Kick off the holiday season on Thursday, December 5, at 5 p.m. at the Christmas Tree Lighting on the City Hall Concourse. Enjoy live entertainment, a meet-and-greet with Santa Claus in the Somerville High School Cafeteria, and light refreshments. All children who attend will receive a special gift from Santa. Santa Claus will be escorted by the Somerville Fire and Police Departments making his grand entrance atop a shiny red fire truck. On Thursday, December 26, the Menorah Lighting takes place on the City Hall Concourse (93 Highland Ave.) at 6 p.m. Traditional songs and sing-alongs. Special gifts will be available for children. Light refreshments will be served.

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Nutcrackers: A Colorful History with Mary Woodward, December 5. Join historian Mary Woodward to learn about the history of nutcrackers – a story that spans from the Stone Age to the Industrial Age.This virtual event will be held on Thursday, December 5, online via Zoom from 7 to 8 p.m. Learn more and register: https://somervillepubliclibrary.assabetinteractive.com/calendar/nutcrackers-a-colorful-history-with-mary-woodward/.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to a great guy and good friend, Billy Murphy, who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday to Irene Bremis. We wish her the very best. Happy birthday to Kevin McDevitt. We wish him a great day. Happy birthday to Ann Cassesso-Ercolini. We wish her the very best of birthdays as well. Happy birthday to Peter Blaikie, Deb Feeley, Karen Fay, Rochelle Jennings, Gordon Crook, Jason Castle, Steve Prescod, Kat Rutkin, James V Avila, Rita VanSteensburg, Kristen Chiaraluce and Annmarie Costante a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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East Somerville Main Streets Cozy Holiday Market is back. Join in on Friday, December 6, from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. for a night of festive fun at Deano’s Pasta, 16 Garfield Ave. Activities for the whole family with @thebeautifulstuffproject, delicious bites from @lacosechafood, and of course, photos with Santa. Local vendors and artisans will be there with the perfect holiday gifts.

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The 10th Annual Holiday Stroll will take place on Saturday, December 7. A celebration of Union Square sparkle, discovery, and holiday delight that is sure to jumpstart your holiday shopping and get you exploring all that the “38th coolest neighborhood in the world” has to offer. Dozens of locally-owned businesses await you with everything needed to stuff your stockings, deck your halls with local art, tantalize your taste buds, and more. Come on down to unwrap Union Square in all its wintry wonderment. Have some free time on Saturday, December 7? Sign up for a volunteer shift here: Sign up for a volunteer shift here: https://signup.com/go/SzokFwT.

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Low-income households may be eligible to receive help with winter heating costs through the Fuel Assistance Program. This program is part of the Home Energy Assistance program (HEAP) and serves residents of Somerville and Cambridge. Participants receive assistance with their heating costs between November 1 and April 30. Learn more about the program, check if you qualify, and apply for assistance today at somervillema.gov/heatingassistance.

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The Somerville Arts Council and the Inside-Out Gallery present Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary Retrospective Exhibit, curated by Steven Cabral. This showcase was a part of Steven’s community benefit project as a Somerville Arts Council LCC 2024 Visual Arts Fellowship Awardee. 1 Davis Square, Somerville. Learn more about the participating artists here: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/insideout/vernonstreet50.

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Don’t miss the Somerville High School student performance of Mamma Mia! Thursday, December 5, at 8 p.m., Friday, December 6, at 5 p.m., Saturday, December 7, at 2 and  7 p.m. Visit the Highlander Theatre website to learn more and purchase tickets:https://www.highlandertheatre.org/.

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Growing Center Wreath Project: A few assembly and decoration volunteers still needed. Interested in getting into the spirit of the season in community with fellow volunteers? Let your creative juices flow by helping to hand-decorate evergreen wreaths with pinecones, delicate dried flowers, and ornamental peppers and berries. ​Wreath assembly and distribution takes place December 5 and 6 (12 – 8 p.m. at Connexion in East Somerville) and December 7 (9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Growing Center). Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AA9AC2DA5FDC07-49384147-events#/ and be part of the creative marathon of assembling completed wreaths.

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This month, the Somerville Public Library, 79 Highland Ave., is pleased to display the artwork of local artist John Ruymann in the Gallery @ SPL with their exhibition: Narrative Spaces. Join them for a reception celebrating the exhibit.To learn more about the gallery https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/adults/gallery-spl.

