Here Are the Can’t-Miss Holiday Shows In Boston For 2025
Boston feels like it was built for the holidays: early sunsets, glowing storefronts, and historic venues that look amazing dressed in garland and marquee lights. If you’re visiting Boston this season and want to plan your nights around holiday shows, you’ve got a mix of classic must-sees and uniquely local traditions—ranging from grand ballet and orchestral spectacles to intimate, story-driven performances that feel like stepping into a winter postcard.
For many visitors, the anchor event is Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker, an actual “only-in-December” ritual that turns a night out into a whole holiday occasion. In 2025, the company returns to the Citizens Bank Opera House for a long run from November 28 through December 28, one of the city’s most beautiful places to see a show, with its gilded interior and special night atmosphere. If you want that classic Boston holiday memory dressed up, warm lights, and a show that basically is the season, this is the one to prioritize.
If your idea of Christmas magic is more singing-along than sugarplums, the Boston Pops’ Holiday Pops at Symphony Hall is the other big tradition that defines December in the city. The 2025 season begins on December 4 and features multiple performances throughout the month, including kid-friendly matinees and special programming, including Elf in Concert and A Charlie Brown Christmas: Live, later in December. Symphony Hall itself is part of the appeal—an iconic room with soaring sound that makes the brass shine and the carols land in your chest—so even if you’ve never been to a Pops concert before, it’s an easy “yes” for a festive night out.
For a more classical holiday experience, keep an eye on the Handel and Haydn Society‘s seasonal concerts. Their holiday programming is a great pick when you want something elegant, choral, and wintry—less sparkle, more goosebumps—and it’s a lovely way to balance out the bigger, louder December events.
If you want something that feels intensely local, like the kind of tradition Bostonians mark on the calendar every year, head across the river to Cambridge for Midwinter Revels at Sanders Theatre in Harvard Square. Running December 12 through 28 in 2025, the show leans into seasonal storytelling with music and dance, and this year’s edition is billed as a Scandinavian Christmas story inspired by Gregory Maguire’s Matchless. The venue is half the charm: Sanders is historic and cozy in the best way, and the whole night has an old-world, winter-festival vibe that feels like a secret you’re happy to share.
For travelers looking to add something a little different to their holiday theater lineup, Boston also offers a range of smaller-scale seasonal productions that lean creative, intimate, or contemporary. These performances often take place in studio theaters and historic playhouses around the city, offering a more relaxed, story-forward alternative to the grand holiday spectacles. They’re a great fit for date nights, adult groups, or visitors who want a festive show that feels thoughtful and atmospheric rather than traditional—proof that Boston’s holiday theater scene has depth well beyond the classics.
Even if you don’t choose a specific show until you arrive, a few venues are worth visiting during the holidays simply because they make the night feel special. The Boch Center’s Wang Theatre is an excellent example of a grand, big-night-out room that hosts touring favorites and seasonal one-offs. Another standout is the Emerson Cutler Majestic Theatre. This stunning historic venue regularly hosts holiday programming, including promotions for Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s production of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, a seasonal tradition. These are the kinds of places where you can show up early, soak in the architecture, and let the lobby buzz do some of the holiday lifting.
If your holiday visit stretches into the final days of December, you’ll still find plenty of opportunities to enjoy Boston’s seasonal atmosphere without centering your plans on a single marquee event. Many neighborhoods host winter concerts, pop-up performances, and festive programming in historic spaces, making it easy to stumble into something memorable while exploring the city. From candlelit halls to lively downtown venues, these smaller holiday moments often become the unexpected highlights of a trip.
Plan Your Boston Holiday Experience Today
Boston comes alive during the holidays, and seasonal shows are among the most popular events of the year. From classical ballets and concerts to festive theatrical productions, performances across the city often sell out weeks in advance—especially on weekends and dates near Christmas.
This holiday season, treat yourself and those you love to the magic of live entertainment in Boston. Whether it’s a beloved holiday classic or a dazzling seasonal production, there’s nothing quite like experiencing a show in the heart of the city. Start planning your Boston holiday outing today and make memories that will last long after the final curtain call with BoxOfficeTicketSales.com.