101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Boston - 2023 (In Progress)
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
| Oct 24 - Dec 24, 2023 | Santa Photo Experience- Burlington Mall |
| Nov 4- Dec 24, 2023 | Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's |
| Nov 10- Dec 24, 2023 | Santa Photo Experience- South Shore Plaza |
| Nov 9 - Dec 24, 2023 | Visit Natick Mall for Pictures with Santa |
| Nov 19, 2023 | Holiday Stroll- MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| Nov 20, 2023 | Annual Trellis Lighting- Christopher Columbus Park |
| Nov 17 - Dec 24, 2023 | Santa Photo Experience- The Shops at Chestnut Hill |
| Nov 24 - Dec 23, 2023 | THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Martin’s Park: 3rd Annual Ship Lighting |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Santa's Arrival by helicopter- At Pageant Field - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Nov 26, 2023 | 2nd Annual Holiday Extravaganza! - At Roudenbush Community Center |
| Nov 26, 2023 | 70th Annual Christmas Parade - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Copley Square Tree Lighting |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Breakfast With Santa at the Irish Cultural Centre |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Christmas in Rockport - Santa's Arrival & Tree Lighting |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Breakfast with Santa- Sachem Rock Farm |
| Dec 2, 2023 | North Pole & Santa’s Goat Barn - Goats to Go |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Santa at the Eustis Estate |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Wayland Town Center’s 2023 Holiday Stroll & Tree Lighting |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Christmas in the Country: A Benefit for Area Children- Wojcik's Farm |
| Dec 9, 10, & 16 2023 | Breakfast with Santa- Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 15, 2023 | Santa is Coming to Town - With Old Colony YMCA - Brockton |
| Dec 16, 2023 | Santa in Salem - At Phillips House Museum |
Old-Time Christmas
| Nov 18, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Holidays at the Newport Mansions |
| Nov 21, 2023 | 2023 BOSTON'S OFFICIAL HOLIDAY TREE ARRIVAL |
| Nov 24 - Dec 30, 2023 | 15th Annual Festival of Trees - Massachusetts Horticultural Society |
| Nov 24- Dec 30, 2023 (Select Days) | Christmas by Candlelight- Old Sturbridge Village |
| Nov 25- Dec 11, 2023 | Easton Festival Of Trees |
| Dec 1-3, 2023 | 2nd Annual Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade of Trees |
| Dec 2 & 3, 2023 | Christmas in Salem: A Very On Common Christmas - With Historic Salem, Inc |
| Dec 8 & 15 , 2023 | Homeschool Adventure: Holiday Hearth-Cooking- Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 9, 2023 | Deck the Docks! |
| Dec 10, 2023 | Beacon Hill Holiday House Tour 2023 - At Nichols House Museum |
Light Displays
| Nov 9, 2023- Dec 31, 2023 | Christmas Festival of Lights- Edaville Family Theme Park |
| Opens Nov 10, 2023 - Jan 1,2024 | The Enchanted Village- Jordan's Furniture |
| Nov 18 - Dec 31, 2023 | Winter Wonderland with the Festival of Illumination- Southwick’s Zoo |
| Nov 17, 2023- Jan 7, 2024 | 2023 ZooLights - At Stone Zoo |
| Nov 24, 2023 | Hancock-Adams Common Tree Lighting - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Nov 25 , 2023 - Jan 1, 2024 | 4th Annual Winter Lights on Cape Ann |
| Nov 30, 2023 | 2023 Boston Common Tree Lighting - Boston Common |
| Nov 30 - Dec 3, 2023 | 2023 Marblehead Christmas Walk |
| Nov 22, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Bright Nights at Forest Park |
| Multiple Dates Nov 24, 2023 - Dec 23, 2023 | Gardens Aglow- Heritage Museums & Gardens |
| Nov 23, 2023- Dec 31, 2023 | Gift of Lights- New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
