Photo: Lynne Graves

Discover your newest tradition this season with Hampshire Holidays! Join in the Lighting of the Merry Maple in Amherst, where you’ll take a horse-drawn sleigh ride on your way to a town-wide celebration. Need to pick up a few more stocking stuffers? You’ll find craft fairs and artisan markets, and unique gifts in the fabulous indoor marketplaces of Thornes Marketplace, Eastworks, and The Mill District. Soak up nostalgic holiday magic with a performance of The Nutcracker on the historic Academy of Music stage. Ready for a break? Settle in for holiday tea at Inn on Boltwood. And that's all before we ring in the New Year at the area's premier First Night celebration! Find the true magic of New England holidays, and enjoy the best of the season in Hampshire County!



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Get into the holiday spirit with exciting events across North Central Massachusetts! Enjoy the Festival of Trees in Leominster, Nightlights at New England Botanic Garden or Red Apple Farm, and Groton Winter Fest. Explore art at Icon Museum’s First Free Sunday, catch a concert at Groton Hill Music, or enjoy Photos with Santa, festive Sip & Shop events, A Christmas Carol at Hanover Theatre, and special holiday meals at local wineries and restaurants. Ring in the new year with a New Year’s Eve celebration at Wachusett Mountain.



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December on Martha’s Vineyard is the most magical time of year. Check out island-wide happenings at a Very Vineyard Holiday! The island glitters in Christmas array, fairs, island shops aglow, horse-drawn carriage rides Wreath Festival Workshops (Dec 1,2 & 3 1 to 4 pm); . Holiday events, such as World Market Holiday Shop (December 1-6), Vineyard Haven’s ‘Tis the Season (December 5-7); Winter West Tisbury Farmers Market (12/6 + 12/20); 44th Christmas in Edgartown (11-14 December) including Parade (12/14 11AM); Vineyard Artisans Holiday Show (12/20-21). Check holiday stays here!


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“Shadow Visionaries French Artists Against the Current, 1840–70” is on view starting December 20th at The Clark. Although Realism dominated mid-nineteenth-century France, many artists outside painting embraced imagination, dreams, and allegory. Figures like Victor Hugo, Charles Meryon, and Rodolphe Bresdin, along with early French photographers, created art rooted in memory and fantasy. These “shadow visionaries” used prints and photographs to evoke spiritual consciousness, blending Gothic nostalgia, social critique, and literary fantasy in their work from 1840 to 1870.

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Hello, Winter! Kick off the season with breakfast with Santa 12/7 at Dave & Busters or 12/14 at the Verve or take a photo with the big guy at BORO Sugar Shack on 12/6. Enjoy a Symphony Pro Musica concert 12/7. Start your holiday shopping at Umbrella Arts’ Winter Market 12/5-7, HCA Holiday Marketplace 12/6, or Jack’s Abby’s German Christmas Market 12/6-14—and follow us on social @VisitMetroWest to learn about locally-made gifts every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve! 



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Photo: Emily Elisabeth Photography

Nantucket in December is dreamy; its world-renowned 51st Nantucket Christmas Stroll Weekend December 5-7, with its magic, beauty and wonder, draws visitors from Massachusetts, New England, America and around the world! Nantucket Noel (thrpugh December 31). Its Nantucket Stroll Marketplace is renowned and celebrated! Dine at renowned and venerated restaurants open for this year’s Stroll (reservations recommended)! Holiday Red Ticket Program’s big winnings! Enjoy Stroll Wine Tasting (free) 12/4 2 to 5 pm. Christmas Carolers at Nantucket Hotel (12/5 5 to 6 pm), Yuletide Fair (12/6, 10 am to 4 pm), book signings and much more!

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Photo: Paul Lyden

Experience the sights, sounds, and magic of Christmas at the Seacoast’s most beloved holiday tradition, the Sea Festival of Trees, now through December 7. Stroll through a forest of 140 sparkling trees adorned with thousands of glittering lights. Celebrate Christmas in Rockport throughout the month of December for holiday fun and celebrations! Santa arrives at T-Wharf on Saturday, December 6 for photos followed by the Dock Square Tree Lighting Ceremony. Can’t miss New England’s brightest holiday tradition, A Christmas Carol, running 12/4–12/21 at the North Shore Music Theatre.

