⏰🤑 At this bank, *everything* is free

🕯️ The Boston Public Library will cure your winter blues. On Dec. 13, the Central branch is doling out FREE first-come, first-served hygge kits with a cozy book, crafts, cocoa, tea, a mug cake recipe, and a little candle. Take that, seasonal depression!

🎉 And happy birthday to B-Sider Kelsey Barley! Much like hygge, we hope your day is cozy, warm, and wonderful. You’re the best!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

💆 On the sixth day of B-Side, the newsletter gave to me … 10 50-minute massages (valued at $121 each)! Healthworks is a staple in Boston’s women's wellness community, known for its restorative, high-quality treatments that help you unwind, reset, and support your overall well-being. These massages are designed to ease muscle tension, reduce stress, and offer a moment of calm during one of the busiest months of the year — the ultimate self-care treat.

👀 Want in? Just be one of the first 10 B-Side Members to fill out the form in your email TODAY between 2–3 p.m.

Now, onto our regularly scheduled programming …

Don’t have cash to spend? How about ~time~? Between inflation, tariffs, and an unstable job market, New Englanders are showing a renewed interest in time banking, a.k.a. the practice of trading volunteer services for credit, according to the Globe. 

Here’s what to know:

⏰ Time banks allow folks to trade their time for services. Think: If you’re a great cook, you might make a meal for your neighbor each week. For each hour of work you put into cooking, you’d receive credit to “spend” on someone else’s services — whether that’s a ride to the airport, babysitting, garden work, whatever! These banks are generally run online by local nonprofits, with most folks virtually logging their time and planning exchanges.

📍 They exist right here in our backyard. Cambridge-based Time Trade Circle was founded back in 2004, and has since grown to ~675 members. hOur Exchange in Maine has over 1,500 members. But that’s just the beginning. Around the world, there are half a million time bankers.

📉 It tends to get popular when the economy stinks. Time banking was first conceived in the 1960s, but really took off after the 2008 market crash. The practice fell off slightly with the onset of COVID and apps like Nextdoor and TaskRabbit, but these days, interest is back on the rise as folks seek more cost-cutting measures. 

🤝 But spoiler: It’s not just about the money. “People seem to need community, but not everyone has found their way back to it yet,” Time Trade Circle board member Cindy Wentz told the Globe. And time banking can be a great way to get involved. Case in point: Members Betsy Leondar-Wright and Jan Innes have been time banking together for 15 years — Leondar-Wright cooks for Innes, who racks up credits by mending clothes and jewelry. And while the exchange was transactional at first, these days it’s turned into “a wonderful friendship.”

🙋‍♀️ Gen Z may be the next frontier. Most time bankers tend to skew … old. But that may change soon! Though most younger folks don't have as much time on their hands as a retiree, many are in desperate need of both $$$ and community, and have certainly shown interest in the practice (see: the bean and barter market). And according to Linda Villalobos, a member of the Newburyport time bank’s engagement team who’s trying to recruit Gen Zers, it’s not as big of a commitment as it seems, with virtually no barrier to entry or minimum requirement of time spent.

🤔 Interested? You can read the whole story here.

🖼️🎨 Some things only come around every 50 years; Halley’s Comet, a perfect hair day, and — now at the Museum of Fine Arts — Winslow Homer’s watercolors. The special exhibition “Of Light and Air: Winslow Homer in Watercolor” brings this group of nearly 50 works together for the first time in almost a half century, many of which rarely see the light (literally) because of their fragility and sensitivity. Catch it before it closes Jan. 19, and if you want an extra-easy entry point, swing by the MFA’s $5 Third Thursday on Dec. 18. This is one exhibition you won’t want to miss. 

💸 A “tax bomb” may be coming for some student loan borrowers. An estimated 100,000 people whose student loans were canceled through income-driven repayment could see thousands of extra dollars in tax bills next year. Why? Well, usually, when debt is canceled, the outstanding balance is considered taxable income, but in 2021, President Biden’s American Rescue Plan carved out an exception for folks using income-driven repayment. However, that exception is set to expire on Jan. 1. So unless President Trump or Congress act soon, the tax bomb will detonate.

🤯 Wait, Boston rent is going … DOWN? It’s true. For the first time since 2021, Boston’s average rent has ticked slightly down … to $3,042. Yes, that’s still disgustingly expensive. But the drop represents a major shift for the city’s historically hyper-competitive rental market. Vacancy rates are up thanks to a combo of out-of-state migration, a cooling biotech industry, and tighter student visa restrictions. And more vacancies = lower prices. That said, since said vacancies are more driven by “economic jitters” than, ya know, actually building enough housing, it likely won’t last.

