Boston Event Calendar

December 2009

Days grow short but once darkness falls, Boston blazes with light as trees are lit up all over the city.  Snow may cover the ground, adding to the festive sparkle.

Although winter holiday and winter solstice events dominate the scene in December, you'll also find plenty of other things to do in Boston. 

Go ice skating on Frog Pond, take a walk in the crisp air, do a little holiday shopping, and enjoy the city's many wonderful restaurants.  As the city moves indoors to stay warm, December is a wonderful month to catch a show in the Theatre District, or a game or concert at the Garden.

Or stay at home with a cookbook by your favorite Boston chef, and cook up your own tastes of Boston.

For more ideas, check out my recommendations for best things to do in Boston in December.

Quick Links:  Boston events calendars:  November   l   January

Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony on Boston Common

When:  December 1, 6pm - 8pm
Where: Boston Common
Closest T station: Red and Green Line/Park
Cost:  Free

December in Boston gets off to a spectacular start with the city's annual holiday tree lighting ceremony on Boston Common.  Mayor Menino hosts the event, which features a display of 80+ lighted trees throughout the Common and Boston Garden.

The most special tree of all is a Christmas tree given to the people of Boston by the citizens of Nova Scotia as thanks for Boston's help after a horrific explosion of a munitions ship in Halifax Harbor on December 6, 1917 .  Within 24 hours of the disaster, Boston sent a train loaded with supplies and emergency personnel from Boston to Nova Scotia. 

The tree-lighting event includes entertainment and refreshments.  Immediately after the lighting ceremony on the Common, Mayor Menino will join Back Bay residents at Arlington Street for the holiday lighting of Commonwealth Avenue Mall.

The Nutcracker Ballet at the Opera House

When:  December 1 - December 27, matinees and evening performances almost daily (except for Sundays)
Where: Opera House, 539 Washington Street, Boston Theatre District
Closest T station: Green Line/Boylston
Tickets:  Boston Ballet website

Boston Ballet's beloved production of The Nutcracker continues throughout most of December.  See Boston Event Calendar - November for full details.  Check Goldstar for half-price tickets to some performances (sign-up is free).

Tickets for this popular event get booked very fast - so if you're reading this in December and you're interesting in going, you should reserve tickets immediately.

Shop, Dine, Network, Help

What:  Boston Women's Network Holiday Fundraiser and Silent Auction
When:  Thursday, December 3, 6pm - 9pm
Where: Hilton Back Bay Boston, 40 Dalton Street
Closest T station: Green Line/Hynes
Cost:  $35 members, $45 non-members - includes appetizers and dinner buffet, plus cash bar
More information:   website

Jump-start your holiday shopping by joining the Boston Women's Network for its holiday extravaganza!  Talented artisans and entrepreneurs will display their products for you to buy for those on your shopping list.  Plus, you can help others by bringing items for a clothing drive and bidding in a silent auction to benefit the non-profit organization, Dress for Success.   Last but not least, you'll enjoy a nice buffet dinner and an evening of networking while you shop.

Check the website to register - and to find out what to bring for the clothing drive.

Holiday Pops from the Waltham Symphony Orchestra

When:  December 6, 3pm
Where:   Kennedy Middle School Auditorium, 655 Lexington Street, Waltham
Parking:   Free, on-site
Tickets:  $25 adults, $20 seniors/students
More information:  781-642-1050; Waltham Symphony Orchestra website

Hear holiday favorites by Tchaikovsky, Leroy Anderson, Oscar and Hammerstein, and more, with Patrick Botti conducting.  The program also includes the world premier of "Provençal" by composer Seth Hamlin, conducted by WSO Assistant Conductor Jing-Huey Wei.

2009 Holiday Pops from Boston Pops

When:  December 9 - 27; matinee and evening performances
Where: Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue (intersection of Mass Ave and Huntington Ave), Fenway, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Symphony
Cost:  $33 - $122, + $5.50 fee
Tickets and more information:  website

Conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops present with the beloved Holiday Pops, 35 performances before and after Christmas featuring traditional favorites. 

Six of these performances are especially for kids and their families, and feature sign-alongs and photo sessions with Santa after the concert. 

Attending one of these concerts, which have been staged annually for more than 30 years, is a magical holiday experience. 

As a special treat, concert goers seated at tables in the orchestra section have the option of ordering wine, beer, other beverages, appetizers, sandwiches, and desserts to enjoy during the performance.

Winterlights Festival at Prudential Center

When:  December 12 and 13, 12 noon - 6pm
Where: Prudential Center
Closest T station: Green Line/Copley or Hynes, or Orange Line/Back Bay
Cost:  Free
More information:  Pru Center website

Enjoy special holiday entertainment while you get your shopping done at Pru Center's annual Winterlights Festival.  The Nutcracker Players, local dance troupes, the Brackett String Orchestra and Treble Chorus, and more will perform while roving holiday carolers add to the festive air.  Even Santa will make a special appearance to greet children.

