We’re back again, Boston.
☕️🧣 It’s time to put on something warm-but-cute, order a cozy beverage, and actually lean into winter for once (no matter how badly you’d rather stay in and hibernate).
👀 What’s on tap today:
Holiday happenings worth putting on real pants for
Two can’t-miss shows that define festive magic
A few perfect pre-show plans to maximize your night
Up first…
The best way to spend the holidays
Image: iStock
🎄✨December should feel magical — not a blur of errands, gift receipts, and trying to remember where you put the tape. So this year, we partnered with Boston Ballet and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company to put together a little holiday roadmap — one with experiences that make the season feel cozy, meaningful, and just chaotic enough to count as “festive” instead of “unhinged.”
🦃Whether you’re entertaining out-of-towners, planning a date, or just craving a couple hours of escapism, consider this your guide to unlocking your holiday alter ego: the version of you who actually enjoys winter.
TOGETHER WITH BOSTON BALLET
🩰 For when you need instant holiday magic
Image: Boston Ballet in Mikko Nissinen's The Nutcracker by Liza Voll
🩰❄️The curtain rises, the snow starts to fall, and suddenly you remember why you love December. Boston Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker” is the ultimate holiday tradition — a sparkle-drenched spectacle with Tchaikovsky, toy soldiers, and choreography that makes you want to immediately improve your posture. Grab tickets (before they sell out), get dressed up, and don’t skip the lobby photo op. Your Instagram will thank you.
📍Boston Ballet’s “The Nutcracker” | Citizen’s Opera House | Nov. 28 - Dec. 28
TOGETHER WITH COMMONWEALTH SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
👻 For a reminder of what the holidays are really about
Image: Nile Scott Studios
🧑🎄If you come to this show as a holiday skeptic, you definitely won’t leave one. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company takes Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” classic and makes it feel surprisingly modern — sharp humor, emotional gut punches, and ghosts with enough charisma to make you rethink your entire life choices. Secure your tickets and watch Will Lyman as Scrooge embark on a journey of self-discovery through spectacle, music, and magic. You’ll laugh, you’ll tear up, and you’ll definitely walk out with a smile on your face.
📍Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” | Emerson Cutler Majestic Theater | Dec. 6-23
TOGETHER WITH THE FROG POND IN THE COMMON
⛸️ For cute date nights and the perfect IG photo dump
Image: iStock
⛸️ Nothing says “holiday Hallmark vibes” like gripping someone’s arm while desperately trying not to fall on ice skates. The Frog Pond in the Common is peak winter nostalgia — complete with skyline views, twinkle lights, and hot chocolate that tastes better simply because your face is cold. Bring gloves. And pride. (You may lose one of these. Possibly both.)
📍Ice Skating at the Frog Pond | Boston Common | Opening late November (weather permitting)
TOGETHER WITH SNOWPORT
✨ For when your holiday personality is… “I must wander and browse”
Image: iStock
🍷Snowport is back with chalets, lights, mulled wine, and more places to shop than your credit card can emotionally handle. Stop here for a little pre-show activity before “The Nutcracker” or “A Christmas Carol” and spend an evening buying knick-knacks and ornaments you definitely don’t need (but your exceptionally large holiday decor box at home will love).
📍Snowport Winter Village | Seaport | Nov. 7 – Dec. 28
QUICK QUESTION
🗳️ What’s your holiday to-do calendar this year?
Let us know below!
ONE LAST THING
❄️ Fun fact: “The Nutcracker” almost wasn’t called “The Nutcracker”
The original working title for the ballet was “The Christmas Tree” and, alternatively, “The Fir Tree.” (Thankfully, someone had the good sense to change it to something a little less less Home Depot–aisle-12)
-- Written by Tori Waltz, Studio/B, Boston Globe Media’s branded content studio (The editorial team was not involved in the creation of this B-Side Extra Edition)
🍂 Thanks for reading! Now go start romanticizing winter like the main character you are.
💜 Special shoutout to today’s sponsors, Boston Ballet and Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, for sponsoring this extra B-Side send and making the holidays in Boston extra special.