101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in Boston - 2024 (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
| Nov 2- Dec 24, 2024 | Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops & Cabela's |
| Nov 7 - Dec 24, 2024 | Santa Photo Experience- Burlington Mall |
| Nov 7 - Dec 24, 2024 | Visit Natick Mall for Pictures with Santa |
| Nov 8 - Dec 24, 2024 | Santa Photo Experience- South Shore Plaza |
| Nov 15 - Dec 24, 2024 | Santa Photo Experience- The Shops at Chestnut Hill |
| Nov 22 - Dec 23, 2024 | THE POLAR EXPRESS™ Train Ride |
| Nov 24, 2024 | Holiday Stroll- MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| Nov 25, 2024 | Annual Trellis Lighting- Christopher Columbus Park |
| Nov 29, 2024 | Sip, Shop, & See Santa - At Wojcik's Farm |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Annual Tree Lighting - At Smolak Farms |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Martin’s Park: 3rd Annual Ship Lighting |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Santa's Arrival by helicopter- At Pageant Field - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Santa at the Eustis Estate |
| Dec 1, 2024 | 71st Annual Christmas Parade - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Breakfast with Santa- Sachem Rock Farm |
| Dec 1, 2024 | Annual Holiday Tree Lighting - At The Norwood Town Common - Norwood, MA - Recreation Department |
| Dec 6, 2024 | 2024 Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony - Town of South Kingstown |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Breakfast With Santa at the Irish Cultural Centre |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Christmas in Rockport - Santa's Arrival & Tree Lighting |
| Dec 8, 2024 | North Pole & Santa’s Goat Barn - Goats to Go |
| Dec 10 - 12, 2024 | Visits With Santa at the Neighborhood Guild - Town of South Kingstown |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Wayland Town Center’s 2024 Holiday Stroll & Tree Lighting |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Santa in Salem - At Phillips House Museum |
| Dec 14, 15, & 21, 2024 | Breakfast with Santa- Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Breakfast With Santa - At Venezia Restaurant Boston |
Old-Time Christmas
| Nov 18, 2023- Jan 1, 2024 | Holidays at the Newport Mansions |
| Nov 26, 2024 | 2024 Boston's Official Holiday Tree Arrival |
| Nov 29 - Dec 29, 2024 | 16th Annual Festival of Trees - Massachusetts Horticultural Society |
| Nov 29 - Dec 30, 2024 (Select Days) | Christmas by Candlelight- Old Sturbridge Village |
| Multiple Dates Nov 30, - Dec 15, 2024 | Easton Festival Of Trees |
| Weekends Dec 1 - 22, 2024 | Santa's Workshop & Crafts - At Smolak Farms |
| Dec 6-8, 2024 | 3rd Annual Gloucester Fishtown Horribles Parade of Trees |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | Christmas in Salem 2024 - With Historic Salem, Inc |
| Dec 8, 2024 | Beacon Hill Holiday House Tour 2024 - At Nichols House Museum |
| Dec 12, & 19, 2024 | Candlelight Tours - At Nichols House Museum |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Deck the Docks! |
Light Displays
| Nov 8, 2024- Dec 31, 2024 | Christmas Festival of Lights- Edaville Family Theme Park |
| Nov 15, 2024 - Feb 9, 2025 | Winter Lantern Festival at Lyman Orchards |
| Nov 15, 2024- Jan 5, 2025 | 2024 ZooLights - At Stone Zoo |
| Nov 21 - Dec 29, 2024 | Winter Wonderland: Holiday Lights - At Southwick's Zoo |
| Opens Nov 22, 2024 - Jan 1,2025 | The Enchanted Village- Jordan's Furniture |
| Nov 23, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025 | Annual Christmas Festival of Lights- National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attleboro |
| Nov 27, 2024 - Jan 5, 2025 | Bright Nights at Forest Park |
| Nov 28, 2024- Jan 5, 2025 | Gift of Lights- New Hampshire Motor Speedway |
| Nov 29, 2024 | Hancock-Adams Common Tree Lighting - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Nov 29 - Dec 22, 2024 | Winter Wonderland: Holiday Lights - At Southwick's Zoo |
| Multiple Dates Nov 29, 2024 - Dec 23, 2024 | Gardens Aglow- Heritage Museums & Gardens |