Boston Baroque performs Handel's Messiah

When:  December 11 and 12, 7:30
Where: Jordan Hall, 30 Gainsborough Street, New England Conservatory, Fenway, Boston, MA
Closest T station: Green Line E/Symphony
Tickets:  $25 - 69
More information and tickets:  Boston Baroque's website

With Musical Director Martin Pearlman at the helm and soprano Amanda Forsythe in the starring role, Boston Baroque performs this beloved favorite at Jordan Hall. 

Attending a performance of Handel's Messiah is a Boston Christmas tradition, and Martin Pearlman's Grammy-awarded production using period instruments is one of the area's best.

Christmas Revels at Sanders Theatre

When:  December 11, 12, 13, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 27; matinees and evening shows
Where: Sanders Theatre in Memorial Hall, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
Closest T station: Red Line/Harvard Square
Tickets:  Revels website  (includes link to on-line ticket sales, which are through the Harvard Box Office)

The Christmas Revels have been an annual holiday tradition in Boston since their creator, the late Jack Langstaff, put on the first performances in the Sanders Theatre in 1971.  

Each year, the performers combine music and dance to explore winter solstice traditions from a particular cultural perspective.  For 2009, the Christmas Revels will explore folk traditions of North America - Native American, Appalachia, the African American South, 19th century Shaker communities, and New England. 

Created for audiences of all ages, this amazing performance will have you singing, dancing, and celebrating the holiday season.

Recordings of some of the Revels' previous winter solstice celebrations are available.  Here is a link to The Christmas Revels: In Celebration of the Winter Solstice on Amazon, where where you can listen to samples of songs and find CDs and MP3s.

A Night in the Kitchen with Chef Charles Draghi of Erbaluce

When:  December 11, 6pm - 8pm
Where:  Boston Center for Adult Education (BCAE), 122 Arlington Street, Bay Village, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Arlington
Cost:  $70; $60 BCAE members
More information:  BCAE website

If you've enjoyed the fabulous cuisine at Erbuluce, right around the corner from BCAE in historic Bay Village, you'll know that this opportunity to spend the evening with Erbuluce's Chef/Owner Charles Draghi is not to be missed! 

Every month, BCAE welcomes a local Celebrity Chef to its kitchens to explore and demonstrate the best tastes in Boston.  See how Chef Draghi combines classical French culinary training with the flavors and fresh ingredients used in Piedmontese cooking to flavor dishes with fresh herbs, fruit and vegetable essences, and roasting juices. 

Relive the Boston Tea Party

When:  December 13, 5:30pm
Where: Old South Meeting House, 310 Washington Street, Downtown Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Government Center, Blue and Orange Lines/State, Red Line/Downtown Crossing
Cost:  $8; you should reserve tickets in advance
For more information and to reserve tickets: 617-482-6439; website

Celebrate the 236th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party by joining a reenactment of the meeting at the Old South Meeting House that protested a tax and started a revolution. Old South’s Tea Party Players will portray Patriots such as Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock as they recreate the events of Dec. 16, 1773, when more than 5,000 colonists gathered at here to protest on a moonlit night.

You'll be invited to choose sides – Patriot or Loyalist – and lend your support for or against the tax.  Witness how the fiery debate that evening in 1773 decided the fate of over 46 tons of tea and set into motion events leading to the Revolutionary War.

Mamma Mia!

When:  December 15-27
Where:   Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston Street, Theatre District, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Park
Buy tickets from:  Ticketmaster Mamma Mia! tickets

ABBA fans, rejoice!  Mamma Mia!, the ultimate feel-good show laced with Swedish 80s group ABBA's biggest hits is returning to Boston's Colonial Theatre as part of th Broadway Across America series.  

Mamma Mia's feel-good plot is simple.  On the eve of her wedding on a gorgeous Greek Island, a daughter's attempt to discover her dad's identity brings back 3 men from her mom's past - and that's when the fun begins!  You can start humming "Dancing Queen" and other ABBA favorites now! 

Can't squeeze a theater visit into your hectic December schedule?  Put the Mamma Mia! DVD on your Christmas gift list, and let Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, and the rest of the lively cast provide you with plenty of holiday entertainment and ABBA's irresistably upbeat music.

Belly Dance Workshop

When:  December 11, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where: Boston Center for Adult Education, 122 Arlington Street, Bay Village, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Arlington
Cost:  $30; $25 for BCAE members.  Enroll on the BCAE website 

Stressed out from too much holiday shopping?  Time for "Friday Night Fever" - a 1-night belly dance introduction where you'll learn the basic moves and meet others who are also interested in this spirited Middle Eastern dance dating from pre-Islamic times. 

The class is taught by Loni Butera, a local teacher/performer.  Wear a leotard and tights, or loose-fitting clothing of your choice to class.

