Christmas in Boston 

Best Boston Christmas Events, Trees, Music, Shows

Christmas in Boston turns the city into a festive wonderland of lights, spectacular decorations, special holiday music and shows, and plenty of good cheer.  It's a wonderful time to visit!

Stop by Boston Common for a round of ice skating or walk over to Faneuil Hall Marketplace to see the performers . . . attend The Nutcracker or Black Nativity or a Radio City Rockettes show . . . enjoy a Holiday Pops concert at Symphony Hall . . . take part in special Boston Christmas Eve events . . . or just walk around and enjoy all the shining Boston Christmas trees, serenading carolers, and maybe even snow.

Christmas in Boston - Where to Find Lighted Christmas Trees

By early December, Boston sparkles with beautifully decorated and festively lit Christmas trees.  Two of the biggest trees stand proudly in Boston Common and Faneuil Hall Marketplace.  You can find another next to Macy's in Downtown Crossing - plus plenty more in shopping areas, hotel lobbies, restaurants.

Want to actually see the Christmas lights turned on?  Holiday tree lighting events take place in early December - sometimes late November.  Check the Boston Event Calendar for December for dates and details.  For photos, scroll down to our gallery below.

Boston Hotels with Christmas Specials

Boston hotels deck their halls - and their lobbies - with lavish seasonal splendor throughout December and the holiday season. 

Better yet, they get into the spirit of giving by offering special holiday packages.

- Boston Harbor Hotel - "Wonderful Winter Savings Special" - check rates
- Midtown Hotel - "Christmas FREE Special" (when you stay 3 nights over Christmas) - check rates
- Millennium Bostonian Hotel - "Holiday Shopping at Faneuil Hall Marketplace Special" - check rates

Boston Discount Cards

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Don't forget that Boston discount passes can save you 50% and more on top attractions during the holidays - using a discount card is the easiest way to save money in Boston!

Boston Christmas Eve Events

If you're looking specifically for events on Christmas Eve in Boston, you'll find an excellent mix of music, entertainment, and religious services. 

Scroll down this page to find information - or use these

Quick Links:  Music  |  Entertainment  |  Church Services

Boston Pops Christmas Concerts

Boston Holiday Pops Concerts in Symphony Hall throughout the Boston Christmas season provide the perfect chance to sing along with old favorites, be photographed with Santa, and hear the special holiday music conducted by Keith Lockhart.  Tickets

Lots of other special musical performances also take place throughout December - here's a sampling:

- The Nutcracker
- Handel's Messiah - Boston Baroque at Jordan Hall; Handel and Haydn Society at Symphony Hall
- Vienna Boys Choir
- A Christmas Carol on stage
- A Christmas Celtic Sojourn with Brian O'Donovan

Check for Half-Price Tickets to these Boston Christmas concerts

Black Nativity is another huge Boston Christmas musical event.  Tickets sell out fast - you need to move fast to get them, and be flexible about seating.  More about Black Nativity tickets

Boston Christmas Shows

Another beloved Boston Christmas tradition is going to a show with a mixture of splendid music, dazzling dancers, and exciting performances.  The Nutcracker and the Radio City Rockettes top the list, and are joined this year by Peter Pan. 

Check for Christmas Eve matinee shows!

More Info:  Boston Theatre District Shows

Order event tickets through TicketLiquidator, and get a $25 discount on your order of $250 or more - at checkout, enter Gift Card ID:  bostix
Offer expires at midnight 1/1/2012

Boston Christmas Photo Show

Christmas in Boston scenes, left to right:

1) Boston Common Christmas Tree - Gift from the Citizens of Halifax, Nova Scotia
2) Horses and carriages, next to Faneuil Hall Marketplace
3) Christmas carolers in 19th century costumes performing in Faneuil Hall Marketplace
4) Christmas in Boston store in Faneuil Hall Market Place
5) Christmas Tree in Boston's Faneuil Hall Marketplace

Return to Top - Christmas in Boston

Christmas Shopping in Boston

Boston stores deck their halls - and walls, windows, aisles - with holiday decorations designed to put you into the spending, and of course giving, spirit.

Just seeing all the decorations can be lots of fun. But if you're serious about shopping, read my tips for the best places for Christmas shopping in Boston, especially if you want to accomplish a lot in a short time.

Carolers - Where to Enjoy a Performance

One of the things I love best about walking around Boston in December are the Christmas carolers. 

