The first night of December, about 150 families huddled together in the wintry weather to hear Christmas carols and see Santa Claus light up the city's evergreen tree. 

Meanwhile, the second big holiday event in the city, Midnight Madness, had begun. A dozen or so stores stayed open until 12 a.m., treating customers with 10 percent discounts and snacks. One of the most popular stops was Dave's Fresh Pasta, where staff were handing out samples of wine and beer, picked green tomatoes, cheese and Italian chocolate fruit cake. 

People searching for Christmas and Hannukah gifts packed into Magpie, Davis Squared and Boston Shaker. Though the small shops' aisles were clogged and the lines to check out long, the mood remained festive. 

"I wasn't expecting this event to be such a zoo," one woman said to her friend as they found themselves trapped in a corner inside Davis Squared, "but I should have known." 

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