🎄😉 These bars are on our nice list

🎄🚃 Now arriving: The ~festive~ Green Line. First, it was googly eyes. Now, the MBTA has decked out a Green Line train for the holidays with lights and stickers. We gotta say, it’d be a little cuter if the line weren’t currently in a 15-day shutdown … but we appreciate the effort!

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first…

🍪💜 On the eighth day of B-Side, the newsletter gave to me … a free, exclusive B-Side Member cookie! Lakon is famous for its intricate pastries, impossibly flaky croissants, and aesthetic baked goods. For 12 Days of B-Side, they created a special cookie just for B-Side Members — the perfect treat to enjoy alongside your weekend coffee run. And as a bonus, B-Side Members also get a free coffee with any pastry purchase when they show their B-Side pass.

👀 Want in? All B-Side Members can grab this free treat by visiting their Seaport location today, 12/15, or tomorrow 12/16!

Now, onto our regularly scheduled programming …

Let’s face it: Not all holiday pop-ups are created equal. While a good one can be downright magical, a bad one can leave you out $70 with some serious Grinch energy. 

So, for this month’s edition of B-Side Certified, we tried four of Greater Boston’s buzziest holiday venues, from classics to sleeper hits, to tell you what’s worth a res:

🧑‍🎄 Loco’s Santa’s Cantina is … WORTH IT. Though we tend to be wary of spots with a lot of social media hype, we’re happy to report that Santa’s Cantina deserves it. The holiday decor was over-the-top without being migraine-inducing, the drink specials looked and tasted better than they needed to (shout out the “It’s a Wonderful Life”), and the crowd had plenty of holiday cheer without being overly rowdy. The only skip? The $16 Nutella skillet bun, which was just OK. Bonus: Santa himself will be there Dec. 21!

🎄 The Liberty Bar is … NOT WORTH IT. While this isn’t technically a holiday pop-up, after years of our timelines being bombarded with pics of its iconic upside-down hanging Christmas trees, we thought we’d give it a whirl. Unfortunately, we found that the effect isn’t quite as magical IRL, and without any other festive decor or menu items, there was very little holiday cheer. Also, the $19 cocktails were a little watery. It’s a no from us, dawg.

🕎 Noir Bar’s Maccabee Bar is … WORTH IT. While many Christmas pop-ups tend to prioritize style over substance, this Hanukkah-themed pop-up is the opposite. You’re not coming for over-the-top decor or Instagrammable moments. You’re coming for the delightfully creative drink menu with offerings like the Latke Sour (potato, apple brandy); Jewish Christmas (szechuan peppercorn, sesame rye); and Manischewitz jello shots. While some of the more unconventional flavors didn’t fully hit, we’re giving it an A+ for creativity, and a B+ for execution. 

✨ Miracle at Mystic Station is … SO WORTH IT. We gotta say, we saved the best for last. This otherwise small, unassuming pub in Malden Center has undergone a complete and total DIY Christmas transformation, and the overall effect is cozy and magical in a way a bigger, more commercial spot couldn’t replicate. No wall is un-tinseled, and no surface is without a festive knick knack, and the many special cocktails (which were good, if heavy on the holiday flavors) even come in wacky themed mugs. Run, don’t walk!

❤️‍🩹 Good news: generosity is always in season. Donate to the MGH Fund in someone’s honor this holiday season and give a gift that’s thoughtful, impactful, and matched — so your support goes twice as far in advancing research, supporting caregivers, and helping patients when it matters most. Plus, it’s tax-deductible, so you can head into the new year feeling both generous and financially confident. Make a donation today and consider your holiday-shopping stress officially solved.

💔 Tragedy struck on a campus close to home. ICYMI: On Saturday afternoon, a shooting at Providence’s Brown University killed two students and injured nine others. As of Sunday evening, a person of interest is in custody, and the school’s finals were cancelled. Many local officials and politicians, including President Trump, were quick to offer their sympathy for the school and victims, while Harvard beefed up security “out of an abundance of caution.” Keep up with the latest here, and here’s a link to free resources for anyone impacted.

🥦 Mass. is one step closer to (legally) lighting up in public. It only took 10 years, but on Thursday, the Cannabis Control Commission approved regulations for cannabis cafes in Mass. Translation: The vote lays the groundwork for public spaces where folks can legally smoke, vape, or eat weed — from dispensaries, to yoga studios, and even festivals — so long as their town or city opts in, they get a license, and follow the rules, of course. But before you grab your lighters: Even if all goes well, we likely won’t see one actually open until 2027.