Some perform in predictable places like Faneuil Hall Marketplace and in Downtown Crossing near Macy's, but others appear in random places, singing just for the sheer joy of sharing traditional holiday music and Christmas carols. 

Walk around Beacon Hill on almost any evening as Christmas draws near, and you're likely to hear a caroling party as they wind their way around the narrow streets, carrying on this centuries-old tradition of spreading the holiday spirit and serenading their neighbors. 

If you're visiting Boston during this special time, I hope you get to hear carolers, and enjoy their music as much as I do.

Christmas in Boston - The Movie

The holiday season brings the perfect excuse to watch Christmas in Boston, a fun chick-flick (note - this is not a movie you'll want to watch with your kids).  The plot is sort of silly - pen pals since middle school, Gina and Seth have never met but finally the opportunity happens when Seth needs to make a business trip to Christmas week trip to Boston, where Gina works. 

The problem?  All these years, they've been exchanging photos . . . but of their best friends rather than of themselves.  You can probably guess what happens - but still, it's fun to watch.

The Boston part?  Wonderful scenes of Back Bay and the giant Christmas tree in Faneuil Hall Marketplace.  More about fun Boston Christmas movies

Where to Find Santa in Boston

Boston has plenty of Santas to grant Christmas gift wishes - or at least listen to your child's fantasy gift list. 

The jolly Santa in this photo is in Downtown Crossing, across from Macy's on Washington Street (about a 3-minute walk from Faneuil Marketplace) - you'll find him here every weekend from Thanksgiving until Christmas. 

You can find plenty more Santas throughout the city - try the Shops at Prudential Center, and practically every other Boston shopping mall.

Christmas Eve in Boston - Midnight Services, Special Music

If you're visiting Boston and want to attend Christmas Eve or Christmas Day church services, you'll find a warm welcome from our famous churches.  Here are several churches with Christmas eve services and strong ties to Boston history:

- Arlington Street Church (Unitarian Universalist; 351 Boylston Street, Back Bay; 617-536-7050, www.ascboston.org) - Renowned for its music and Tiffany windows
- Cathedral of the Holy Cross (Roman Catholic; 1400 Washington St, South End; 617-542-5682; www.holycrossboston.com) - Gothic Revival style; largest in New England)
- Trinity Church (Episcopal; 206 Clarendon St, Copley Square; 617-536-0944; www.trinitychurchboston.org) - World-famous architectural masterpiece by H.H. Richardson
- Park Street Church (Evangelical; One Park Street, across from Boston Common; 617-523-3383; www.parkstreet.org) - Freedom Trail site
- King's Chapel (Ecumenical; corner of Tremont and School Streets, Historical Downtown Boston; 617-227-2155; www.kings-chapel.org) - Founded in 1686, Freedom Trail site, renowned for its music
- Old North Church (Episcopal; 193 Salem Street, North End; 617-523-6676; www.oldnorth.com) - Freedom Trail site where Paul Revere arranged for 2 lanterns to be hung; built in 1723 - oldest standing church building in Boston

Boston Attractions on Christmas - Open or Closed?

Most theaters, stores, the Frog Pond ice skating rink, and museums will be closed on Christmas.  So what can you do on Christmas Day in Boston? 

Most Boston movie theaters will be open (be sure to check first), including AMC Loews Boston Common 19 (175Tremont Street, across from the Common). 

Peter Pan, the spectacular 360 degree performance, will offer 2 Christmas Day performances.

Many Boston restaurants, including most hotel restaurants, will be serving Christmas dinner.  Reservations are a MUST on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, because this is a popular time to go out.  If you don't plan ahead and can't get reservations, keep in mind that many Chinatown restaurants will be open, as well as most hotel bars where you'll usually find excellent bar menus. 

Where to Get Boston Restaurant Savings

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First Night Boston - Welcome the New Year

Sometimes Christmas in Boston feels like it ends too soon - but no worries, Boston's gala First Night extravaganza is just around the corner.

So even if Christmas is still in the future, it's not too early to plan for NYE. 

Most important, if you're coming into the city for the big event, make your hotel reservations NOW to avoid disappointment - check out all the Boston New Year's Eve hotel specials.

More Christmas Activities in Boston

Skiing Near Boston	Hotels with Fireplaces	Indoor Winter Activities

Return from Boston Christmas to Boston Events - or check out Things to Do in Boston in December

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