| Nov 29 - Dec 30, 2024 | South Shore Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 29, 2024 - Jan 4, 2025 | Holiday Lights Spectacular- Roger Williams Park Zoo |
| Nov 29, 2024 - Jan 4, 2025 | Winterlights -At Stevens-Coolidge House & Gardens |
| Nov 30 , 2024 - Jan 1, 2025 | 5th Annual Winter Lights on Cape Ann |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Light It Up: Marina Bay - With City of Quincy , MA |
| Dec 5, 2024 | 2024 Boston Common Tree Lighting - Boston Common |
| Dec 5 - 8, 2024 | 2024 Marblehead Christmas Walk |
| Nov 29 - Dec 30, 2024 | Merrimack Valley Celebration of Lights |
| Nov 29, 2024 - Jan 5 , 2025 | Night Lights- New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill |
| Dec 5, 2024 | 2024 Lighting of the Commonwealth Avenue Mall - Friends of the Public Garden in Boston, MA |
| Dec 6, 2024 | Light Up Seaport - Boston Seaport |
| Dec 7-8, 2024 | Mayor's Enchanted Trolley Tour |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Holiday Pig Wagon Lighting- Powisset Farm |
| Multiple Days starting Dec 12, 2024 | Illuminations 2024- Somerville |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Gloucester Lobster Trap Tree Lighting |
Living Nativities/Religious Celebrations
| Dec 6, 7, & 8, 2024 | Journey To Bethlehem: A Living Nativity - Faith Evangelical Free Church |
| Dec 12, 13, 14, & 15, 2024 | The Living Nativity - Granite Creek Community Church |
Holiday Theatre
| Nov 29 & 30, & Dec 1,20,21, & 22, 2024 | The Nutcracker - Commonwealth Ballet Company |
| Nov 29 - Dec 29, 2024 | Mikko Nissinen’s The Nutcracker - Boston Ballet |
| Dec 2, 2024 | The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show Starring BenDeLaCreme & Jinkx Monsoon ( Ages 18+) - At Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet - With Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Dec 5 - 22, 2024 | A Christmas Carol- North Shore Music Theatre |
| Dec 6 - 8, 2024 | Melrose Youth Ballet Presents The Nutcracker |
| Dec 6 - 8, 2024 | Cirque Dreams Holidaze - At Shubert Theatre (Boston) |
| Dec 6 - 22 , 2024 | Black Nativity- Paramount Center, Boston |
| Dec 7, 8,14 & 15, 2024 | CHRISTMASTIME (Ages 5+) - At Robinson Theatre - Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston |
| Multiple Dates Dec 10 - 23, 2024 | Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical - With Boch Center - Wang Theatre |
| Dec 13, 2024 | Safe Haven Ballet Presents How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Cary Memorial Hall |
| Select Dates Dec 13 - 28, 2024 | Midwinter Revels: The Feast of Fools - A Medieval Celebration of the Solstice - With The Revels - At Sanders Theatre |
| Dec 14 - 22, 2024 | Urban Nutcracker- Boch Center |
| Dec 21 & 22, 2024 | The Muppet Christmas Carol( Ages 4+) - Coolidge Corner Theatre |
Holiday Concerts
| Nov 23, 2024 | Ring in the Season - At Nichols House Museum |
| Nov 29 - Dec 1, 2024 | Handel and Haydn Society, Handel Messiah |
| Dec 1- 24, 2024 | Holiday Pops- Boston Symphony Orchestra |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Vienna Boys Choir - Cary Memorial Hall |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Mariah Carey's Christmas Time! - At TD Garden |
| Dec 6-22, 2024 | LANGSTON HUGHES' BLACK NATIVITY - Emerson Paramount Center |
| Dec 11, 2024 | Big Bad Voodoo Daddy - Holiday Party - Cary Memorial Hall |
| Dec 12, 2024 | The Irish Tenors: A Family Christmas - Cary Memorial Hall |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Holiday Pops- Cambridge Symphony Orchestra |
| Dec 14, & 15, 2024 | Let's Celebrate! A Festive Opera Series That Expands The Meaning of Celebration - Emerson Paramount Center |
| Dec 20, 2024 | Canadian Brass - Cary Memorial Hall |
Christmas Tree Experience
| By Reservation Only Starting on Nov 16 (Opens Nov 30, 2024) | Indian Rock Farm - Foxborough, MA |
| Opens Nov 23, 2024 | McKay's Christmas Trees |
| Opens Nov 23, 2024 | Crane Neck Christmas Tree Farm - West Newbury, MA |
| Opens Nov 24, 2024 | Cranston's Christmas Tree Farm - Ashfield, MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Turkey Hill Farm - Haverhill, MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Deerfield Tree Farm - Millis , MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Sleighbell Farm - Sutton, MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Tree Berry Farm - Scituate , MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Radebaugh's Christmas Tree Farms - Belchertown , MA |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Boston Christmas Trees |
