The publishers, staff and everyone associated with The Somerville Times wish one and all a very Happy Holiday, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah, as well as a prosperous and healthy New Year in 2025.

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The Somerville Times’ staff is taking a small holiday vacation from the print edition next week, the next issue coming out will be on January 1, 2025. Anything that comes in and is Somerville related through that period will be posted online to our website. We want to thank all our readers for your support this past year. Don’t forget, you can go online to our website and register online for a free subscription of the paper.

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Happy birthday for the next two weeks while we are on break: Happy birthday to Zachary Atwell, who is celebrating this week. Happy birthday to great person and great friend, Monica Calvo. We wish her a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to Kristen Marie Butler as well. We hope she has a great day. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Glenn DiMasse, Lori Courtney, Erica Voolich, Fallon Leigh O’Brien, Natalia Caliman, Caddy Villen, Liz-Mary Jelinek, Caroline C. Carafotes, Brian M. Conley, Richard Murphy, Bob Cammarata and Win Win 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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Somerville High School proudly presents the 2024 Music & Art Winter Showcase on Thursday, December 19, at SHS’s Centennial Auditorium. Check out the art exhibit at 5:00 p.m., then watch the concert at 6:00 p.m. Enjoy music performed by the Somerville High School Chorus, Orchestra, Band, World Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Band, and Guitar Class. Artwork from current high school art students will be on display and select ceramics pieces will also be available for purchase. All staff, family, and friends of the Somerville Public Schools community are invited to enjoy an evening celebrating the arts.

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On Thursday, December 19, at 7 p.m., the Boston Festival of New Jewish Music presents The Somerville Chanukah Party. This year, they are delighted to present, for the first time in history, as far as they can tell, a complete live concert performance of the best Chanukah album ever recorded: The Moishe Oysher Chanukah Party. Featuring a klezmer orchestra drawn from the top klezmer bands in the world and an all-star cast of vocalists standing in for the great cantor. If you’ve never heard The Moishe Oysher Chanukah Party before, now is literally your only chance. Visit https://artsatthearmory.org/.

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On December 21, The Crystal Ballrom at The Somerville Theatre, Small Mart will be putting on their holiday market, featuring 40+ vendors with vintage, art, handmade goods and more. Free entry, all ages, wheelchair accessible, and a full bar (for those that are 21+).

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All city offices are closed on December 25. Trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day. All Somerville Public Library locations will be closed at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, December 24, and all day Wednesday, December 25, for the Christmas holiday. Regular hours will resume on Thursday, December 26.

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The community is invited to see the creativity and holiday spirit of their neighbors by embarking on a self-guided Illuminations Tour through January 2025. The Illuminations map is available to take a self-guided tour: https://somervilleartscouncil.org/illuminationstour.

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Ring in the new year on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, as they raise the Grand Union Flag on Prospect Hill to commemorate the 249th anniversary of the first flag rising. A processional will leave from City Hall (93 Highland Ave.) at 11:30 a.m. followed by a ceremony at Prospect Hill Park. Every New Year’s Day the City of Somerville commemorates an important moment of the American Revolution, The First Flag Raising. The event re-enacts the one that took place on Prospect Hill on January 1, 1776. General Washington raised a new American flag on that day over the highest point in the land, Prospect Hill in Somerville. The event starts at Somerville City Hall and proceeds to Prospect Hill. Numerous city officials, the Ancient & Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts based out of Faneuil Hall (Boston), and re-enactors participate in the ceremony and parade. This year, we are excited to welcome Phillis Wheatley and Martha Washington to the event.

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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 will be sung. Special gifts will be available for children. Light refreshments will be served.

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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 somerville-ma.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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Comedy Showcase, Upstairs at Bow Market, 1 Bow Market Way, Friday, December 20, 8 – 9:30 p.m., doors at 7:30 p.m. Enjoy a night of laughter and fun. Get ready to enjoy some hilarious stand-up acts in a cozy setting. The lineup is stacked with a bunch of the best Boston comics, including their special guest from out of town, Alex Temple from way of Maine and Matt Vita from Vermont. They also encouraging guests to bring a gift for the Freedom Fighters Toy Drive. https://www.bowmarketsomerville.com/new-events/comedy-showcase-upstairs-at-bow-jnkg3-7rarx.

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Somerville High School students are invited to bring their SHS ID to the Somerville YMCA on Fridays from 7 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. for free. There are free movie nights. On Sundays, students will have access to the basketball and exercise areas (including the weight room). Visit their website to learn more. https://somervilleymca.org/news/somerville-teens-after-hours/.  Somerville YMCA asks that students go to their website to register before visiting and this program is for ages 14 to 17 years.

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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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Children and families are invited to join Jules Murray for songs, electric ukulele music, and dancing with shakers and scarves. Monday December 23, 10:30 a.m., Central Library, 79 Highland Ave.

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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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The Somerville Theatre is hosting their annual performance of The Slutcracker through January 5, 2025. Based on Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s famed 1890s ballet The Nutcracker, it combines high culture with burlesque tradition and gathers together local ballet dancers, strippers, belly dancers, pole performers, hula-hoopers, acrobats, plus other eccentric and exotic dancers. For more information and tickets visit www.somervilletheatre.com.

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City Alerts are a great way for those who live, work, or own a business in Somerville to receive important city information that affects your neighborhood. City Alerts provide information about emergencies (including snow emergencies), construction and road closures, water service interruptions, community news, and more. To sign up, visit somervillema.gov/alerts and click on the button for your preferred language. Step-by-step sign-up instructions are available at: somervillema.gov/alerts. Having trouble signing up? You can call 3-1-1 (617-666-3311) for assistance.

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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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Feeling fatigued from holiday festivities? Want a quiet activity to do with one or more of your friends and/or relatives? Why not a puzzle. Bring your gently used puzzles to the West Branch library and pick up a new to you puzzle from our supply. No puzzles to drop off? That’s fine too. No registration required.

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If you want to adopt-a-drain in Somerville, perform light maintenance as needed, and give it a creative name. Sign up for the Adopt-a-Drain program today by visiting Somerville.mysticdrains.org.

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SomerViva: Office of Immigrant Affairs, in collaboration with Saint Benedict Church, warmly invites you to a festive Three Kings Celebration on Sunday, January 5, 2025, 12 p.m., 17 Franklin St. Immerse yourself in the spirit of community, culture, and goodwill as they come together to celebrate this cherished tradition. You’ll have the opportunity to explore a variety of community partner and city department resource tables offering valuable information and services to support and empower our community. Indulge in delightful refreshments as you mingle and share in the festive atmosphere. Bring your family and friends to join us in the festivities, fostering connections and building a stronger, more vibrant community together.

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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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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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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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