By Mandile Mpofu

1. Attend a holiday tree or Menorah lighting

Ring in the festive seasons at this year’s holiday tree and Menorah lighting events where Mayor Katjana Ballantyne and the Somerville Arts Council will light up City Hall concourse. The holiday celebration will include refreshments and entertainment.

What: Holiday tree lighting
When: Thursday, December 7 at 5:00 p.m.
Where: 93 Highland Ave.
Cost: Free

 What: Menorah lighting
When: Sunday, December. 10 at 5:00 p.m.
Where: 93 Highland Ave.
Cost: Free

2. Light up your night with the Illuminations Tour

Walk, bike or drive through the city to marvel at brightly decorated homes during SAC’s month-long self-guided Illuminations tour. Participants can use the interactive map to plan their route, and a special Illuminations Bike Tour is scheduled for Saturday, December 16, with Sunday, December 17 as a rain date.
When: Starting Saturday, December 9
Cost: Free

3. Get into the festive mood at the library

The Somerville Public Library’s event calendar is chock-full of events, with special holiday-themed activities scheduled for December, including a teen holiday party, a DIY gifts workshop, a holiday cookie swap and more.
Where: 79 Highland Ave.
Cost: Free

4. Catch a holiday movie at the Somerville Theatre

The Somerville Theatre has been “entertaining the community with stage and screen” for over a century, and this December, the longstanding fixture is showing The Holdovers, an award-winning film about a grumpy teacher, a problematic student, and their turbulent holiday adventure.
Where: 55 Davis Square
Cost: $10 to $16

5. Buy your gifts early at local holiday markets

There is no shortage of holiday markets to choose from in the greater Boston area, and two of them are right here in Somerville. On Dec. 8, head to East Somerville for the Cozy Holiday Market where you can drink and snap a picture with Santa in between shopping for gifts. On December 17, the Somerville Flea Holiday Market returns to the Center for Arts at the Armory with two floors’ and over 30 vendors’ worth of “vintage and artisan wonders.”

What: Cozy Holiday Market
Where: Deano’s Pasta parking lot, 15 Garfield Ave.
Cost: Free
What: Somerville Flea Holiday Market
Where: 191 Highland Ave.|Cost: Free

6. Watch a holiday classic with an adult twist

You’ve heard of, or maybe watched, “The Nutcracker,” but do you know about The Slutcracker? It’s a burlesque take on Tchaikovsky’s famed ballet, and you can catch it all month long at the Somerville Theatre.
When: Sunday, December 3 to Sunday, December 31
Where: 55 Davis Square
Cost: $35

7. Have a Lego play date

Visit the Lego Discovery Center in Assembly Row to take part in the Holiday Bricktacular, a seasonal event featuring festive-themed builds. Embrace your inner child or make it a family event and attend workshops, take pictures with a sleigh, or meet a gingerbread man.
When: Saturday, November 18 to Sunday, December 31
Where: 355 Artisan Way
Cost: From $26.99

8. Stock your fridge with winter produce

Almost every Saturday, more than 70 vendors, offering the “best locally grown and regionally produced foods, set up stalls at the Center for Arts at the Armory for the Somerville Winter Farmers Market. Choose from an assortment of cheeses, chocolates, pastries and more.
When: Saturday, November. 4 to Saturday, April 6, 2024 (except Saturday, November 25 and Saturday, December 30)
Where: 191 Highland Ave.
Cost: Free

9. Take an ice sculpture stroll

Put your navigation skills to use in Assembly Row where nine ice sculptures will decorate the shopping venue. Take a break from shopping and use the holiday map to view elaborate sculptures and participate in holiday-themed giveaways while sipping on hot chocolate.
When: Thursday, December 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Where: 355 Artisan Way
Cost: Free

10. Celebrate with a community holiday concert and party

Boston Singers Resource will hold a casual “No Stress Studio” at Somerville Music Spaces, an organization that provides rooms for musicians and their students to rehearse, record and perform. The event promises “good, old-fashioned holiday spirit.”
When: Friday, December 8 from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Where: 1060 Broadway C101B
Cost: Free, suggested donations of $15