Festive fun in Boston: Your guide to the holidays

On the Common

America's oldest public park turns into a winter landscape for the holidays.

• This year's official Boston Christmas Tree, an annual gift from the people of Nova Scotia, was lit Dec. 5.
• The trees on the Common are lit up all winter, before and after the big First Night New Years celebration.

Skating

The famous Frog Pond transforms into a skating rink for the winter with skate rentals available for all ability levels.

• Find other skating opportunities around Boston in Kendall Square and Patriot Place in Foxborough.

Arts in the City

Boston hosts numerous special holiday events, including:

• Boston Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at the Boston Opera House runs through Dec. 29.
• Handel and Haydn Society's "Messiah": George Frideric Handel's iconic choral work is an annual holiday classic.
• Holiday Pops concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra run up to Christmas Eve. There are also matinee Pops performances for kids throughout the month and special "Home Alone" concerts on Dec. 27, 28 and 29.

Day Trips

Not far from Boston, towns are putting on their own holiday festivities.

• Salem's Holiday Happenings include a window-dressing contest where Salem residents blend holiday themes with the spooky style the city's known for.
• Newport, Rhode Island's Gilded Age mansions will be all dressed up for the holidays and ready for visitors during candlelight evening tours.
  

Holiday Light Displays

• ZooLights at Stone Zoo returns this year through Jan. 5 with thousands of twinkling lights, animal encounters, and holiday treats like visits from Santa and hot chocolate with the zoo's herd of reindeer.
• Somerville Illuminations lights up the town Dec. 12 through early January. You can do a self-guided tour with the Somerville Arts Council's handy map.
• Edaville's Christmas Festival of Lights brings around 17 million holiday lights to the children's theme park and train ride destination in Carver.
• The Seaport Menorah Lighting takes place Dec. 29 at 4:30pm at One Seaport Courtyard.

Very Merry Bars

Maccabee Bar, Boston's premier Hanukkah-themed holiday popup bar, is back at Noir inside the Charles Hotel in Cambridge. They've got themed cocktails, latkes and other fun through Jan. 1.

Miracle at Marlowe turns the Kimpton's hotel bar into a holiday cocktail paradise with drinks like the Snowball Old Fashioned and the Christmapolitan.

Santa's Cantina takes over Loco Taqueria in Fenway for the holidays, with Christmas-themed tequila drinks.

Sippin' Santa is a national holiday cocktail promotion in more than 60 locations, including Shore Leave in Harvard Square. Grab a Sugar Plum Mai Tai or a Frosty the Merman at one of the area's best tiki bars.

Holiday Markets and Shopping

Faneuil Hall Marketplace is decked out with holiday decorations and offers dozens of vendors with unique Boston tchotchkes.

• There are also plenty of local shops and national chains scattered around the tourist destination, like Urban Outfitters, Coach, Crocs and Newbury Comics.

The SoWa Winter Festival holiday market features local artisans and runs through Dec. 22.

• The $10 entrance fee gives you access to more than 100 vendors and specialty food stalls.
• It's one of the biggest indoor/outdoor holiday shopping markets around, hosted at the SoWa Power Station.

Snowport returns to the Seaport neighborhood through New Year's and beyond.

• The annual Snowport Holiday Market is the biggest in the area, with more than 120 makers and vendors selling handcrafted and unique wares.
• Expect festive bars, live music, and even a curling competition or two.
• Hours from Dec. 9-Dec. 29 are 11am-8pm Sundays-Thursdays and 11am-9pm Fridays and Saturdays.
• You might even spot Betty the Yeti, a huge pink creature the Seaport people are trying to make into a thing.