🦃 Turkey day things to do

🦃 Programming note: The B-Side is off for the rest of the week, so you won’t hear from us Thursday or Friday, but we’ll be back in your inboxes next week. Have a very happy Thanksgiving! 

🍺 And in the meantime ... Tonight — aka Thanksgiving eve — is the townie bar Super Bowl, so go enjoy making a fool of yourself in front of your family and friends sans responsibilities. 

👀 What’s on tap today:

Up first...

We are T-minus one day until Thanksgiving. And whether you’re traveling and going all out, or staying in and ordering takeout, we would never take a vacay without leaving you with some things to do. 

Here’s what we’ve got:

🦃 Have Thanksgiving dinner without the cleanup. Calling all last-minute planners: If you’re not into cooking, there is absolutely no shortage of places to dine in Boston for Thanksgiving (But we recommend calling ahead if you’re making last-minute plans!) Boston.com created this extremely comprehensive guide to dining out for Turkey Day if you’re searching for a spot. Plus: If you are cooking, here are which grocery stores will be open on Thanksgiving Day. You’re welcome in advance.

❤️ Spend some time giving back. Often, volunteer sites receive overwhelming interest around the holidays, so if you’re struggling to find somewhere to give your time, one of the best ways to give back is through donating. Here’s a great list of places to consider, including food banks, shelters, and more. And if you do want to volunteer, we recommend perusing the list on Boston.gov’s “Nourish Our Neighbors” page for current opportunities.

🏃Hit up a turkey trot. Beloved tradition that gets the whole family moving, or awful ploy to force you off the couch on your Thanksgiving vacation? You decide! If you’re pro-turkey trot, consider checking out the Franklin Park Turkey Trot 5k in Dorchester. Looking for more? Here’s a Globe list of pretty much every turkey trot in Greater Boston.

🛍️ Shop ’til you drop. With Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday coming up, there will be many an opportunity to make a dent in your holiday shopping. For Black Friday, check out a list of early deals by WCVB. And support local businesses at Small Business Saturday events like this one at Somerville’s Bow Market, or this one in JP’s Egleston Square. For more options, here’s a list of close to 50 beloved small businesses by Boston.com readers.

📺 Curl up with a classic. What better time is there to catch up on your favorite show, rewatch that movie, or get into something new? This list from the Globe rounds up some classic movies that just feel like fall, from Little Women to Good Will Hunting. For something more niche, here's a list of under-the-radar TV shows recommended by Globe readers, which has something for everyone. For a watch that’s hand-picked by an expert, check out Boston.com’s current five must-watch movies and shows. 

— Written by Gia Orsino

🎄Spruce up your home for the holidays! The Fenway Tree Farm turns the neighborhood into a veritable forest from now until Dec. 25. Pick up the pine-scented Christmas decor of your dreams — from wreaths, garland, and an apartment-friendly tree to a 12-foot-tall showstopper (if you’re one of the lucky ones). Powered by North Pole Xmas Trees, drive-in service is available on-site at 1400 Boylston St. from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the tree farm team even offers setup and delivery for those who aren’t so DIY. 

Enter to win our BIGGEST giveaway yet (worth $600!+). We’ve curated a gift basket containing items from some of Boston's favorite brands (Think Handlebar Cycling, Big Night Entertainment, Down Under Yoga and more!). Refer a friend before 11/27 to be eligible–If you have already referred a friend to B-Side (and they’ve accepted), you're already enrolled! Full details below*

🧪 If you’re feeling under the weather, you might want to think twice. Levels of COVID-19 detected in Boston wastewater have gone up enough this week to prompt a response from local Public Health officials. As of Nov. 15, the copies of RNA per millimeter in the water had gone up 93 percent compared to the previous two weeks. Officials are distributing 10,000 free rapid COVID-19 testing kits around the city, and encouraging people to get vaccinated. You can find information about test distribution here, and find a vaccine site here.

🏀 Boston teams are making it a little harder to be grateful this week. The Celtics and Bruins have each had a hot start to their season, but both teams took unexpected L’s in overtime Monday night. The Celtics went down 121-118 to the Hornets after blowing a big fourth-quarter lead, and the Bruins lost to the Lightning 5-4 after failing to seal the deal in overtime when the Lightning scored a game-winning goal. But on the bright side: At least we didn’t have to watch the Pats play this past weekend.

🎸 It looks like you can always get what you want. That is, if what you want is to see the Rolling Stones at Gillette next year. The band will stop in Foxboro as a part of their “Hackney Diamonds” tour, which takes its name from the group’s newly released album. Hackney Diamonds is the Stones’ first studio album of new material since 2005, and their first album since the death of their original drummer, Charlie Watts, in 2021. You can get tickets to the show here starting Dec. 1 at 10 a.m.

🍺 We all know Thanksgiving, but may we present to you … City Tap’s (free!) pre-Thanksgiving bash: Drinksgiving. If you’re looking to be spared the potential emotional trauma of seeing your high school boyfriend at your local townie bar, this is the place to be. The event will have seasonal food and drink (like the iced and spiced whiskey chai), live music, and dancing tonight, Nov. 22, from 8 p.m. to closing. The bar area is first come, first served, but you can make reservations for their dining room here. 

— Written by Gia Orsino

Oh! We almost forgot to mention one other holiday must-watch. You might’ve heard about Newton native Eli Roth's new horror movie Thanksgiving. But did you know that he thinks its “the most Massachusetts horror movie ever”?

That’s right. Throughout the movie, which is set in Plymouth — in between the holiday-themed murders at the hands of a John Carver-esque villain — you’ll catch jabs at Hanover and Methuen, and references to everything from Papa Gino’s to frappes and jimmies. 

Part of the inspiration for Ross to make the movie as local as he did was the fact that Mass. hasn’t been prominently featured in a slasher movie. “I wanted to see Massholes in a slasher film,” Roth said. And, I mean, so do we.

— Written by Gia Orsino

🎬 Thanks for reading! If we haven’t already sold you, the movie also features Maine native and recently dubbed sexiest man alive Patrick Dempsey!

💜Special Shoutout to today's sponsor, Samuels and Associates, for supporting local journalism and bringing holiday fun to Boston.

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