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The best things to do in Boston in December are the city's official tree lighting on Boston Common (Thursday, December 3, in 2026), outdoor skating on the Frog Pond, the Boston Pops' Holiday Pops at Symphony Hall, Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker, the Boston Tea Party reenactment at Old South Meeting House every December 16, and First Night on New Year's Eve. Whale watching is not on the list: the New England Aquarium's whale watch season from Boston runs May through November.
December is cold, with an average high of 42°F and low of 29°F at Logan Airport and about 9 inches of snow in a normal December. Book the ticketed shows early, dress for evenings outdoors, and use the calendar below to plan around the fixed dates.
December in Boston at a glance
| Event | When | Where | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston Common Tree Lighting | December 3, 2026, 6 to 8 p.m. | Boston Common, 139 Tremont Street | Free |
| Frog Pond skating | Mid-November to March | Boston Common | Admission and rental fees |
| Holiday Pops | December 3 to 17, 2026 | Symphony Hall | Ticketed |
| The Nutcracker | November 27 to December 31, 2026 | Citizens Opera House | Ticketed |
| Boston Tea Party reenactment | December 16 each year | Old South Meeting House | Check Revolutionary Spaces |
| Snowport holiday market | November and December (2025: November 7 to December 28) | 100 Seaport Boulevard | Free entry |
| First Night Boston | December 31 | City Hall Plaza to Boston Common | Free |
Tree lightings: Boston Common and Quincy Market
The city's 85th annual tree lighting takes place on Boston Common on Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m., free and next to the visitor information center at 139 Tremont Street. The tree is the city's annual gift from Nova Scotia, and once it is lit the trees along the Commonwealth Avenue Mall light up at about 8:15 p.m. Park Street station on the Red and Green lines is on the Common.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace lights its own tree earlier, before Thanksgiving; in 2025 the 50-foot tree at Quincy Market was lit on November 22.
Is Blink! still at Faneuil Hall?
Not that we can confirm. Blink!, the light-and-sound show that once ran nightly at Faneuil Hall Marketplace, was canceled in 2020 and again in 2021, and the marketplace's recent holiday announcements cover its tree lighting rather than Blink!. Treat any guide that promises Blink! showtimes as out of date, and check the marketplace's own events page before planning around it.
Ice skating in December
The Frog Pond on Boston Common is the classic outdoor rink. It is run by The Skating Club of Boston with the city, opens for skating in mid-November, stays open into March and posts weather closings, so check before you go. Admission and skate rental are charged.
Boston Harbor Now's Winter on the Waterfront program adds skating and ice bumper cars at The Tall Ship on the harbor and public skating at the Steriti Memorial Rink in the North End, along with events at Christopher Columbus Park and Martin's Park.
Holiday shows: the Pops and The Nutcracker
Holiday Pops, led by Keith Lockhart at Symphony Hall, is scheduled from December 3 to 17 in 2026, with matinees, kids' matinees, sensory-friendly performances and a visit from Santa. Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker runs at the Citizens Opera House from November 27 to December 31, 2026. Both sell out for prime dates, so buy tickets when you book your trip.
The Boston Tea Party reenactment, December 16
Every December 16, Revolutionary Spaces restages the Meeting of the Body of the People at Old South Meeting House, the debate that ended with tea in the harbor on December 16, 1773, in the room where it happened. Check Revolutionary Spaces for tickets as the date approaches. The Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum on Fort Point Channel tells the rest of the story and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Holiday markets
Snowport, the holiday market in the Seaport, brings more than 125 local businesses and free admission to 100 Seaport Boulevard; in 2025 it ran from November 7 to December 28, closing on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The 2026 dates had not been announced when we checked. For a warm browse any day, the Boston Public Market near Haymarket is indoors.
Can you go whale watching in December?
No. The New England Aquarium's whale watch, run with Boston Harbor City Cruises from Central Wharf, operates from May through November. In December, see marine life at the New England Aquarium itself, which is open every day, and save the whale watch for a warmer trip: see our Boston whale watching guide.
New Year's Eve: First Night
First Night Boston has marked New Year's Eve since 1976 and is free and open to all. Its recent editions have included a parade from City Hall Plaza to Boston Common and two fireworks shows over the city; check the First Night site for the December 31, 2026 program.
Planning further ahead? See things to do in Boston in January and the best time to visit Boston.
Sources: City of Boston tree lighting; Faneuil Hall Marketplace; WHDH on Blink! (2021); Frog Pond; Boston Harbor Now; Holiday Pops; Boston Ballet; Revolutionary Spaces; New England Aquarium whale watch; First Night Boston; NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Boston Logan. Checked September 30, 2026.