Free December events in Boston: Hanukkah celebrations, new play readings, and more – The Boston Globe

Though the bitter New England wind is upon us, the holiday calendar is just warming up. This week’s schedule features a fire-and-ice Hanukkah celebration in Watertown, readings of two soon-to-debut theatrical works, and offbeat holiday film screenings at a dive bar. However you choose to get ready for the festivities, here are some no-cost and discounted events across Greater Boston and beyond for the week of Dec. 15-21.

A HOT AND COLD HANUKKAH Chabad Watertown’s Hanukkah celebration kicks off at 4:45 p.m., live performances featuring fire breathing, flaming prop juggling, and other heated tricks. Then, at 5 p.m., Chabad’s 7-foot-tall ice menorah will be lit, followed by a gelt drop, when chocolate coins will be parachuted from above for attendees to catch. Crafts and games will be set up around the venue, and free hot chocolate and doughnuts will be offered while supplies last. Dec. 15, 4-6 p.m. RSVP recommended. Arsenal Yards, 130 Arsenal St., Watertown. arsenalyards.com

HOLIDAY HORRORS There’s nothing like the gritty texture of VHS that elevates a scary movie: WickedVHS, a series of free public screenings of VHS movies at bars, screens a double feature of two creepy Christmas movies at the Model Café on Monday. Film names won’t be revealed until you’re at the event, but a few clues have been offered. The first pick is a childhood horror staple, featuring cutesy monsters who turn evil once you feed them at night; the other is a folkloric fable about Santa’s evil twin. Dec. 15. 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. 21+. Model Café, 7 North Beacon St., Allston. instagram.com/wickedvhs

GONE CAROLING Caroling isn’t just an activity from the days of old: The New School of Music hosts a drop-in session for curious carolers to practice for the doorways. The session is led by NSM instructor Joe Reid, who will teach attendees a wide variety of Christmas, Hanukkah, and general winter tunes, demonstrate different ways to harmonize, and provide live piano accompaniment. Hot cider will be provided to soothe your throat, and free Christmas cookies can keep spirits high. Dec. 16, 6:30-8 p.m. New School of Music Concert Room, 25 Lowell St., Cambridge. newschoolofmusic.org

NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN THEATER The Huntington Theatre’s Winter New Play Intensive, a development program for new plays, will present its two projects this season for the first time. “Blue Train,” which has its live reading on Tuesday, is a familial drama about a son who hopes to inherit his ailing father’s beach retreat. Wednesday, it’s “Three Bears,” a sci-fi epic about two wandering spacemen attempting to reach a distant outpost before they run out of the necessary resources for their journey. Dec. 16 and 17, 7 p.m. The Maso Studio in the Huntington Theatre, 264 Huntington Ave. huntingtontheatre.org

CELEBRATORY CRAFTS Before the holidays are upon us, visit Assembly Row for some casual activities. Attendees can take part in various family-friendly crafts celebrating Christmas and Hanukkah, including ornament-crafting, snowflake-making, and drawing, and indulge in some free hot chocolate while supplies last. The J.P. Licks deck also turns into a dancefloor with tunes from DJ Axelrod, who will play house beats to keep the crowd moving and grooving. Dec. 20, 1-3 p.m. J.P. Licks Deck at Assembly Row, 355 Artisan Way, Somerville. assemblyrow.com

MENORAH AT THE MUSEUM The MFA’s Hanukkah celebration, which features discounted entry for the museum’s $5 Third Thursdays event. This month features activities and exhibitions celebrating Jewish traditions beginning at 5 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., catch a performance from the Global Yiddish Orchestra, or, at 5:45 p.m., a performance from AJ Rubin that blends Jewish folk music and clowning. Among the many festivities are tours and live readings celebrating Jewish history, an interactive scavenger hunt to gather candles for a menorah, a drop-in dreidel-decorating workshop, and a face-painting booth. Dec. 18, 5-10 p.m. Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave. mfa.org

PET PORTRAITS Furry friends can get in on the festive fun at the Paws and Claus event hosted by Bond Vet, a veterinary clinic with several locations in Greater Boston. Pets will get their photos taken for free alongside a (human) Santa Claus, for a professional-looking portrait their owners can put on kitschy greeting cards. Dogs and cats can snag a free treat, and humans get hot chocolate for tagging along. Dec. 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Bond Vet, 320 Foley St., Somerville. bringfido.com

Check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.

Send info on free events and special offers at least 10 days in advance to ryan.yau@globe.com.

Ryan Yau can be reached at ryan.yau@globe.com.