Massachusetts location final month in Canton. The three-story facility has 90 hitting bays outfitted with heaters and the corporate’s Toptracer expertise, in addition to high-top tables and lounge furnishings nice for having fun with meals and drinks. (777 Dedham St., Canton)
Dec. 19: Expertise Blue Man Group
Since 1995, Blue Man Group has introduced artwork, music, expertise, and, in fact, bald males in blue paint to the Charles Playhouse in Boston’s Theatre District. Afterward, company can pose for footage with a Blue Man within the foyer. (74 Warrenton St., Boston)
Dec. 20: Immerse your self in Winterlights
This annual vacation mild show at three Trustees properties started Dec. 7 and runs via Jan. 6. The occasion brings 1000’s of twinkling lights to the grounds of Naumkeag in Stockbridge, the Stevens-Coolidge Home & Gardens in North Andover, and the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Property in Canton. (Numerous places)
Dec. 21: Go curler skating by the ocean
Take a spin round The Rink, a brand new pop-up roller-skating enviornment contained in the Pelham Home Resort in Dennis Port, an oceanfront property on the Cape. The Rink is open for locals and resort company Thursday via Sunday via March 30. (14 Sea St., Dennis)
Dec. 22: Go to an Enchanted Village
Glide on an indoor skating rink and expertise a 4D Polar Specific trip, laser present, tubing, reindeer video games, photographs with Santa, and extra on the Enchanted Village at Jordan’s Furnishings. Don’t neglect to attempt their well-known blueberry muffins. (100 Stockwell Dr., Avon)
Dec. 23: Stroll via 1000’s of twinkling lights at Stone Zoo
ZooLights is again at Stone Zoo in Stoneham, with 1000’s of shining lights throughout the 26-acre zoo nightly via Jan. 7. Plus, company can hop on a carousel and Jungle Enjoyable trip nightly from 4 to eight p.m. (149 Pond St., Stoneham)
Dec. 24: Get pleasure from a Christmas Eve feast
Reserve your desk on the Nantucket Lodge + Resort for a three-course Christmas Eve dinner, which incorporates an appetizer, entrée and dessert. A 3-course Christmas dinner is obtainable as nicely. Afterward get pleasure from drinks by the hearth pits on the entrance porch. (77 Easton St., Nantucket)
Dec. 25: Go for a winter hike
Get the household outdoors at one in every of six spots beneficial by the Division of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) for winter hikes: Mohawk Path State Forest in Charlemont, Borderland State Park in North Easton, Myles Standish State Forest in Carver, Middlesex Fells Reservation in Stoneham, Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, and Quabbin Reservoir in Belchertown. (Numerous places)
Dec. 26: Go post-holiday procuring on the Burlington Mall
Spend time within the mall the place the 2009 film “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” was filmed. The mall options greater than 185 retailers together with Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Primark, in addition to eating places comparable to The Cheesecake Manufacturing unit, Shake Shack, Authorized Sea Meals, and extra. Or in the event you’d wish to attempt a unique mall, try the Boston.com information to 43 malls in Massachusetts. (75 Middlesex Turnpike, Burlington)
Dec. 27: Toast your pals at one in every of Boston’s latest cocktail bars
Equal Measure, which formally opened at The Bower within the Fenway in late October, presents each traditional cocktails and unique drinks comparable to The Creamsicle Dream. The cocktail bar is adjoining to Japanese Customary, which returned within the fall. (775 Beacon St., Boston)
Dec. 28: Attend First Gentle Provincetown
This four-day competition options vacation events, occasions, performances, and extra. Highlights embrace a Lite Brite Bike Trip, fireworks from MacMillan Pier, and a Polar Bear Plunge. The competition takes place Dec. 28-Jan.1. (Numerous places)
Dec. 29: Increase your glass at a vacation pop-up bar
Maintain the vacation spirit going within the festive foyer of Mandarin Oriental, Boston by listening to stay jazz and having fun with craft tasting flights, single pours, and light-weight bites whereas tasting The Notch whiskey, wines from Nantucket Winery, and vacation cocktails via Dec. 30 on the pop-up Vacation Cocktail and Whisky Bar from Nantucket’s Triple Eight Distillery. (776 Boylston St., Boston)
Dec. 30: Go ice skating in America’s oldest public park
Glide previous twinkling timber on the Boston Widespread Frog Pond, open every day for ice skating via March. No skates? No drawback. Leases can be found, in addition to skating aids for youngsters. (38 Beacon St., Boston)
Dec. 31: Kick off 2024 at First Night time Boston
Ring within the new 12 months with stay music, a parade, ice sculptures, fireworks, and extra. Town’s annual free New Yr’s Eve celebration moved to Metropolis Corridor Plaza this 12 months. (1 Metropolis Corridor Sq., Boston)
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