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Norwell’s Company Theatre presents live performances of one of the most beloved musicals of all time! Featuring a trove of cherished songs, including “Climb Ev’ry Mountain,” “My Favorite Things,” and “Do-Re-Mi,” The Sound of Music has won the hearts of audiences worldwide. Performances run through December 21. Check out www.companytheatre.org for dates, times and tickets. Visit www.seeplymouth.com for a full month of holiday delights!


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Southeastern MA

’Tis the Season! Southeastern Massachusetts shines during the holidays with dazzling lights, festive markets, and family events —there’s something magical for everyone this season. Here are a few featured events across the region:  Lasallette Festival of Lights, VIVA FALL RIVER Holiday Events AHA ! Night - New Bedford Festive Whaling Museum Moby Dick Marathon Downtown Taunton Events- Festival of Lights FarmCoastExperience Double Decker Bus- Holiday Tours

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Berkshire Museum’s beloved winter exhibition comes to the historic Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA, with Festival of Trees: Barn To Be Wild! Explore this landmark site and enjoy creatively decorated trees inspired by this year’s theme, celebrating the partnership with the Berkshires’ oldest working farm. Open Fridays - Sundays, November 21 - December 28, from 11 am to 4 pm. Purchase tickets here.

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Celebrate the season with two festive weekends of Holiday Open Studios at Western Avenue Studios & Lofts on December 6 and 13 from 12 to 5 pm. Explore five floors of studios and two floors of artist lofts, featuring handmade gifts from more than 350 local artists — from fine art and ceramics to jewelry, textiles, décor, and unique stocking stuffers. Enjoy warm drinks, the co-op gallery, and food trucks. Free, family- and dog-friendly (leashes, please!). Shop local this holiday season.

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Photo: Old Sturbridge Village

Central Massachusetts dazzles December nights: Festival of Lights (12/5) glows on the Worcester Common, Night Lights dazzle at New England Botanic Garden, and Winter Wonderland delights at Southwick’s Zoo. Families flock to destinations hosting longstanding traditions such as Christmas by Candlelight at Old Sturbridge Village, Worcester Railer’s Home for the Holidays, and A Christmas Carol at The Hanover Theatre. Make new memories this year at EcoTarium’s Frosty Festival and Winter in Wooville at Polar Park. 



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Celebrate the holidays in downtown Greenfield as Main Street transforms for JingleFest Friday, December 5 and Saturday, December 6! Enjoy two days of family-friendly fun, local shopping, and festive cheer. Ride horse-drawn wagons, decorate wreaths, cookies, and gingerbread houses, and explore Bows and Branches workshops. Live music and dance performances fill the streets, while markets, business specials, Santa photos, and a downtown Amazing Race-style adventure add extra holiday magic. Most activities are free or low-cost, making it the perfect winter getaway for families, friends, and holiday shoppers. Find a full schedule here!

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Boston’s Holiday Drone Shows light up the sky above the Public Garden each Saturday through December at 6 pm and 8 pm, with 15-minute performances featuring hundreds of synchronized, illuminated drones. Expect festive shapes, holiday scenes, and surprising animated moments shimmering over the park. Free and family-friendly, the shows offer a magical winter experience steps from downtown. Bundle up, arrive early for a good viewing spot, and Boston’s newest and brightest seasonal tradition.



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Warm up for your holiday season with a little Cape Cod! Recapture the essence of the holiday season here by the sea. Stay in a cozy B&B, book a relaxing spa experience, dine fireside, and bundle up for a walk on the seashore. Savor such quintessential holiday experiences as the illuminated Pilgrim Monument, joyful concerts & parades, and festive village strolls. A vibrant arts community, seasonal pop-up markets and picturesque Main Streets offer plenty of opportunities to shop local for your holiday gifts! Plan your holiday getaway today at CapeCodChamber.org.

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Get ready to light up your festive season in Western Mass! Step into a winter wonderland of scents & holiday fun. Visit Yankee Candle Village, celebrate in true Seussian style with Grinch-themed fun at the Springfield Museums, enjoy ice skating under the lights at MGM Springfield, stroll through thousands of lights at McCray’s Farm Holiday Light Stroll, drive through over 750,000 lights at Bright Nights in Forest Park, and explore a 3/4-mile light trail through whimsical themed zones at Silver Bell Farm. Wishing you a magical, memory-filled holiday season in Western Mass!

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