Massachusetts Christmas events 2026:
10 for families.
A 45-foot spruce from Nova Scotia on Boston Common, an 1830s village lit by candlelight, and Stockbridge's Main Street closed to traffic and lined with vintage cars. Every date below was checked against the event's own site on October 30, 2026, so you can plan around real days instead of last year's.
All 10, at a glance.
| Event | Where | 2026 dates | Admission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faneuil Hall Marketplace tree lighting | Quincy Market, Boston | Sat, Nov 21 | Free |
| ZooLights at Stone Zoo | Stoneham | Nov 20–Jan 3 | Timed tickets, price varies by date; under 2 free |
| SoWa Christmas Market | South End, Boston | Nov 20–Dec 27 | $10; 12 & under free |
| Christmas by Candlelight | Old Sturbridge Village, Sturbridge | 17 nights, Nov 27–Dec 27 | $34–45 adult, $16–20 youth; 3 & under free |
| Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker | Citizens Opera House, Boston | Nov 27–Dec 31 | Paid; see Boston Ballet |
| Boston Common tree lighting | Boston Common | Thu, Dec 3, 6–8pm | Free |
| Christmas in Salem | Salem | Dec 4–6 | $40–45 advance, $50 day-of |
| Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas | Stockbridge (Berkshires) | Dec 5–6 | Sun street event $5, under 12 free |
| Midwinter Revels | Sanders Theatre, Cambridge | Dec 11–28 | Child $42–82, adult $67–107 |
| First Night Boston | Copley Square, Boston Common and more | Thu, Dec 31; schedule not posted yet | Free |
Verified October 30, 2026 against each event's own site. First Night Boston hadn't posted its 2026 schedule yet, so that row shows the fixed date only. Prices change, so confirm on each event's site before you buy.
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Berkshire vacation rentals for Stockbridge at Christmas
Lenox is the next town over from Stockbridge’s Main Street, and a walkable base for the Stockbridge Christmas weekend. We haven’t stayed in these, but they pass our filters: two real bedrooms, a full kitchen, and 8.5 or better from 25+ reviews.
Ratings and amenities were checked on Vrbo in October 2026. The buttons open Vrbo for 2 adults and 2 kids on Dec 4 to 6, the Stockbridge Main Street weekend, so you see live prices for that weekend. The Lenox condo was already booked that weekend when we checked on November 2, 2026, so its link opens with no dates.
Making a weekend of Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas? Search Vrbo rentals, already set to Lenox. Look for two bedrooms and a full kitchen. Where we would stay. Affiliate link, our disclosure.
Christmas things to do in Massachusetts,
in calendar order.
From the first tree lighting on November 21 to First Night on December 31. For each one: what the kids actually do there, what it costs, and the one logistics detail worth knowing before you go.
Faneuil Hall Marketplace tree lighting
The first big lighting of the Boston season. Live performances start at 2pm, and Santa helps light the tree at 6pm sharp with Make-A-Wish. It's a short walk from the State, Haymarket and Government Center T stops, which beats parking downtown on a Saturday. If the kids need to warm up, the indoor Holiday Market on the second floor of Quincy Market runs 11am to 7pm on weekends from November 20. Official site →
ZooLights at Stone Zoo
A walk-through light trail at a small zoo, which is the right size for toddlers. Tickets are timed, with Plan-Ahead Pricing that changes by date, and kids under 2 are free. Santa visits run on select nights from November 27 to December 23 for $5 a child on top of the ZooLights ticket. Parking is free, and you can rent a stroller there for $5 single or $7 double. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Official site →
SoWa Christmas Market
The market that used to be called the SoWa Winter Festival, now in its 11th year. It's mostly makers' booths and food, so it suits a family with one patient kid better than two restless ones. Adults pay $10 and kids 12 and under are free. Saturdays run from 10am, and parking is $10 cash in the lot at 540 Harrison Ave, which the market calls the stroller-friendly one. There's no re-entry once you leave. Official site →
Christmas by Candlelight
An 1830s village by candlelight, with Santa, model trains, a Christmas Tree Trail and horse-drawn carryall rides. It runs Friday to Sunday plus two Candlelight Thursdays (December 10 and 17, $12 a person) and December 23, and it's closed December 24 and 25. Buying by November 26 is cheapest: $34 adults and $16 for ages 4 to 17, against $40 to $45 at the door. Parking is free. Expect a lot of walking, half of it outdoors. Official site →
Boston Ballet's The Nutcracker
About two hours with one intermission, which is long for a preschooler. The better first Nutcracker for a younger or sensory-sensitive kid is the Sensory Friendly performance on Friday, December 4 at 1:30pm: about an hour and 20 minutes, with a 20-minute break. Boston Ballet's site has a Meet the Characters guide, worth reading together the week before. Official site →