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The community is invited to see the creativity and holiday spirit of their neighbors by embarking on either a self-guided or SAC-led Illuminations Tour, December 12, 2024 – January 2025. The Illuminations map will be made available to take a self guided tour. Information on the Illuminations Bike Tour will be available soon at www.somervilleartscouncilorg/illuminationstour. For more information on the SAC Illuminations Tour, please email Iaritza Menjivar at imenjivar@somervillema.gov.

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Vernon Street Studios 50th Anniversary retrospective exhibit has opened at the Nave Gallery. This exhibit features over 50 artists. Celebrate artist both past and present. Exhibit open Saturday and Sunday, 1 – 5 p.m. Closes January 9, 6 – 8 p.m. Nave Gallery, 155 Powerhouse Blvd, Somerville.

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Somerville Music Spaces Holiday Fundraiser Concert takes place on Sunday, December 8, 4:30 – 6 p.m. 1060 Broadway C101B, Somerville. This holiday concert is a program of original music by Andrew James Safioleas. All proceeds will be donated to the Toys for Tots program. Ticket donations can me made here https://www.eventbrite.com/e/holiday-fundraiser-concert-presented-by-top-quality-music-llc-tickets-1045443338167.

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Families with their K–8 students are invited to the third annual Family Creative Computing and Robotics Night at Somerville High School. Tuesday, December 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. Learn about computer science and robotics in a fun, relaxed environment. The event is hosted by SHS computer science and robotics teachers and students, including members of the SHS Robotics team. Refreshments will be served. Let us know you are joining us here: bit.ly/familycomputing24

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Free COVID-19 and flu vaccine clinics are happening soon: Thursday, December 12, at the Council on Aging (167 Holland St.) from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday, December 17, at Central Branch Library (79 Highland Ave.) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Learn more and register for a vaccine clinic. https://www.somervillema.gov/vaccinations.

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With the days growing shorter and temperatures dipping colder, the Somerville Homeless Coalition is in critical need of new or lightly used jackets for their clients currently living outside. If you have any adult sized coats hanging in your closet that you don’t wear, please consider dropping them off at the Somerville Homeless Coalition admin office located at 255 Elm Street, Suite 204 during the hours listed below. Drop Off Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., 2 – 5 p.m. Each coat donated provides warmth, dignity, and safety for our neighbors having to face the harsh New England winter conditions.

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Donate to Local Holiday Gift Drives. In the giving spirit of the season, the city is collecting toy and gift donations at city buildings, libraries, and firehouses through Wednesday, December 18. If you are able and wish to donate, please bring new, unwrapped toys and gifts for children of all ages and age-appropriate gifts, clothes, and winter boots for teens. All gifts will be distributed to families by two local efforts: Toys for Local Children and the Somerville Toy Drive, an initiative organized by community members, including the organizers of last year’s MAMAS (Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville) annual gift drive, as well as other residents. Learn more and find a donation box near you. https://www.somervillema.gov/news/donate-local-holiday-gift-drives-city-buildings-through-wednesday-dec-18-2024

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Order a festive wreath from Next Wave/Full Circle during their annual wreath fundraiser. Wreath pick up is at NWFC on December 4 from 3 to 7 p.m. The cost is $25. https://trst.in/W0Ur6B.

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Snow emergency parking is on the even side of the street all winter this season unless posted signage says differently. For every snowfall, property owners are responsible for shoveling their sidewalks down to the pavement within six daylight hours after the snow stops. To get snow emergency announcements, sign up for alerts or update your information at somervillema.gov/alerts or by calling 311 (617-666-3311).

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Mutual Aid Medford and Somerville (MAMAS) is holding their next Supermarket Sweep on Saturday, December 7, at 11 a.m. Help support food security in Medford and Somerville by donating or volunteering. Volunteering with Sweep means meeting at the Stop n’ Shop near Foss Park in Somerville and delivering grocery cards to neighbors no car required. If you’re interested, email askyourmamas@gmail.com.

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Join the City of Somerville Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) for an information session on Networked Geothermal Heating and Cooling, Monday, December 9, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. They will share more information about this technology and discuss its potential benefits for communities in Somerville. Register for this event at somervillema.gov/geothermal

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The Somerville Flea Holiday Market is back. Find that unique gift for that unique person. They will have a jam-packed floors of gift buying goodness featuring curated vintage wares and artisan creations. 12th annual Holiday Market at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave, Somerville. Sip ‘n shop starts at noon on December 15.