| Opens Nov 29, 2024 | Vandervalk Farm & Winery - Mendon, MA |
| Kelly's Christmas Trees | |
| Smolak Farms |
Ice Skating
| The Frog Pond- Boston Common | |
| Jack Kirrane Ice Skating Rink | |
| Winter Skate at Patriot Place | |
| Opens Nov 16, 2024 | The Rink - At MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| Opens Nov 22, 2024 | Enchanted Ice- Jordan's Furniture |
| Opens Dec 2024 | Skate @ Canal District Kendall |
| Open Mid Dec, 2024 - Mid March, 2025 | DCR Kelly Outdoor Rink |
Hanukkah
| Dec 2, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025 | Maccabee Hanukkah pop-up at Noir Cambridge |
| Dec 7, 2024 | PJ Library Pre- Hanukkah Pajama Party |
| Dec 11, 2024 | Latkes and Laughter - Harvey Wheeler Community Center |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Family Fun Chanukah Celebration 2024 - The Boston Synagogue |
| Dec 17, 2024 | Community Menorah Lighting - Congregation Shirat Hayam |
| Dec 25, 2024 | Menorah on Boston Common |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Faneuil Hall Chanukkah Celebration |
| Dec 26, 2024 | Rockport Chanukah Celebration |
| Dec 29, 2024 | Grand Seaport Chanukkah Celebration |
| Dec 29, 2024 | Winter Wonderland Hanukkah Celebration |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
| Nov 8 - Dec 29, 2024 | The 2024 Holiday Market at Snowport - Boston Seaport |
| Nov 23 & 24, 2024 | Salvage Angel's Annual Holiday Shopping Stroll & Pop-Up Market Weekend |
| Nov 29, 30, Dec 1, 6, 7, & 8, 2024 | 2024 Kilroy Square Holiday Market - With Quincy Chamber of Commerce |
| Dec 1, 2024 | The Holiday Market - Roudenbush |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Winter Wonderland Holiday Fair - Quincy Point Congregational Church |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Holiday Palooza 2024 - At Knights of Columbus - With the Boston Skyline Chorus |
| Dec 7 & 8, 2024 | Winter Fine Arts & Craft Fair - With Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 14, 2024 | Barefoot Books Holiday Open House! |
| Dec 14 & 15, 2024 | Winter Market- Canal District Kendall |
| Nov 18, 2023 | Holiday Market at the Eustis Estate |
| Nov 18, 2023 | The Dickens Festival Holiday Craft Fair |
| Nov 23, 2023 | 2023 Holiday Fair - At First Universalist Church of Essex |
| Nov 25 & 26, 2023 | Holiday Boutique Thanksgiving Weekend - At Gore Place |
| 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 |
New Year's Eve
| Dec 28, 2024 | Noon Year's Eve Celebration! - At Boston Public Library - Brighton Branch |
| Dec 31, 2024 | First Night Boston |
| Dec 31, 2024 | Frog Pond Skating Spectacular at First Night Boston ( 2 Shows) |
| Dec 31, 2024 | New Year's Eve Stargazing at The Frosty Drew Observatory & Sky Theatre |
| Dec 31, 2024 | LET'S NACHO NYE 2025 with DJ RAKESH - BOSTON FAMILY FRIENDLY NEW YEAR PARTY - At Westford Regency Inn and Conference Center |
| Dec 31, 2024 | New Year’s Eve on the Waterfront - Atlantic Wharf |
Miscellaneous
| Nov. 14, 21, Dec. 4, 11, 18, 2024 | North Pole Limited - Edaville Family Theme Park |
| Nov 16 2024 | The Rink Opening Party - At MarketStreet Lynnfield |
| Nov 21, 2024 | Hudsonville Holiday Parade 2024 |
| Nov 30, 2024 | Holiday Trolley- Good Witch of Salem |
| Nov 30 & Dec 1, 7, & 8, 2024 | Story Time with Mrs. Claus - At Cider Hill Farm |
| Dec 7, 2024 | Santa’s Elf Adventure: Hike with Little Goats & Llama Cheer - With Goats To Go |
| Dec 8, 2024 | 36th Annual Tree of Lights – Open House & Celebration -Emerson Hospital |
| Dec 13, 2024 | Holiday Stargazing Spectacular |
| Dec 14, 2024 | BGC Kids Club Night- The Grinch - Boys & Girls Club of Marshfield |
| Dec 15, 2024 | A Magical Matinee ~ The Polar Express Pajama Party & Screening - With Plimoth Patuxet Museums |
| Dec 26, 2024 - Jan 1, 2025 | 2024 Frozen Fire Festival - At Charlotte Forten Park - With Frozen Fire Festival |
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