My Top Five list this December
The days are short, dark and bitterly cold here in Boston in December but there are ways to beat the dread! I am sharing my top five (tried and true) Boston’s December ideas to get you into the Holiday spirit.
Nutcracker at Boston Ballet: November 28-December 28, 2025
The Nutcracker at Boston Ballet is one of our most uplifting and cherished Mother-Daughter December holidays tradition! We dressed up, beat the traffic, walked through the incredibly windy and cold but beautifully sparkling Boston Common (it happened to be the Tree Lighting Night) and were greeted by the Boston Ballet’s very own and very friendly Bear.
Fun Fact: Bear character is unique to Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker.
Boston Ballet’s staging of the famous tale (choreographed by artistic direction Mikko Nissinen) is the Company’s largest production. It features technically challenging choreography, stunning sets and costumes- all 350 of them! (the set and the costumes are designed by award-winning designer Robert Perdziola), and of course renowned score by Tchaikovsky performed live by the Boston Ballet Orchestra.
Our cast favorites during December 4th performance were Viktorina Kapitonova (Dew Drop in the Waltz of Flowers) and the Sugar Plum Fairy (Li Cirio) dancing the Grand Pas de Deux with the The Nutcracker Prince (Paul Craig). The Snow Scene (Chisaco Oga and Yue Shi) is always magical but it is the Waltz of Flowers that without fail brings tears to my eyes. (You may find full Casting information here).
Fun Fact 2: To bring Mother Ginger character to life, production crew puts on her 24-foot skirt (which is stored on a pulley system backstage) onto the dancer right before he steps on stage! You can see the skirt resting backstage following the show in my 30-second utube video!
For $45 discounted tickets, use my special code Victoria45 valid on selected performances (For special 20 and under youth pricing, call the box office at 617.695-6955)
Viv and I attended on a Thursday night for a blogger event (our team won the Nutcracker Trivia!) and the very special backstage tour, but a weekend matinee performance would be perfect if you are bringing little kids or if you plan to go for a lit up holiday stroll afterwards- which brings me to our other holiday favorite…
Admiring holiday lights and Trees throughout Boston
All the Trees are now lit up and ready for viewing! We already saw the main Boston Tree at the Boston Common park (brought annually from Nova Scotia). This year, on December 13 and December 20 (6 and 8pm) the holidays drone shows in the Park are being added to the traditional lights display.
We love strolling through the Boston Common and Public Garden Parks to the lit up Commonwealth Ave Mall!
Another favorite holiday route in Boston is Harbor Walk to Christopher Columbus Park, then crossing the Greenway (another refreshing stroll adorned with illuminated fountains) to historic Faneuil Hall- for their own special Tree.
Visiting Holiday Markets
This year we have already visited the Bryant Park Winter Village in NYC and Hyannis (Cape Cod’s) Holiday Markets. Hyannis held their weekend-long celebration with boat parade, Main street stroll and artisan market the weekend of December 5-7 but town of Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard is celebrating the weekend of December 12-14 and Mashpee Holiday Stroll is on December 14.
Seaport’s Snowport Market has new vendors this year (we are looking forward to Swedish Fish:) and is open almost every day in December- check the hours here. (and check out their beautiful Tree when you are there).
Hanukkah Festival of Lights
Boston Common‘s Hanukkah Menorah Lighting is on Wednesday, December 14, 2025 at 4:00 pm.
Hanukkah at the MFA is celebrated on Thursday, December 18th this year with music, dance, gallery talks, food and, of course, art (discounted community admission after 5pm).
Holiday Roadtrips
– near and far – are firmly on our December traditions list. This year we have tripped to NYC (check out my latest 20 second video) and Lake Placid (where we saw the snow real early this year) and Cape Cod. Our other holiday favorites are day trips to Newport Mansions and the Berkshires weekends for their lights shows (Nightwood at the Mount and Winterlights at the Naumkeag estates). (Hotel prices are by far more reasonable this time of year than during the Tanglewood season).
What are you Boston Holidays traditions?