🩺 Mass. Health Connector members are dropping like flies. TL;DR: Over 10,000 Mass. residents facing huge spikes in premiums have dropped their health insurance plans ahead of the Dec. 23 open enrollment deadline — double the number of cancellations compared with last year. Similar to the student loan “tax bomb,” the spike would come from expiring federal tax credits that were established by the American Rescue Plan in 2021. So, the ball is in Congress’ court to extend them by year’s end. For now, state officials are recommending folks with concerns seek assistance ASAP.

🧊 Introducing: The Boston ICE Tea Party. In protest of local ICE immigration arrests, activist groups Boston Indivisible and Mass 50501 are throwing what they call the “Boston ICE Tea Party” on Dec. 16 (yes, that’s the actual Boston Tea Party’s 252nd anniversary). True to form, the protest will involve throwing ice cubes into the Boston Harbor. It’ll all start with a 7:15 p.m. rally at the Irish Famine Memorial Plaza, followed by a march to the Waterfront Plaza, where at 7:50, the ice will drop. Here are the deets.

Some nights call for comfort food. Use code HARVARDBG to snag $8 off when you spend $30 at Harvard Gardens and dig into their iconic wings, flatbreads, and New England pub classics. Whether you’re cozying up after a frigid commute or hosting an impromptu game-night feast, this deal brings the warmth (and the carbs).

Below are some of the hottest local things to do. This month, B-Side members can save more than $150 across our events, in addition to over 60 other awesome perks. 

❄️ Stay at the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport and skip the Snowport line! | Now - Dec. 28 | Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport | This is your sign to book a staycation at Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport. You’ll be able to skip the Snowport line with an exclusive guest access code, and you’ll enjoy the hotel’s fabulous amenities and dining.

🎁 SoWa Winter Festival | Now - Dec. 28 | SoWa Power Station | $10 | Check out South End’s maze of makers at SoWa Winter Festival, where you can grab a festive drink, find the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, and soak up all the twinkly, cozy energy.

🎨 Holiday Community Art Night | Dec. 11 | 6 - 8 p.m. | Boston Public Market | We’re joining forces with Boston Public Market and Laurel Greenfield Art to paint holiday prints and sip seasonal drinks from George Howell Coffee. Get $5 off with code BSIDE5!

🍕$10 off $30 at Time Out Market | Dec. 12 | All day | Time Out Market | Need Friday dinner plans? Start a free membership trial, then head to Time Out Market to get $10 off your $30 in-market order. Our picks? Anoush’ella and Gogo ya.

🧑‍🎄 Monument Ugly Sweater Party | Dec. 18 | 7 p.m. | Monument Charlestown | Everybody needs an ugly sweater party on their holiday calendar, so head to Monument for their 8th annual fundraiser featuring a silent auction, raffle prizes, drink specials, and a prize for the ugliest sweater (of course).

👀 Want to feature your upcoming event above? Click here.

Wait. Is that Globe engagement announcement for … Robert Pattinson and Zendaya? Yes it is. But no, it’s not real. 

The buzzy "announcement” that dropped in The Boston Globe’s physical paper on Tuesday was actually an ad for their upcoming movie, “The Drama.” If you remember, the duo was in town filming the movie back in 2024 — which gave us one of the funnier local news moments of the year. 

Since then, we hadn’t heard much about the film, but the “announcement” drops some major lore: Zendaya’s character, Emma Harwood, is a 2017 BU grad who works at the fictional Mission Books, and Pattinson’s, Charlie Thompson, is the director of the fictional Cambridge Art Museum and has a PhD from Tufts. 

Apparently, they’ll be wed April 3, 2026 (a.k.a. the film’s release day), but something tells us it’s not going to go as planned. 

You can watch a teaser for “The Drama” here.

— Written by Gia Orsino, Emily Schario, and Claire Nicholas

🗞️ Thanks for reading! And they say, print is dead!

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, for supporting local journalism and bringing culturally rich experiences to our city.

🍕 The results are in: Our official B-Side pizza is coming to life! 60% of B-Siders picked a red sauce, though this reader wasn’t thrilled: “Noooo don’t be boring with red!! Anything but red!!!” Sorry, babe …

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