Boston is getting a head start on Christmas by announcing its 2025 holiday lighting events – from the Boston Common tree to the trellis at Christopher Columbus Park.

Different parts of the city will be illuminated in ceremonies beginning just before Thanksgiving, brightening the area to counter the early-evening darkness of winter.

The festivities will culminate with a crowd favorite on Dec. 4: the 84th annual Boston Common Tree Lighting .

All of the holiday lighting events are free to the public, and many of them will offer sweet snacks and hot drinks to guests. Here's what to know.

Nov. 18: Tree arrives on Boston Common

A 45-foot Nova Scotian tree will arrive on Boston Common by police escort on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 11 a.m., a couple weeks before it is scheduled to be lit, the

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