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12 fun things to do in Boston this weekend – Metro US

12 fun things to do in Boston this weekend

FAMILY

Gingerbread House Design Competition

Each holiday season, the Boston Society of Architects invites some local firms to apply all their precision and expertise to create deliciously charming gingerbread models of local landmarks. The show is open all month, but if you’ve got kids you should bring them on Saturday, when they’ll be able to make their own sugary structures.

Through Dec. 31, BSA Space, 290 Congress St., Boston, free, architects.org/bsaspace

MUSIC

A Christmas Celtic Sojourn

Each Christmastime, WGBH Celtic music DJ Brian O’Donovan hosts a stacked lineup of music and dance from across the Celtic diaspora. This year’s band, led by Solas frontman Seamus Eagan and Scottish singer Maeve Gilchrist, includes faces new and old, such as Uilleann pipes virtuoso Joey Abarta and a 15-year-old fiddle prodigy named Haley Richardson. Plus, as always, the Harney Academy of Irish Dance.

Through Dec. 22, Cutler Majestic Theatre, 219 Tremont St., Boston, $25-$85, cutlermajestic.org

Country 102.5 Holiday Jam

There’s this weird idea that there aren’t many country fans north of the Mason-Dixon line. Country musicians know this isn’t true, and three big names grace chilly Beantown this weekend: LOCASH, a duo best known for their 2016 hit single “I Know Somebody,” the hunky Canadian brothers known as High Valley, and Danielle Bradbery, 2013 winner of “The Voice.”

Dec. 14, 7 p.m., House of Blues, 15 Landowne St., Boston, $25, all ages, country1025.com/holidayjam2017

GAMES

Holiday Musical Bingo

Holiday stress on top of all the regular stress can be pretty stressful. You could try yoga, but it’s hard and it makes your body do unholy things. Why not play a little music bingo at the Shake Shack? It always seemed to help your grandparents relax… Plus, your money goes to Project Bread, fighting hunger in Massachusetts. Sweet deal.

Dec. 14, 6:30p.m.-9:30 p.m., Shake Shack, 234 Newbury St., Boston. $25, projectbread.org/bingo

MOVIES

‘The Shape of Water’

In his last film, “Pacific Rim,” Guillermo del Toro pitted giant robots against aquatic monsters, but in his latest, “The Shape of Water,” someone falls in love with one. She’s a lonely, mute janitor at a government facility, he’s a humanoid gilled creature being held there. Sounds gross, right? But if anyone can wring pathos rather than cringes from this scenario, it’s del Toro.

Now playing, Kendall Square Cinema, 355 Binney St., Cambridge, $13, landmarktheatres.com

Inside the Room

In recent years, the unintentionally hilarious 2003 indie drama “The Room” has become the reigning champion of “so bad it’s good” movies, with legions of fans. Those fans will want to come to this event, with “Room” co-star Greg Sestero showing his documentary on the (mis)making of the film, leading a special live reading of redacted scenes and more.

Dec. 16, 11:59 p.m., Coolidge Corner Theatre, 290 Harvard St., Brookline, $15, coolidge.org

COMEDY

Stavros Halkias

South Shore Boyz presents this comedy showcase headlined by Stavros Halakias, known for his radio appearances and his raunchy podcast—presumably a riff on “Piss Town” but not a parody of it. Actually, it’s a comedic sex advice show, and once you witness Halkias you’ll understand what a (perfectly) bad idea that it. Philadelphia comic Chris O’Connor will open.

Dec. 16, 8 p.m., House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., Boston, $12, houseofblues.com/boston

SHOPPING

CraftBoston Holiday

One of two annual showcases put on by the Society of Crafts, CraftBoston is as much an art show as it is a hand-made craft sale. The juried show pulls from the best makers across the United States, putting the “artisan” back in “artisanal.” Even if you don’t or can’t buy anything, there’s no telling what inspiration might seep from these designs made outside of the corporate hive mind.

Dec. 15-17, Hynes Convention Center, 900 Boylston St., Boston, $15, societyofcrafts.org

GOING OUT

Tantra Speed Date

If you’re burnt out with OK Cupid, Tinder, or whatever’s the app du jour, you might try coming to this singles event, which employs ice-breaking techniques, some drawn from tantra yoga, to help cut through all those pesky psychological defenses and tedious small talk. Perhaps you’ll make a match. If not, at least you’ll have something to post about.

Dec. 16, 5 p.m., Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Ave., Somerville, $35-$60, artsatthearmory.org

Somerville Illuminations Tour

Hop in a trolley for a tour of some of the most festively lit neighborhoods in Somerville. The Somerville Arts Council, organizer of the tour, describes such holiday decoration as “folk artistry,” and holiday lights surely have always been a prime venue for self-expression. Some homes are religious, others secular, some stately and reserved, others completely over the top, as it should be.

Dec. 16, 4:30 p.m.-10 p.m., Somerville City Hall, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, $15, somervilleartscouncil.og

PODCASTS

Up and Vanished Live

Come to a live recording of “Up and Vanished,” a mystery podcast revolving around the disappearance of a young woman, Tara Grinstead, in Georgia in 2005. The case file is the largest in Georgia history, but it remains unsolved—unless host and amateur sleuth Payne Lindsay cracks the case! Fans of “Serial” should check this out if they aren’t already fans.

Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Wilbur Theatre, 246 Tremont St., Boston, $30, thewilbur.com

WRESTLING

WWE Clash of Champions

Boston-area wrestling fans are lucky in 2017, because they get to see WWE’s Clash of Champions in person. The big match is A.J. Styles vs. Jinder Mahal, the latter hoping to win back his championship belt. There’s also a doubles match, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs. Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura, refereed by Shane McMahon, and much more.

Dec. 17, 7:30 p.m., TD Garden, 100 Legends Way, Boston, $25+, ticketmaster.com