The Weekender: December 9 to 12

Get in the holiday spirit as Marsh Chapel hosts its 48th annual Service of Lessons and Carols, inspired by the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols tradition held every Christmas Eve at Cambridge University’s King’s College for more than 100 years. Photo by Jacob Chang-Rascle (COM’22)

Eat, shop, go

Classes end Friday, December 10, and finals begin Saturday, December 11, but it can’t be all work and no play, right?  Catch some good food, do some holiday shopping, or unwind and grab some me-time with our lineup of events around Boston this coming weekend.

Pon de Joy

Boston’s first mochi donut company, Pon de Joy, set up shop inside the Super 88 Food Court in October. The dessert spot shares a space with Kimchipapi Korndogs, where you can grab a savory Korean corn dog while deciding which flavor donut to try. Flavors change every week, but this weekend choose from matcha, strawberry milk, mango passion fruit, mint cookies and cream, salted caramel, black sesame, and maple bacon, for $3.75 each. Or load up a dozen in a box. Follow their Instagram to stay updated on the new flavors available for the week.

Pon de Joy, One Brighton Ave., Boston, is open 11 am to 9 pm daily. Delivery is available through Uber Eats, Grubhub, and Chowbus. 

Boston Women’s Market

Since its beginning in 2017, Boston Women’s Market (BWM) has featured a large community of over 1,000 women-founded businesses and women artists. The 2021 BWM is at the Charles River Speedway, with over 20 different local vendors, and close to the Speedway’s beer garden, shopping, and dining amenities. Vendors sell candles, jewelry, wood carvings, and baked goods, so be sure to stop by and pick up some gifts to check off your holiday shopping list. You can also shop from the comfort of your own home here. 

Boston Women’s Market is Sunday, December 12, from noon to 5 pm, at the Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave., Brighton.

Jazz Fest

Take a break from studying and unwind with some smooth jazz. Boston University’s Jazz Ensembles—which consists of the BU Big Band, Jazz Workshop, and two Jazz Combos—headline the end-of-semester concert.

Jazz Fest is Friday, December 10, from 8 to 10 pm, at the Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre, 820 Commonwealth Ave. The concert is free and open to the public.

Radical Return

For the College of Fine Arts exhibition Radical Return, 36 Chinese and Chinese American artists and graphic designers illustrated their interpretation of the Chinese character “hui” (回), which means to return or turn around. The artwork provides various insights into the artists’ return to their culture through language, tradition, memory, identity, and history. 

Radical Return is open Tuesday to Saturday, from 11 am to 5 pm, through December 12, at the College of Fine Arts Stone Gallery, 855 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. The exhibition is free and open to the public.

Marsh Service of Lessons and Carols

Marsh Chapel is hosting its 48th annual Service of Lessons and Carols, inspired by the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols tradition that has been held every Christmas Eve at King’s College of Cambridge University for more than 100 years. Join the Marsh Chapel Choir and the Majestic Brass Quintet for a night of music to ring in the holiday season.

Marsh Chapel’s Service of Lessons and Carols is Friday, December 10, at 6 pm, and Sunday, December 12, at 11 am, at Marsh Chapel, 735 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. Admission is free, and you can attend the service in person or virtually here.