We track 1 display in Boston (Dorchester). Every one of them is free to visit.
Displays here switch on around sunset. In Boston (Dorchester) that means about 4:13 PM in early December and 4:12 PM by mid-month — the earliest sunsets of the year fall right in the middle of lights season. It is properly dark by about 4:44 PM, which is when the displays look their best. December nights in Boston (Dorchester) typically drop to around 28°F.
| Date | Sunset | Fully dark |
|---|---|---|
| Dec 1 | 4:13 PM | 4:44 PM |
| Dec 15 | 4:12 PM | 4:44 PM |
| Dec 25 | 4:17 PM | 4:49 PM |
Residential displays have no facilities of their own — no parking, no toilets, nowhere to warm up — so it is worth knowing what is around. Within about three miles of the Boston (Dorchester) cluster, OpenStreetMap maps 12 public car parks and 6 public toilets. There is no shortage of cafés and takeaways for a hot drink on the way round.
Freeresidential20,000+ lightsneon lightinghandcrafted manger scene
The Nguyen family's annual Dorchester show combines neon lighting, more than 20,000 lights, and a handcrafted manger scene.
✓ Last confirmed for the 2025 season
Know a display we're missing in Boston (Dorchester)?Add it to the guide.