Lauren Bateman at Club Café

When:  Sunday, December 13, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where:   Club Café, 209 Huntington Ave, South End, Boston
Closest T station:   Orange Line/Back Bay
Tickets/more information:  $20 online at Club Café; 617-536-0966

Treat yourself to at evening of music, refreshments, and conviviality at Club Cafe in the South End, where Boston singer/songwriter Lauren Bateman will be performing with Abe Dewwing on violin and singer Laura Vecchione. 

As an added bonus after the concert, use your ticket stub to get a 20% discount in the restaurant - try the pan-seared Alaskan halibut with creamy asparagus risotto . . . or maybe the grilled filet mignon au poivre with sautéed spinach and roasted potatoes.

Christmas Celtic Sojourn

When:  December 17 and 18 at 8pm, December 19 at 3pm and 8pm, and December 20 at 1pm and 5pm
Where: Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont Street, Theatre District, Downtown Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Boylston
More information:  Cutler Majestic website; (617) 824-8000

Brian O'Donovan, creator of the popular Celtic Sojourn program on classical music radio stion WGBH, hosts this popular annual fest of Celtic mustic and dance at Emerson College's Cutler Majestic Theatre.  Singers Karine Polwart and Christy O'Leary, fiddlers Liz Carroll and John Doyle, and Solas founding member Seamus Egan join dancer Kieran Jordan and the Harney Academy of Irish Dance in this spectacular Christmas / winter solstice spectacular.

Tickets usually sell out quickly, so don't wait to make reservations.

Tickets for Public Skating at Fenway Park

When:  December 19 - 9am - 11am in most locations
Where: Most Boston Community Centers
Cost:  Free!!!!!
More information:  Tickets for Public Skating at Fenway Park

This is the big event that avid Boston Bruins fans have been awaiting - distribution of free tickets for the public skating events on January 3 and 10 at Fenway Park as part of the 2010 NHL Winter Classic.  Tickets are for Boston residents only . . . so if you qualify, you can find a complete list of the Boston Community Centers where they'll be distributed at Tickets for Public Skating at Fenway Park.  More about the event itself is at Public Skating at Fenway Park during Winter Classic.

If you're looking for the other kind of tickets . . . tickets to the Winter Classic itself . . . well, they were all sold by lottery last fall. 

But you're not totally out of luck. 

Arrange to get your year-end bonus just a little bit early, go to ticket reseller StubHub, and treat you and your 3 closest BFFs to the best seats you can find. 

New Kids on the Block at House of Blues

When:  December 20 at 8pm
Where: House of Blues Boston, 15 Lansdowne Street Street, Fenway, Boston
Closest T station: Green Line/Kenmore
Parking:  Boston parking garages in Fenway
Tickets:  Ticketmaster

Boston's favorite boy band from the '80s reunited in 2008 and sound better than ever now that they're grown up.  Whether you're an original fan or a new convert, you'll enjoy this special holiday evening at House of Blues Boston listening to the latest and greatest from Donnie Wahlberg, Jonathan and Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, and Danny Wood. 

Want a preview?  You can hear them on their 2008 comeback CD, The Block.

Disney on Ice: 100 Years of Magic

When:  December 26 - 29, multiple show times
Where: TD Garden, Boston
Closest T station: Green and Orange Lines/North Station
Buy tickets from:  Ticketmaster Disney on Ice Tickets

The whole family will love this magical ice show - and you'll see everyone from entranced toddlers to thrilled great-grandparents enjoying this traditional Boston winter event.  Talented skaters in Disney character costumes perform spectacular spins, twirls, leaps, and acrobatics on the ice rink in TD Garden. 

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Sunday, November 8.  Shows usually sell out quickly, so don't wait!

12/24/09 update - Tickets for the December event sold out quickly - but Disney on Ice will back back in Boston at TD Garden from February 12 - 21.  If you're interested, now is the time to get tickets.

First Night 2010

When:  December 31
Where: Primarily Back Bay and Downtown Boston
Cost:  $18 for First Night button (save $ by ordering on-line) for all events; as an added benefit, local museums and theatres give discounts to button holders for about a month before and a month after the event . . . so you could potentially save even more than you spend
More information:  First Night website

The day-long, alcohol-free First Night event welcomes in the New Year with hundreds of performances, spectacular ice sculptures, and other special events staged by Boston's arts and cultural community.  Over 800 artists and performers take place in the Mardi Gras-like Grand Procession from the Hynes Convention Center at 5:30.   Attendance typically tops 1 million.

Two fireworks displays light up the winter skies.  At 7pm, a special Family Fireworks display from Boston Common entertains families with young children (and early bedtimes). 

Excitement builds during the Countdown to Midnight, and then, at 12 midnight, a spectacular fireworks show over Boston Harbor welcomes in the New Year.

More Boston Event Calendars

Quick Links:  Boston events calendars:  November   l   January