Join Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone and special guests for two of Somerville’s annual holiday celebrations. The festivities will begin with the annual Christmas tree lighting on Thursday, December 2, at 5:00 p.m. on the City Hall concourse. After the tree lighting, Santa Claus will join in for a meet and greet next door at Somerville High School (don’t forget your camera if you’d like a photo). Santa will be escorted by the Somerville Fire and Police Departments, with a gift and cookies for each child in tow. Live entertainment will feature the Somerville High School Chorus, Somerville High School Orchestra, El Sistema Somerville, and the Somerville High School Jazz Band. Later in the week, the ceremonial menorah lighting will take place on Sunday, December 5, at 5:00 p.m. on the City Hall concourse with Rabbi Eliana Jacobowitz from Temple B’nai Brith. Light refreshments will be served. Both events are open to all members of the community. Social distancing will be enforced and masks will be required indoors.

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As the holiday gift shopping season intensifies, it’s important to remember that our local merchants are depending on us all to do our best to shop local. With the challenges they have dealt with over the past year or so, many are struggling to stay in business. Let’s help them to get back to business and be here for us in days, months and years to come.

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Happy birthday this week to several locals: Happy birthday to Nancy Fucile. We wish Nancy the very best of birthdays and many more. Happy Birthday to Peter Forcellese, we wish him a very happy birthday. Happy birthday to Lisa Hastings, celebrating her birthday this week. Happy birthday to Peter Blaikie, who is also celebrating this week. We hope he enjoys his birthday. We wish all of our Facebook friends, such as Linda Chaille Nixon, Lee Owen Grassia, Deb Feeley, Karen Fay, Rochelle Hight Jennings, Gordon Crook, Jason Castle and Steve Prescod a very happy birthday. We hope everyone has a great day. To all the others we may have missed, we sincerely wish them the very best of birthdays.

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The Center for Arts at the Armory (CAA) will host and manage the 12th Annual Somerville Winter Farmers Market (SWFM) every Saturday beginning December 4 through April 16. This weekly market offers the best locally grown and regionally produced agricultural items, including vegetable produce, cheese, eggs, meats, fish, breads, pastries, sweets, and hard cider. Each market will feature more than 35 weekly vendors and several rotating guest vendors. The Center for Arts at the Armory is located at 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143. To learn more, and for a complete listing of vendors, weekly specials and live entertainment, please visit www.somwintermarket.org. You can find the market on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SomervilleWinterFarmersMarket, and on Instagram @SomWinterMarket.

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The City of Somerville Traffic Board will hold a virtual public hearing on Wednesday, December 1, regarding the Somerville Traffic Commission July 15, 2021, actions making regulatory changes for the College Avenue Mobility Improvements Project. The public hearing will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m. The hearing will open with a brief presentation by city staff on the project history and objectives. Following the presentation, members of the public will be invited to speak. The typical two-minute time limit will be strictly enforced. The hearing will be hosted on Zoom. To join online, go to bit.ly/TrafficBoardHearing and enter Passcode 154771. To join by phone, dial 646-558-8656 and enter Meeting ID 850 2470 2442. Written testimony will also be accepted until 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 1. Written testimony can be emailed to transportation@somervillema.gov or mailed to: Mobility Division, ATTN: Hearing, 93 Highland Avenue, Somerville, MA 02143. The public hearing will be recorded and rebroadcast on GovTV (channel 13 on RCN, channel 22 on Comcast) and on the City’s YouTube channel, youtube.com/SomervilleCityTV.

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Because this winter begins in an odd-numbered year, snow emergency parking will be on the odd side of the street all winter, unless posted signage says differently. Check streets signs in your neighborhood so you know where you can park ahead of winter weather. You can also learn more about the city’s snow policies at somervillema.gov/snow. Snow emergencies are announced in a variety of ways, including through phone, text, and email city alerts. Make sure you’re signed up for alerts in every way you can receive them and at your current address so that you get neighborhood-specific alerts. Alerts are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, and Nepali. You can update your information by visiting somervillema.gov/alerts or calling 311.

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FabVille provides all Somerville residents with free workspace and access to 3D printers, laser cutters, and computer numerical control (CNC) machines to inspire innovative design and prototyping. The lab is open Monday through Thursday from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. for SHS students and faculty and from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. for community members. Before visiting, all participants must sign up for a free membership at FabVille.org. Students participating in FabVille activities must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Community members will be required to fill out a COVID-19 attestation form. All visitors must wear a mask. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during community hours. FabVille is located in an Engineering classroom (Room B032) at Somerville High School, 81 Highland Avenue. When you arrive at the main entrance of the school, a door monitor will greet you and direct you downstairs to FabVille. For more information, visit FabVille.org or facebook.com/FabvilleFabLab.

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COVID cases in Massachusetts just reached a nine-month high. In order to not repeat the tragic fall and winter surge of last year, COVID precautions are urged for this holiday season. The CDC has a holiday safety guide. The main thing to keep in mind is responsible behavior leading up to the holidays will lead to safer celebrations. Making sure everyone at the gathering is vaccinated, getting a booster if you are eligible, and masking up in indoor public spaces will lessen the chances of people contracting the virus and spreading it to others during what should be a happy occasion. Having smaller holiday get-togethers and keeping it among people who regularly associate with each other also can lessen the spread. Outdoor celebrations (sunny weather is currently forecast for Thanksgiving) are safer than indoor gatherings. Finally, get tested in the days leading up to the holiday if you think you might pose a risk. Go to somervillema.gov/covid19testing to find a testing location.

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Get Elfie + Keep Small Strong for Union Square Main Streets 7th Annual Holiday Stroll. Join in The Holiday Stroll, a three-day celebration of Union Square sparkle, discovery, and holiday delight on December 9, 10, and 11. Revel in this Union Square neighborhood tradition and enter to win cash prizes up to $1000 by helping to judge the Storefront Decoration Contest, conquering the Keep Small Strong Challenge when enjoying unique eats and rad retail, following the Festivus Trail, and taking Elfie Selfies. Dozens of locally-owned businesses await with all you need to stuff your stockings, deck your halls with local art, make your tastebuds celebrate, and more. Bundle up and come on down or snuggle up and shop from home to unwrap Union Square in all its wintry wonderment. For more info on how to enter to win $1000 cash, visit: https://www.unionsquaremain.org/holiday-stroll.

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Join East Somerville Main Streets for another Pop-Up Holiday Market at Connexion in Somerville. They’ll have some new vendors, more food and more music. Support small, local businesses while you do your holiday shopping. Saturday, December 11, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at Connexion, 149 Broadway.

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The Somerville Arts Council’s Illumination Community Lantern Project returns. As the days get shorter and the nights get longer, they are looking for ways to brighten the darkness. Building off of the success from last year’s Illuminations Community Lantern project, they are encouraging residents to create their own lantern displays in their neighborhoods and squares as a part of this year’s month-long festivities. If you are interested in leading the charge in your neighborhood, contact SAC and they will put you on the official Illuminations Map. The deadline to be included on the Illumination map is December 1. To light up your neighborhood and get involved, visit https://somervilleartscouncil.org/illuminationstour.

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