Winter Fun

10 free things to do in Boston in December

From tree and menorah lightings to museum outings to holiday concerts, these activities don't cost a thing.

A previous tree lighting at Light Up Seaport.

By Cheryl Fenton

4 minutes to read

Embracing the holiday season doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Throughout the month, you can appreciate the arts with a cup of cocoa, hit the slopes on your trusty sled, listen to holiday music, and get crafty with seasonal decor, all without shelling out a dime.

Read on to discover 10 things to do in Boston for free this December.

1. Sip cocoa in an art museum

As part of its annual holiday celebration, the McMullen Museum of Art will host festive activities throughout the afternoon of Dec. 1 from noon to 4 p.m. The Museum will offer live music while guests sip hot chocolate and eat holiday treats, tour the exhibitions, play games, and participate in arts and crafts activities throughout the museum. (2101 Commonwealth Ave., Boston)

2. Take to the frozen hills

When it snows, make the most of the city’s slopes and join fellow sledders, tubers, and tobogganists for a day of sledding in Boston. Pair it with your thermos of hot cocoa and you’ve got yourself the makings of an East Coast winter wonderland. Try out Flagstaff Hill in Boston Common, the Sugar Bowl in Jamaica Plain, Peters Hill at Arnold Arboretum, Olmsted Park, Franklin Park, and Dorchester Park, to name a few. (various locations)

3. Test your brain power

Show off all that useless knowledge at Boston Public Market during this month’s trivia nights on Dec. 4, 11, and 18 at 6 p.m. Put on by Sporcle, the “Stump! Trivia” format has multiple rounds of four wagered trivia questions, picture rounds, bonus questions, and two mentally stimulating final questions. The event might be free, but you could walk away with plenty of prizes. (100 Hanover St., Boston)

4. View some (pretty bad) art

Have a little fun this holiday by visiting the world’s only museum dedicated to bad art in all its forms. Located in the Dorchester Brewing taproom, the Museum of Bad Art is a community-based, not-for-profit institution that puts the spotlight on art that you might otherwise not see in a museum. Admission is free, but you can always grab a pint for purchase at the brewery on the way out to discuss the exhibits. (1250 Mass. Ave., Boston)

5. Stroll a park and view holiday lights

The night shines with 7,000 lights on the special Boston Common Holiday Tree gifted to the city by Nova Scotia. The holiday lights throughout both parks will light up in sequence shortly before 8 p.m. on Dec. 5 when Mayor Michelle Wu is joined on stage by Santa Claus and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. A sampling village will feature a photo-op, giveaways, and refreshments from several companies while supplies last. (139 Tremont St., Boston)

An oil painting at the Museum of Bad Art.

6. Attend Light Up Seaport

On Dec. 6, the Seaport Common shows off its holiday best at Light Up Seaport, the Seaport’s eighth annual public tree lighting. From 5-9 p.m. at the Superette Courtyard, catch local celebrity Betty the Yeti dancing around to DJ beats and doling out treats from Puffy Clouds Boston. Starting at 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., you can enjoy music by The Gracenotes, a headlining band at Grace by Nia, and Tori Tori, a 2023 Boston Music Awards R&B Artist of the year, and more. Stick around for the tree lighting at 7:30 pm. (85 Northern Ave., Boston)

7. Listen to holiday favorites

Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra’s (BYSO) Intensive Community Program presents its annual holiday concert, featuring ICP musicians performing seasonal favorites and a festive singalong. This rigorous string instrument training program within the BYSO brings quality classical music instruction to underrepresented communities, and for an exciting two hours on Dec. 14 at 5 p.m., you’ll enjoy the culmination of all the talent and hard work. (Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Ave., Boston)

8. Don your pjs for some winter cheer

Embrace the cooler weather and step into a magical winter wonderland at Boston Landing’s annual Holiday Bash at the Roadrunner on Dec. 22 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Come dressed in your best holiday flannel pajamas to celebrate this festive time of year. While there will be delicious holiday-inspired food and beverage for purchase, you can also dive into complimentary treats like piping hot cocoa and buttery popcorn, festive DJ entertainment, seasonal kids crafts, raffles and giveaways. At 1 p.m., grownups can partake in a Pats game viewing party while the kids snuggle up in some cozy seating and watch a free matinee movie experience of The Polar Express. (89 Guest St., Boston)

9. Celebrate Hanukkah with a menorah Lighting

Public menorah lightings to celebrate the Jewish Festival of Lights take place around Boston throughout the celebration’s eight nights this year on the evening of Dec. 25 through Jan. 2. One of New England’s tallest menorahs is located at Brewer Fountain on Boston Common, where lighting ceremonies for each branch of the candelabra will take place around 4 p.m. with special guests, live music, holiday treats, and warm beverages. You’ll find others at the Massachusetts State House, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Copley Square, and the Museum of Fine Arts. (various locations around Boston)

10. Ring in the new year

As the year comes to a close, First Night Boston 2025 brings together as many as 1 million people to celebrate, beginning in the newly refurbished City Hall Plaza at noon on December 31 and continuing with programming throughout the day and night. Free entertainment and special attractions around Copley Square and Back Bay include cultural and musical performances in various indoor venues, ice sculptures at City Hall, Boston Common, and other locations, light displays, the People’s Procession at 6 p.m., and fireworks over Boston Common at 7 p.m. Moments before midnight, join in on the signature countdown pyrotechnics and light show in Copley Square. (City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Sq., Boston)

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