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Creative Mending: Hand Embroidery, Thursday, December 12, 6 p.m. at the East Branch Library, 115 Broadway. The class will cover several basic embroidery stitches that can be used to embellish your clothing and hide (or highlight) holes and stains. Suitable for beginners with little or no embroidery experience, or those who want a refresher on the basics. This program is intended for adults. Registration required: visit https://tinyurl.com/yc8btuw4. Questions? Contact Liam: lokeefe@somervillema.gov.

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Are you a Somerville business or property owner interested in brightening up your building’s exterior? The Somerville Arts Council is looking for partners who would like to host a vibrant mural on their property. This is a unique opportunity to collaborate with local artists and enhance the character of our community through stunning public art. If you’re interested in learning more about how they can work together to make your building a canvas for creativity, please reach out directly to discuss potential partnerships and project possibilities. https://somervilleartscouncil.org/resources/calls.

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Head on over to Target on Somerville Avenue to donate toys for families of the Mystic Learning Center. Donate new and unopened items for youth ages 0-16 that will benefit families of the Mystic Learning Center this holiday season. SPD and MLC friends will be at the Target located at 180 Somerville Ave. on Fridays, 4  – 8 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays 12 – 8 p.m.

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The holidays are just around the corner which means the Somerville Homeless Coalation’s Holiday Gift Drive is now in full swing. This time of year can be especially difficult for their clients and their families which is why they host this drive each year to help spread the joy of the holidays to our less fortunate neighbors. At the moment, they still have 114 clients without a matched sponsor which is why they are asking for your help to make sure that everyone gets to be a part of this year’s festivities. If you are interested in providing a gift for a client(s) contact 617-623-6111.

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Visit the Somerville Bike Kitchen, a volunteer-run bicycle repair cooperative, hosting open-shop nights at The Dojo (15 Properzi Way, Somerville). Come maintain your bike or learn more about cycling. Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. Every Thursday from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. join Parkour Generations Boston for Teen Jams at The Dojo. This is a flexible time for teen community members to use the pop-up training space at The Dojo @ Somernova and connect with fellow community members in the process.

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East Somerville Main Streets is calling for vendors to participate in their Cozy Holiday Market on December 6 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the parking lot of Deano’s Pasta, 15 Garfield Ave. If you’re interested, please fill out the form https://forms.gle/mJppkmhXAYj44peRA. Dec 06, 2024, 5:30 – 8 p.m.The Cozy Holiday Market invites you to savor a warm drink while exploring a variety of artisans, materials, and charming supplies to prepare for the winter ahead. Gather with friends, family, and even bring your pets to relish in the cozy atmosphere. Unearth that festive, ugly sweater from the back of your closet and capture memorable moments with Santa. Embrace the joy of the season and have fun at our cozy market.

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The Somerville Winter Farmers Market is back at the Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave. on Saturdays, 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. from November 2 to April 12, (except November 30 and December 28). The Center for the Arts at the Armory is proud to offer a weekly winter market with 71+ local food vendors with the best locally grown and regionally produced foods, including fresh produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, tamales, pastries, chocolate, skincare products, and more. The market accepts SNAP/EBT and HIP benefits. They also offer a $15 SNAP match to customers each week. More info available on their website: https://www.somwintermarket.org/.

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Is your teen looking to make some extra money? The city’s Snow Shoveling Program is hiring youth to assist shoveling seniors and homeowners with disabilities out after snowstorms this winter. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. After each storm, the homeowner will contact their assigned youth to request shoveling services. Somerville teens ages 14 to 19 are welcome to apply.Looking for snow shoveling services? Apply online or contact Debby Higgins at dhiggins@somervillema.gov.

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Somerville Public Schools is hiring substitute teachers for all of their PK-12 schools. For more information or to apply visit https://somerville.tedk12.com/hire.

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Through the generosity of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), and from the direction of Mayor Ballantyne, the Council on Aging can provide Durable Medical Equipment at no cost to Somerville residents. Residents with a documented need for medical equipment must be over the age of 60, or have a permanent disability, and must be otherwise unable to afford or access needed medical equipment. We currently have available: Commodes, Bath Benches, Rollator Walkers, Incontinence Supplies and Transport Wheelchairs (wheelchairs are intended for transport and are not self-propelling or self-breaking.) For additional information, or for an application, please contact Debby Higgins at 617-625-6600, ext. 2321.

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