🥶 Brace for another arctic blast. With the coldest start to December in 17 years and the city’s first measurable snow in nearly 300 days under our belts, it’s safe to say that Boston winter is wintering. And it’s only gonna get colder: On Monday, that pesky polar vortex will plunge temperatures back into the teens and 20s, though it could feel like sub-zero with wind chill, especially in the morning. Thankfully, temps will rebound on Tuesday. Keep up with the latest here. 

🎁 This is your sign to mail out those Christmas gifts. And by sign, we mean warning! According to the USPS, if you want your packages to arrive by Dec. 25, you’ll need to have them shipped by Dec. 17. If you’re willing to shell out for first class or priority service, you’ll have another day or two of wiggle room, but by Dec. 21, you’re out of luck. Shipping gifts internationally? You have until Dec.16 if you spring for priority mail express international. Here are the deets.

Get in on the honky-tonk holiday spirit with $8 off $30 at Loretta’s Last Call using code LASTCALL25. Load up on Nashville hot chicken, BBQ, and all the Southern comfort faves — then make a plan to hit their Live Band Line Dancing every Wednesday from 8–11 p.m. It’s free, it’s festive, and yes, you will be sore the next morning.

🏒 Get pumped for Boston’s biggest college rivalry. Tickets to the 2026 Dunkin’ Beanpot go on sale TODAY at 10 a.m. New here? It’s Boston’s iconic hockey tourney where BU, BC, Harvard, and Northeastern play for the ultimate bragging rights. 

📚 Bang out your holiday shopping. For $25 on Dec. 15, you can shop All She Wrote Books privately with the help of a book concierge, and get free gift wrapping. The best part? You get $25 off, so its basically free. Book a slot here!

✨ Make all your 2026 dreams come true. Bow Market is keeping our end-of-year anxiety low and vibes high at this holiday vision board and breathwork party on Dec. 16. Imagine: Lots of deep breaths, lots of crafting, and a glass of bubbly.

🍫 Stretch, chocolate, cocoa, repeat. A cozy yoga class + a Taza Chocolate Factory tour + a cup of cocoa = your post-work plans on Dec. 17 at Taza’s holiday chocolate extravaganza.

🕎 Celebrate Hanukkah at the MFA. Dreidel art-making, music, performances — that’s just a taste of what’s on deck at the MFA’s Hanukkah Third Thursday night on Dec. 18. Bonus: It’s only $5 to get in!

🪴 Pot your holiday presents. Sprout by Cityscapes is hosting a festive plant potting party on Dec. 18. No experience (or plants) necessary, just bring your holly jolly self, and they’ll provide the rest!

🌃 See Franklin Park in the dark. It’s not scary, we promise! Boston’s Walking City Trail will be there to guide you on a night hike through the park Dec. 18. Reward yourself with a brew and a hang at Drawdown Brewing after. 

🏃 Light up your run. Grab your ugliest Christmas sweater, lace up your sneaks, and head to Heartbreak Hill Running Co.’s Newton location for a chill holiday lights run on Dec. 19 followed by cocoa and cookies.

ONE LAST THING

Karen Read’s car is going up for auction. Yes, that car, the one she was accused of using to unalive her cop ex-boyfriend in what became Mass.’ most notorious trial of the year. And now, YOU can buy it!

In case you’re wondering, the car — a Black Lexus SUV with about 12,000 miles — was purchased by JB Auto Care in Weymouth after sitting in police custody for years. Apparently, it required quite a bit of work, including an oil change, clearing a rodent infestation, and, of course … a tail light repair. 

As-is, the car would usually be worth about $70,000, but could go for up to triple that thanks to its ~history~, all of which will be donated to support Read. The auction should take place in late January.

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

🚘 Thanks for reading! Dying to know who’s gonna drop $210,000 on this formerly rodent-infested car.

💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsor, The MGH Fund, for supporting local journalism and keeping our city healthy. 

☕ The results are in: 47% of readers said they’d rather have whipped cream than marshmallows in their hot cocoa. One reader said: “I'm a Mass. girlie... give me the fluff!” Mind. Blown.

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