101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Boston - 2022
KidsOutAndAbout is Boston's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!
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Santa Sightings
Old-Time Christmas
| Nov 19, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Holidays at the Newport Mansions |
| Nov 25- Dec 23, 2022 | Gardens Aglow- Heritage Museums & Gardens |
| Nov 25- Dec 30, 2022 | Christmas by Candlelight- Old Sturbridge Village |
| Dec 2, 2022 | Homeschool Adventure: Holiday Hearth-Cooking- Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 3-4, 2022 | Christmas in Salem House Tour |
Light Displays
| Nov 10, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Christmas Festival of Lights- Edaville Family Theme Park |
| Opens Nov 11, 2022 | The Enchanted Village- Jordan's Furniture |
| Nov 12- Dec 31, 2022 | Winter Wonderland with the Festival of Illumination- Southwick’s Zoo |
| Nov 18, 2022- Jan 8, 2023 | ZooLights- Stone Zoo |
| Nov 18- Dec 31, 2022 | North Shore Holiday Light Show |
| Nov 18- Dec 31, 2022 | Magic of Lights- Gillette Stadium |
| Nov 22, 2022 | Boston's Official Holiday Tree Arrival 2022 |
| Nov 23, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Bright Nights at Forest Park |
| Nov 24, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Gift of Lights- New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
| Nov 24, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Annual Christmas Festival of Lights- National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro |
| Nov 25, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | Holiday Lights Spectacular- Roger Williams Park Zoo |
| Nov 25- Dec 30, 2022 | South Shore Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 25- Dec 30, 2022 | Merrimack Valley Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 25- Dec 31, 2022 | Night Lights- New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill |
| Nov 25, 2022- Jan 7, 2023 | Winterlights |
| Dec 1, 2022 | Lighting of The Commonwealth Avenue Mall |
| Dec 2, 2022 | Light Up Seaport |
| Dec 2- 23, 2022 | Enchanted Village- Cape Codder |
| Dec 3-4, 2022 | Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour |
| Dec 3, 2022 | Holiday Haybale Tree Lighting- Powisset Farm |
| Dec 8, 2022 | Illuminations 2022- Somerville |
| Dec 10, 2022 | Gloucester Lobster Trap Tree Lighting |
| The Anchor Boston - Navy Yard Lights |
Living Nativities
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 25- Dec 11, 2022 | 'Twas the Night Before...- Cirque du Soleil |
| Nov 25- Dec 18, 2022 | The Nutcracker- Commonwealth Ballet |
| Nov 25- Dec 31, 2022 | The Nutcracker- Boston Ballet |
| Dec 1- 23, 2022 | A Christmas Carol- North Shore Music Theatre |
| Dec 2-4, 2022 | Melrose Youth Ballet Presents The Nutcracker |
| Dec 2- 18, 2022 | Black Nativity- Paramount Center, Boston |
| Dec 16- 28, 2022 | The Midwinter Revels: A Solstice Celebration |
| Dec 17-23, 2022 | Urban Nutcracker- Boch Center |
| Dec 19- 21, 2022 | White Christmas- The Sing-A-Long Version |
| Dec 29, 2022 | The Hip Hop Nutcracker |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 25- 27, 2022 | Handel and Haydn Society, Handel Messiah |
| Nov 26- Dec 11, 2022 | Easton Festival Of Trees |
| Nov 27, 2022 | TUBACHRISTMAS- Downtown Crossing |
| Dec 1- 24, 2022 | Holiday Pops- Boston Symphony Orchestra |
| Dec 16, 2022 | Holiday Pops- Cambridge Symphony Orchestra |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Nov 25- Dec 31, 2022 | Festival of Trees- Massachusetts Horticultural Society |
| Opens Nov 20, 2022 | McKay's Christmas Trees |
| Nov 24- Dec 19, 2022 | Tree Market at The Track |
| Smolak Farms | |
| Opens Nov 25, 2022 | Boston Christmas Trees |
| Kelly's Christmas Trees | |
Ice Skating
| Opens Nov 11, 2022 | Enchanted Ice- Jordan's Furniture |
| Opens Nov 12, 2022 | The Rink- MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| The Frog Pond- Boston Common | |
| Opens Dec 3, 2022 | Skate @ Canal District Kendall |
| The Rink at 401 Park | |
| Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink | |
| DCR Kelly Outdoor Rink | |
| Winter Skate at Patriot Place | |
Hanukkah
| Dec 19, 2022 | Hanukkah Party at The VERVE Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton |
| Dec 20, 2022 | CSH/CJE Hanukkah Celebration at CSH |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Abington Christmas Place | |
| Nov 19, 2022 | Holiday Market at the Eustis Estate |
| Dec 3-4, 2022 | Winter Market- Canal District Kendall |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 31, 2022 | First Night Boston |
Miscellaneous
| Nov 19, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle |
| Nov 26, 2022 | The Snow Sisters' Holiday Adventure! |
| Dec 10-11, 2022 | Holiday Trolley- Good Witch of Salem |
| Dec 23, 2022 | Holiday Stargazing Spectacular |