Christmas, Hanukkah Events In Swampscott: Lights, Santa, More

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — There are plenty of things going on around Swampscott to celebrate the 2023 winter holidays.

Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, starts at sundown on Dec. 7, and ends at nightfall on Dec. 15. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the season.

Swampscott will hold its Police Association Holiday Parade and Holiday Festival will take place on the Town Hall Lawn on Dec. 16 from 4 to 7 p.m.

The free holiday festival event will feature horse and carriage rides, kiddie train rides, crafts, vendors, food, gift shopping, pictures with Mrs. Claus and more.

Gingerbread houses will be on display inside the Town Hall. Mrs. Claus will pose for pictures with her mini-reindeer until 7 p.m.

The holiday parade begins at 5:30 p.m. with a flashlight candy cane hunt at Linscott Park at the same time.

The town tree lighting then takes place at 6 p.m.

Those wishing to pay Santa a special visit can do so daily at the Northshore Mall in Peabody.

(Anyone who has another holiday event in Swampscott that readers should know about can email information to scott.souza@patch.com for inclusion in future versions of this post.)