Forget Football Season! Allston Christmas is Coming!
Football season may have started, but Judi 411's Super Bowl is just around the corner.
Yes, you know it. ALLSTON CHRISTMAS!
And if you don't know it, here's the 411:
The most Boston of holidays, Allston Christmas takes place on September 1st, the biggest move-in day in the city. Students return to their dorms, summer sub-letters move to their new abodes, and moving trucks of official and unofficial stripe clog the streets.
This year's spectacle will be extra special because September 1st falls on the holiday weekend, so it’s anyone’s guess what I call "The Traffic Trifecta" will look like:
U-Hauls driven by first-time operators (more on this in a minute);
Mini-vans and sedans filled Beverly Hillbillies-style, with at least one dropping a mattress on Comm Ave or the Mass Ave bridge;
Holiday weekend tourist traffic.
U-Hauls double as the Official Harbinger of Allston Christmas in the Very, Very Boston Phenomenon of "Storrowing." Each year, without fail, in the weeks leading up to September 1st, someone ignores ALL WARNINGS, VERBAL AND WRITTEN, tries to get their U-Haul under one of the bridges on Storrow Drive, and ends up like this:
“Storrowing”: The great Boston tradition of turning a oversized vehicle into a tin can. Photo credit: The Boston Globe
Actually, "Storrowing" has become a year-round occurrence in recent years, so it's not fair to place all the blame on the students anymore. A quick internet search will reveal dozens of Reddits, YouTube videos, and articles dedicated to this spectacle that we all complain about but can't help but watch with religious fervor when it happens.
Speaking of religion, much like the 2004 Red Sox World Series win, The Faithful are rewarded on Allston Christmas.
How, you ask? By the overflow of discarded furniture, pots, pans, and home goods galore piled in front of dorms, apartment complexes, and multi-family homes all over town.
No, I am not kidding. Google "Allston Christmas." You will see gems like this one:
Yes, poor Teddy did not make the cut because he was too big or didn't get included in the "pets" portion of the new lease.
And in a true living testament to the adage, "One man's trash is another man's treasure," you will also bear witness to people picking through items and taking some home.
One of these people is me.
I lived in Allston for many years, yet only had to move on September 1st one time. (No, I will not reveal how I managed to pull that off, except to say, "I knew a guy."). But I watch the local news on September 1st like it is MY JOB.
Allston Christmas is my Super Bowl, my joy, my reason for living.
My participation in Allston Christmas began out of necessity. I was a poor college student, going to school full-time and working full-time to make ends meet. So if someone wanted to off-load a Pyrex saucepan, then who was I to turn it down? I cleaned it and used it. My bookcases were from Allston Christmas, as was my kitchen set. I drew the line at fabric furniture or bedding of any sort, but wooden or metal furniture and kitchen accessories were my jam.
How did I carry this stuff to my apartment? With a little help from my friends (or in some cases, total strangers), of course!
Yes, Virginia, Allston Christmas is the ultimate "Zero Fucks Given" experience. No wonder I love it so much! I once witnessed someone moving a bed on the Boston College train, and fellow passengers helped them unload it at their stop!
When pure insanity meets necessity and an unfettered community, I am here with popcorn to watch it all unfold.
Over the years, Allston Christmas has evolved into an everyday experience, an integral part of my essence. I proudly call my interior decorating style "Vintage Allston Christmas." Why limit my favorite holiday to September 1st? Some people keep their Christmas tree up all year long, so why not celebrate Allston Christmas 365 days a year?
My primary way to pay homage is by slowing down my vehicle if I see something even remotely salvageable. This practice has morphed into a year-round, fun family game called "Allston Christmas or Trash?" a tradition my children have been part of since, well, since they could talk.
Listen, mock me all you want. My kids got a great Barbie hotel out of it and a wooden table that we used for arts and crafts. We even scored Little Tykes slides and climbing structures on College Avenue near Tufts.
Now, as adults, they join in on the fun! Last year, my older daughter, Bennie, and I scored some serious goodies for her place: an antique, wrought-iron bedframe and a beautiful wooden bureau.
Due to work and time constraints, we've usually kept our Allston Christmas adventures closer to our hometown of Medford, home of Tufts University. But this year, we're finally heading to the motherland itself—Allston! It feels like a trip down memory lane, returning to the urban neighborhood of my youth, almost like a pilgrimage. We are bringing along our newest convert, my younger daughter, Ivy, to see what treasures lay at the Allston Christmas altar for her own interior decorating adventures.
Of course, like most matters of faith, I am not without sin, for I have coveted the Allston Christmas finds of friends. My most significant transgression: green-eyed envy of the brand-new, still-in-the-box, Kitchen-Aid standing mixer my friend Michelle scored several years ago.
But I have atoned for my transgressions. I hope you all still respect me on Allston Christmas morning.
In recent years, I've served as a modern-day missionary, bringing the joy of Allston Christmas by hosting "Allston Christmas Drive-By Tours" for the uninitiated.
Yes, I have! There is no shame in my game! A few years ago, we convened on September 2nd to witness the aftermath, but the pickings were slim. The following year, the pandemic ensued, so we put this little excursion on hold. Perhaps I can resurrect it and coordinate a convoy to Commonwealth Avenue to see what’s available.
You can take the girl out of Allston, but you cannot make her stop believing in Allston Christmas.