Boston Common tree lighting
Nova Scotia sends Boston a tree every year to say thank you for the help after the 1917 Halifax Explosion, and that story is a good one to tell kids on the walk in. The lighting is free, next to the Visitor Information Center on Tremont Street, and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights come on right after, at about 8:15pm. It's a weeknight, so pick your spot early and bring a snack. Official site →
Christmas in Salem
A self-guided tour of decorated private homes, run by Historic Salem Inc. The 2026 theme is "Seas and Greetings." Tours run Saturday 10:30am to 4pm and Sunday 11:30am to 4pm, and tickets are $40 for members and $45 for everyone else in advance. Honestly, this one is for parents and older kids who like old houses. We know Salem from Halloween with the girls, and a little one won't get much out of other people's living rooms. Official site →
Stockbridge Main Street at Christmas
The day Stockbridge recreates Norman Rockwell's Main Street painting. Sunday from noon to 2pm is the one for kids: Main Street closes to traffic, more than 25 vintage cars line the street, and there's Santa and Mrs. Claus, crafts and fire trucks. It's $5 a person and free under 12. Saturday is the grown-up day, with a $35 historic house tour and a $40 concert. Horse-drawn wagon rides cost extra. Official site →
Midwinter Revels
A winter solstice show with music, dance and a children's chorus in the cast,. This year's is set on the Great Plains. Child tickets run $42 to $82, or $22 for a partial view, and the December 11 preview is cheaper. Matinees start at 1 or 2pm, which is the better choice for younger kids. Official site →
First Night Boston
Free New Year's Eve across downtown, with ice sculptures, family activities and a procession from Copley Square to Boston Common. The 2026 schedule hadn't posted when we checked (the site is "getting ready for First Night Boston 2027"). Last year was December 31, 2025, the 50th. When it posts, look under Family Activities for the kid-friendly, before-bedtime events. Official site →
You won't do all 10.
Here's how we'd choose.
We're on the New Hampshire seacoast, so most of Massachusetts is a drive south for us. If you're picking a few:
Faneuil Hall, the Boston Common lighting and First Night cost nothing. Stockbridge's Sunday street event is $5, and free under 12.
ZooLights. A small zoo, an early time slot and a rented stroller make it the easiest night out on this list. The Sensory Friendly Nutcracker is the first-ballet pick.
Christmas by Candlelight in Sturbridge or Stockbridge's Main Street weekend. Both are a whole day, and Stockbridge turns into a weekend if you add the Berkshires. Our Berkshires with kids guide covers the rest.
Midwinter Revels, the full Nutcracker, or Christmas in Salem's house tour. They all sit indoors and run long, and a 9-year-old will get more out of them than a 4-year-old.
Looking beyond
Massachusetts?
This list is one state in our holiday series. The New England roundup adds Newport, Mystic and Ice Castles, or skip the research and have us plan the trip.
What families ask about
Christmas in Massachusetts.
What are the best Christmas things to do in Massachusetts with kids?
For young kids, the Faneuil Hall tree lighting on November 21, ZooLights at Stone Zoo and Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village. For older kids, add the Boston Ballet Nutcracker and Midwinter Revels in Cambridge.
Where are the best Christmas lights in Massachusetts?
ZooLights at Stone Zoo in Stoneham runs nightly from November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027. Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village is quieter, lit by candles and lanterns. In Boston, the Common's tree and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall lights both come on December 3.
When is the Faneuil Hall tree lighting in 2026?
Saturday, November 21, 2026. Performances start at 2pm and Santa lights the tree at 6pm. It's free, and the State, Haymarket and Government Center T stops are all a short walk away.
When is the Boston Common tree lighting in 2026?
Thursday, December 3, 2026, from 6 to 8pm, next to the Visitor Information Center. It's free. The tree is a gift from Nova Scotia.
What is Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village?
An 1830s living-history village lit by candlelight, with Santa, model trains, a Christmas Tree Trail and horse-drawn carryall rides. In 2026 it runs 17 nights from November 27 to December 27, and it's closed December 24 and 25.
Which Massachusetts holiday events are free?
The Faneuil Hall and Boston Common tree lightings, and First Night Boston. Stockbridge's Sunday street event is $5 and free under 12. ZooLights, Christmas by Candlelight, the SoWa Christmas Market, Christmas in Salem, Midwinter Revels and the Nutcracker charge admission.