By Elissa Taublib, news staff
Thursday, Nov. 30
Get into the holiday spirit by attending the 2017 Boston Common Tree Lighting, where a 53-foot white spruce tree will be lit amongst other holiday decorations. The 76th annual event is a celebration of a century of friendship between Boston and Nova Scotia, with guests including Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Honourable Stephen McNeil, the Premier of Nova Scotia. This year’s tree arrived from Nova Scotia, a tradition that has been in place since 1918. In 1917, Boston’s Mayor offered help after the explosion of two ships that collided in Halifax Harbor. A year later, Nova Scotia sent a Christmas tree to Boston to thank them for all the support, and that has become a tradition since then. 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.; Boston Parks and Recreation Department – 1010 Massachusetts Ave; free
Friday, Dec. 1
What better way to celebrate the start of the holiday season than by strolling through one of the most historic neighborhoods in Boston? At the 11th Annual North End Holiday Stroll, you can shop local while exploring the narrow streets that contain some of the city’s oldest buildings. The streets of Boston’s Little Italy will be festively decorated, and you will be able to enjoy your surroundings while shopping and snacking at the North End’s renowned and independently-owned fashion, gift, home, food and wine shops. 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.; The North End; free
Saturday, Dec. 2
Make your holiday shopping experience more gratifying by helping others in Shop With a Cause 2017. This is the 4th annual Shop With a Cause charity event, and all participating businesses donate a percentage of their profits to a charity of their choice. Organized by Fire Opal and Jamaica Plain Business & Professional Association, some of this year’s participating shops include: J.P. Licks Homemade Ice Cream Company, which will donate to Community Servings; Fresh Hair, which will donate to Eliot School of Fine & Applied Arts; and Tres Gatos, which will donate to 826 Boston. 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Jamaica Plain; free
Sunday, Dec. 3
This comedy show will turn a boring Sunday into a hilarious and fun evening to start off your week the right way. The Midway Or The Highway Comedy open mic is your chance to see new talents or even perform onstage. Featuring actress Emily Winter and American comedian Julia Shiplett, this is a 21+ event. Organized by Comedy at Midway Cafe, the show is free but you must register on the website in order to guarantee your seat. 9 p.m. – 11:59 p.m.; Midway Cafe – 3496 Washington St, Jamaica Plain; free
Monday, Dec. 4
Start off the winter season with one of the most popular activities amongst students this time of the year. At CAB Presents: Ice Skating on Frog Pond, you can go ice skating with your friends on the pond, which has an amazing view of Boston Common, the oldest city park in the United States. During the summer, Frog Pond is a spray pool, but when temperatures start dropping it turns into an outdoor ice-skating rink. Organized by the Campus Activities Board of Boston College (Boston College CAB), tickets to this event will be sold in pairs on Wednesday at 8 a.m. through the Robsham website. 7:30 p.m. – 9 p.m.; Frog Pond, Boston Common – 38 Beacon St; $14
Tuesday, Dec. 5
If you are interested in Chinese culture and enjoy musical performances, then this is just the event for you. Presented by the Berklee Chinese Music Industry Club, the Berklee Chinese Pop Music Showcase will feature singers such as Piao Huang, Jiayun Yu, Junshu Zheng and guest singers Wentian Liu, Geyang Xu and Jun Xu. The event is the closing ceremony of the Chinese Music Industry Meets Berklee event, which is designed to establish Berklee as a leader in preparing students for careers in the Chinese Music Industry. The performances will highlight genres such as pop, ballad, rock, R&B, fusion, jazz and EDM. 8 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Berklee Performance Center – 136 Massachusetts Ave; $8
Wednesday, Dec. 6
You will never see the Museum of Fine Arts in the same light after taking part in a Shady Ladies Tour of the MFA. During the tour, you will acquaint yourself with the art collections’ themes of sexuality and women’s struggle for power, seeing ancient Greek women, a Roman priestess and some ancient murderesses. Join this tour in what is often perceived as a conservative museum and discuss art in a new perspective, one that highlights rather than hides the important role of women in history. 6:15 p.m. – 8:15 p.m.; Museum of Fine Arts; $25