| Nov 23, 2023- Jan 1, 2023 | Annual Christmas Festival of Lights- National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro |
| Nov 24, 2023- Dec 31, 2023 | Holiday Lights Spectacular- Roger Williams Park Zoo |
| Nov 24- Dec 30, 2023 | South Shore Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 24- Dec 30, 2023 | Merrimack Valley Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 24- Dec 31, 2023 | Night Lights- New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill |
| Nov 24, 2023- Jan 6, 2024 | Winterlights |
| Nov 24 - Dec 31st, 2023 | Winterlights at Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens |
| Nov 30, 2023 | 2023 Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall - Friends of the Public Garden in Boston, MA |
| Dec 1, 2023 | Light Up Seaport - Boston Seaport |
| Dec 2- 23, 2022 | Enchanted Village- Cape Codder |
| Dec 3-4, 2022 | Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour |
| Dec 3, 2023 | Generals Bridge and Park Tree Lighting - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Haybale Tree Lighting- Powisset Farm |
| Dec 8, 2023 | Illuminations 2023- Somerville |
| Dec 10, 2022 | Gloucester Lobster Trap Tree Lighting |
| Dec 7, 2023 | Annual Holiday Tree Lighting - The Anchor Boston |
Living Nativities/Religious Celebrations
| Dec 10, 2023 | Christmas Gathering at the Crèche - City of Quincy, MA |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 24-26 & Dec 15-17, 2023 | The Nutcracker - Commonwealth Ballet Company |
| Nov 24- Dec 31, 2023 | Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker - Boston Ballet |
| Nov 24-26, 2023 | RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER: THE MUSICAL - Shubert Theatre |
| Nov 28, 2023 | The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show Starring BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon ( Ages 18+) - At Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Dec 7- 23, 2023 | A Christmas Carol- North Shore Music Theatre |
| Dec 1-3, 2023 SOLD OUT | Melrose Youth Ballet Presents The Nutcracker |
| Dec 2,3,9, & 10, 2023 | CHRISTMASTIME (Ages 5+) - At Robinson Theatre - Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston |
| Dec 7-23, 2023 | A CHRISTMAS CAROL - At North Shore Music Theatre |
| Dec 1- 17, 2023 | Black Nativity- Paramount Center, Boston |
| Dec 7, 2023 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet - With Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Dec 9 & 10, 2023 | The Calamari Sisters - The Feast of the Seven Fishes - At Regent Theatre |
| Dec 15 - 28, 2023 | Midwinter Revels: The Feast of Fools - A Medieval Celebration of the Solstice - With The Revels - At Sanders Theatre |
| Dec 16-23, 2023 | Urban Nutcracker- Boch Center |
| Dec 22, 2023 | The Platters "Very Merry Christmas Show" - At Regent Theatre |
| Dec 22 & 23, 2023 | Elf In Concert- At Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 18, 2023 | Let's Celebrate! A Festive Opera Series That Expands The Meaning of Celebration - Emerson Paramount Center |
| Nov 24, 2023 | Sarah Brightman: A Christmas Symphony - With Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Nov 25, 2023 | Jim Brickman - A Joyful Christmas - At Cary Memorial Hall |
| Nov 24- 26, 2023 | Handel and Haydn Society, Handel Messiah |
| Dec 1 & 2, 2023 | Coastal Christmas Holiday Musical Revue and Fair |
| Dec 1- 24, 2022 | Holiday Pops- Boston Symphony Orchestra |
| Dec 1-17, 2023 | LANGSTON HUGHES' BLACK NATIVITY - Emerson Paramount Center |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Holiday Palooza 2023 - At Knights of Columbus - With the Boston Skyline Chorus |
| Dec 11, 2023 | Mariah Carey - Merry Christmas One And All! - At TD Garden |
| Dec 16, 2023 | Holiday Pops- Cambridge Symphony Orchestra |
Christmas Tree Experience
| Opens Nov 19, 2023 | McKay's Christmas Trees |
| Opens Nov 18, 2023 | Crane Neck Christmas Tree Farm - West Newbury, MA |
| Opens Nov 18, 2023 | Cranston's Christmas Tree Farm - Ashfield, MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Turkey Hill Farm - Haverhill, MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Deerfield Tree Farm - Millis , MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Sleighbell Farm - Sutton, MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Tree Berry Farm - Scituate , MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Radebaugh's Christmas Tree Farms - Belchertown , MA |
| Opens Nov 25, 2023 (By Reservation Only) | Indian Rock Farm - Foxborough, MA |
| Smolak Farms | |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Boston Christmas Trees |
| Kelly's Christmas Trees | |
| Opens Nov 24, 2023 | Vandervalk Farm & Winery - Mendon, MA |
Ice Skating
| Opens Nov 10, 2023 | Enchanted Ice- Jordan's Furniture |
| Nov 11, 2023 - Feb 24, 2024 | The Rink - At MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| The Frog Pond- Boston Common | |
| Opens Dec1, 2023 | Ice Skating Rink - At Generals Bridge & Park |
| Opens Dec 2023 | Skate @ Canal District Kendall |
| The Rink at 401 Park | |
| Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink | |
| Open Dec 17, 2023 - April 14, 2023 | DCR Kelly Outdoor Rink |
| Winter Skate at Patriot Place | |
Hanukkah
| Dec 2, 2023 | PJ Library Pre- Hanukkah Pajama Party |
| Dec 5-Dec 30, 2023 | Maccabee Hanukkah pop-up at Noir Cambridge |
| Dec 7-15, 2023 | Menorah on Boston Common |
| Dec 7-Dec 26, 2023 | Maccabee Hanukkah pop-up at Backbar Somerville |
| Dec 7, 2023 | Rockport Chanukah Celebration |
| Dec 7, 2023 | Menorah Lighting - At Hancock Adams Common |
| Dec 11, 2023 | Chanukkah Wonderland |
| Dec 20, 2023 | South End LED Chanukkah |
| Dec 12, 2023 | CSH Hanukkah Celebration |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 10 - Dec 31, 2023 | The 2023 Holiday Market at Snowport - Boston Seaport |
| Nov 18, 2023 | Holiday Market at the Eustis Estate |
| Nov 18, 2023 | The Dickens Festival Holiday Craft Fair |
| Nov 18 & 19, 2023 | Salvage Angel's Annual Holiday Shopping Stroll & Pop-Up Market Weekend |
| Nov 23, 2023 | 2023 Holiday Fair - At First Universalist Church of Essex |
| Nov 25 & 26, 2023 | Holiday Boutique Thanksgiving Weekend - At Gore Place |
| Nov 24-26, & Dec 1-3, 2023 | 2023 Kilroy Square Holiday Market - With Quincy Chamber of Commerce |
| Dec 1, 2, & 3, 2023 | Friends of CFPL Holiday Book Sale - At Concord Free Public Library - Main Branch |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Wonderland Holiday Market |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Norwood Holiday Market - With The Skating Club of Boston |
| Dec 2 & 3, 2023 | Winter Fine Arts & Craft Fair - With Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 9 & 10, 2023 | Winter Market- Canal District Kendall |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 31, 2023 | First Night Boston |
| Dec 31, 2023 | New Year's Eve Stargazing at The Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theatre |
Miscellaneous
| Nov 3, 2023 | Québec Winter Wonderland - Boston Seaport |
| Nov 11, 2023 | The Rink Opening Party - At MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| Nov 15, 2023 - Dec 20, 2023 | North Pole Limited - Edaville Family Theme Park |
| Nov 16, 2023 | Hudsonville Holiday Parade 2023 |
| Nov 19, 2022- Jan 1, 2023 | The Immersive Nutcracker: A Winter Miracle |
| Nov 25 & 26, & Dec 2 & 3, 2023 | Story Time with Mrs. Claus - At Cider Hill Farm |
| Nov 30, 2023 | Frog Pond Skating Spectacular at the Boston Common Tree Lighting 2023 |
| Dec 9-10, 2023 | Holiday Trolley- Good Witch of Salem |
| Dec 15 , 2023 | Holiday Stargazing Spectacular |
| Dec 26, 2023 - Jan 1, 2024 | 2023 Frozen Fire Festival - At Charlotte Forten Park - With Frozen Fire Festival |
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