5 Favorite New England Christmas Cities

Please note that businesses, attractions, and events throughout New England have been modified, closed, and/or canceled in response to the COVID-19 health crisis. Please travel responsibly, and check with state guidelines and individual businesses and organizations before making travel plans.

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5 New England Christmas Cities to Visit This Holiday Season (Besides Newport)

As a companion to our November/December 2019 cover feature celebrating the magic of Christmas in Newport, we’ve rounded up five additional cities with big holiday spirit.

Boston, Massachusetts

• Big kickoff: Lighting of the city’s official tree, an annual gift from the people of Nova Scotia, on Boston Common.
• Seasonal sounds: Holiday Pops at Symphony Hall, starring Keith Lockhart and company (and Santa himself). bso.org
• Gift-hunting spot: SoWa Winter Festival, a trove of handmade treasures in the city’s arts and design district. sowaboston.com
• Yuletide flavor: The Feast of the Seven Fishes, offered on or near Christmas Eve by Italian eateries across the Hub (e.g., Bar Mezzana, Posto, Grotto).
• Hot ticket: The Boston Ballet’s “granddaddy of them all” production of The Nutcracker. bostonballet.org
• Bright spot: Blink!, a state-of-the-art holiday light and sound show at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. faneuilhallmarketplace.com
• Uniquely Boston:Candlelight carols at Trinity Church, a 110-year-old tradition at an American architectural masterpiece. trinitychurchboston.org

Burlington, Vermont

• Big kickoff: Downtown parade and Christmas tree lighting, plus the illumination of 250,000 LCDs. churchstmarketplace.com
• Seasonal sounds: Holiday concert by Solaris Vocal Ensemble, a singing group packed with Burlington-area choral directors. solarisensemble.org
• Gift-hunting spot: Craft Vermont, a showcase of one-of-a-kind art, jewelry, and more from 100-plus creative types. vermonthandcrafters.com
• Yuletide flavor: Sampling seasonal brews at Festivus, a night of “casting aside holiday grievances,” at the Farmhouse Tap & Grill. farmhousetg.com
• Hot ticket: A Charlie Brown Christmas Live Onstage, the only Vermont stop on this national tour. flynncenter.org
• Family fun: Getting up close with real-life Dancers and Prancers from the Vermont Reindeer Farm. echovermont.org
• Uniquely Burlington: Two holiday-themed rides on Green Mountain Railroad trains: the Polar Express and the Jingle Bell Express. vtchildrenstrust.org; rmhcvt.org/events

New Haven, Connecticut

• Big kickoff: Tree lighting on the New Haven Green, with a Ferris wheel, live music, and an appearance by Old Saint Nick himself.
• Seasonal sounds: Messiah Sing-Along, an annual collaboration of the Yale Symphony Orchestra, the Yale Glee Club, and audience members. gleeclub.yalecollege.yale.edu
• Gift-hunting spot: The Shops at Yale, offering big names, local indies, and university one-offs (don’t miss the Museum Shop at the Yale Center for British Art). theshopsatyale.com
• Hot ticket:Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical at the historic Shubert Theatre. shubert.com
• Family fun: Riding an old-timey trolley through a magical tunnel of lights at the Shore Line Trolley Museum, weekends. Cocoa, cookies, and Santa photo ops sweeten the deal. shorelinetrolley.org
• Bright spot: Fantasy of Lights at Lighthouse Point Park, a mile-long drive-through light display with merry tunes available on the radio. Facebook
• Uniquely New Haven: Exhibit of 70-plus crèches from around the world at the Knights of Columbus Museum. kofcmuseum.org

Portland, Maine

• Big kickoff: Tree lighting in Monument Square with live music and a visit from Santa (plus free eggnog samples). portlandmaine.com
• Seasonal sounds: Portland Symphony Orchestra’s “Magic of Christmas,” now in its 40th year. portlandsymphony.org
• Gift-hunting spot: The Old Port waterfront district for locally flavored wares, from recycled-sailcloth totes at Sea Bags to Maine-made togs at Portland Trading Co.
• Hot ticket: Where better to see the lighted boat parade and fireworks in Portland Harbor than from a ferry? Tickets go on sale just a few weeks before the big night. cascobaylines.com
• Family fun: Free horse-drawn wagon rides through downtown, Fridays and weekends from Thanksgiving to right before Christmas. portlandmaine.com
• Bright spot: More than 150 lighted metal sculptures by artist Pandora LaCasse along Congress and Commercial streets and in Longfellow Square, Tommy’s Park, and Boothbay Square. pandoralacassedesign.com
• Uniquely Portland:A Victorian Nutcracker by Portland Ballet, with characters and sets inspired by a stunning 19th-century local landmark, Victoria Mansion. portlandballet.org

Portsmouth, New Hampshire

• Big kickoff: Tree lighting in Market Square and a parade through downtown.
• Seasonal sounds: Con Tutti, a choral group made up of more than 100 local singers, at the intimate South Church. contutti.org
• Gift-hunting spot: Pickwick’s Mercantile, a Victorian-inspired shopping experience with eclectic merchandise that spans classic and modern eras. pickwicksmercantile.com
• Yuletide flavor: Authentic bûche de Noël special-ordered from Portsmouth’s nonpareil French pastry shop, La Maison Navarre. mnpastry.com
• Hot ticket: Sally Struthers as Miss Hannigan in Annie at the Music Hall, a highlight of the citywide Vintage Christmas celebration. vintagechristmasnh.org
• Family fun: Ice skating at Labrie Family Skate at Puddle Dock Pond, which opens every year after Thanksgiving. strawberybanke.org
• Uniquely Portsmouth: 40th annual Candlelight Stroll through 350 years of seasonal traditions at the 10-acre outdoor museum Strawbery Banke. strawberybanke.org

This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated.