The Weekender: December 12 to 15

Boston Ballet’s Nutcracker is back at Citizens Bank Opera House this month, and there’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season than with this iconic performance. Photo by Rosalie O’Connor

Eat, shop, go

Finals are just around the corner, but that doesn’t mean the holiday celebrations have to be put on pause. This weekend, find some time to unwind, explore, and of course, find last-minute holiday gifts. Whether you’re in the mood for some homemade latkes, a craft fair or two, or the ballet, we’ve got you covered. Check out our guide for where to eat, shop, and go this weekend in Boston.

Latke Making with Mamaleh’s at Time Out Market

Mamaleh’s Delicatessen is further cementing its reputation as the best Jewish-style deli in the Boston area. This Friday night, the restaurant is helping patrons get in the Hanukkah spirit with a special latke-making event at the demo kitchen at Time Out Market. For $72, Mamaleh’s will give attendees hands-on latke training—from the shredding, mixing, and frying of potatoes to the equally important garnishes. The lesson entails following recipes from start to finish, and there will also be a build-your-own latke bar. Tickets include a drink, printed recipes, and of course, lots of delicious potato pancakes. Hanukkah may still be a week away, but is it ever too early to eat latkes? 

Latke Making with Mamaleh’s is Friday, December 13, from 6 to 8 pm, at Time Out Market, 401 Park Drive, Boston. Purchase tickets here.

Harvard Square Holiday Fair

Each winter since 1986, one of Boston’s best craft fairs—the Harvard Square Holiday Fair—has featured a diverse and talented array of local artists. From jewelry and chocolate to pottery and even craft mobiles, the fair is an ideal destination for anyone still in the market for holiday gifts. This year’s fair is at St. Paul’s Church Hall, and will be open Friday through Sunday this weekend and next. Admission is free, and a full list of vendors can be found here. 

The Harvard Square Holiday Fair is at St. Paul’s Church Hall, 29 Mt. Auburn St., Cambridge, at the corner of Bow and Arrow Streets. The fair is open Friday, December 13, 11:30 am to 7 pm, Saturday, December 14, 10 am to 7 pm, and Sunday, December 15, noon to 6 pm; next weekend: Thursday, December 19, 11:30 am to 7 pm, Friday, December 20, 11:30 am to 7 pm, Saturday, December 21, 10 am to 7 pm, and Sunday, December 22, noon to 6 pm. 

CraftBoston Holiday 2019

This weekend also marks the annual CraftBoston Holiday fair, with more than 175 artists, hosted by the Society of Arts and Crafts at Hynes Convention Center in Back Bay. Craft artists from around the area and the country will convene to showcase their work, from wearable art to furniture, decor, and more. General admission tickets are free with a student ID and will be available at the door, and tickets can be used to receive 10 percent off at the retail gallery, valid through the New Year.

CraftBoston Holiday is this weekend, Friday, December 13, through Sunday, December 15, at the Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St. The exhibition hall is open Friday, 11 am to 7 pm, Saturday, 10 am to 6 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. Admission is free with a student ID, and tickets can be picked up at the door. 

Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol

What do you get when you mix Charles Dickens’ storytelling and Dolly Parton’s music? For the answer, head over to the Emerson Colonial Theatre this weekend to see the premiere of Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol. Set at the height of the Great Depression in eastern Tennessee, the musical tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, owner of a mining company town, as he comes across a ghost and rethinks his life. Parton’s take on Dickens’ famous 1843 novella is playing through December 29. The show runs two and a half hours, including intermission; eight-time Grammy Award winner Parton is not scheduled to appear.

Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is playing at the Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St., Boston, through December 29. This weekend the shows are at 7:30 pm Friday, December 13, 2 pm and 7:30 pm Saturday, December 14, and 1 pm and 6:30 pm Sunday, December 15. Purchase tickets, ranging from $39.50 to $149.50, here.

Women Take the Floor Exhibition at the MFA

This ongoing groundbreaking exhibition at the Museum of Fine Arts challenges the male-dominated history of 20th-century American art. Women Take the Floor focuses on the work and stories of female artists, which have been largely overlooked. The collection includes more than 200 pieces, drawn mainly from the MFA’s own collections, and is organized into seven thematic galleries—from “Women Depicting Women: Her Vision, Her Voice” to “Women Publish Women: The Print Boom.” The exhibition also features interactive programming, and new rotations of artwork are periodically introduced. 

Women Take the Floor is on view at the Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston, through May 3, 2021. Admission is free with a student ID.

Boston Ballet’s The Nutcracker 

The Boston Ballet’s iconic The Nutcracker has returned, and there’s no better way to celebrate the holidays in New England than with this classic performance. Based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s novella, The Nutcracker is set to the music of Tchaikovsky. The show, running about two hours, is playing at the Citizens Bank Opera House through December 29. Ticket prices vary, and there is a special youth price: attendees ages 22 and under can save 50 percent in sections A and B on select performances with the purchase of an adult ticket. 

The Nutcracker is playing at the Citizens Bank Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston, through December 29. Purchase tickets, starting at $37, here.