The Fenway, one of the Hub's most vibrant neighborhoods, is aglow this December with holiday spirit. Need proof? Then head on over December 7 for a variety of big events, beginning at 5 p.m. at the Fenway Community Center, where visitors can enjoy story time and craft activities. At 6 p.m., the official Fenway Tree Lighting Ceremony begins at the Kelleher Rose Garden accompanied by free cider, cocoa and food from Tasty Burger; appearances by Red Sox mascots Wally and Tessie; and music from the Boston Children's Chorus. This is then followed by a Luminary Walk led by Berklee College of Music's Grooversity that ends at The Rink at 401 Park, where participants can enjoy free skating. Along the way, enjoy free waffles at the area's newest outdoor venue, The Station, while admiring the art installation Brighter Revealed designed by Tova Speter and Emily Bhargavaand. 

Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts (MFA) packs an eight-day holiday into one festive evening when it hosts its annual Hanukkah Celebration on December 15 from 5–10 p.m. in conjunction with Jewish Arts Collaborative (JArts) and Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP). For a $5 minimum (admission is pay-what-you-wish), experience art-making, two special art installations (Tova Speter’s mobile, interactive light display Brighter Ignited and Joshua Meyer’s Eight Approaches, an eight-painting sequence exploring time and light), a lecture about Jacques Lipchitz’s Hanukkah-themed masterpiece Miracle, an art-making demonstration by Jeanette Kuvin Oren and live music throughout the evening courtesy of Ezekial’s Wheels Klezmer Band (pictured) and a lineup of guest musicians. Welcome remarks from MFA director Matthew Teitelbaum, JArts executive director Laura Mandel and CJP CEO Marc Baker begin at 6:15 p.m., followed by a spotlight talk about the Torah finials created by 18th century New York silversmith Myer Myers, aka the “Jewish Paul Revere.”