Also: A look back at the stories we told in 2021; listening and reading suggestions for your downtime [View in browser](    [❤️]( December 23, 2021 🎁 As you plan your year-end contributions, please put WBUR on your list. [Make your tax deductible gift by Dec. 31 at wbur.org.]( ❄️ Snow likely before 9 a.m., with accumulation up to a half inch. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Good Morning Boston, No matter what you celebrate, the end of the year usually means time spent gathering with loved ones. While the Biden administration is still giving the green light to fully vaccinated people to gather with friends and family this holiday season, the now-dominant omicron COVID-19 variant is nerve-wracking. Here are some ways you can mitigate risks while having some festive fun: - Mask up when you're out in public, especially indoors or places outside where you can't distance from others.
- An important reminder: a single surgical or cloth mask may not cut it anymore. Shan Soe-Lin, managing director of Boston nonprofit Pharo Global Health Advisors, [told WBUR]( "everyone should be wearing the very best mask possible." Ideally, that's KN95s because they filter out a higher volume of particles to better keep you safe. If you don't have that, look for masks with a tight fit around your nose and mouth. - Get tested. Here's [how to get a COVID test in Massachusetts](.
- I know at-home tests can be expensive and the lines for free COVID testing can be long. Don't forget that free at-home COVID tests are available [at select Boston Public Library branches]( too. You can also monitor [this tracker]( to help find tests. - Consider moving some of your celebrations outdoors. NPR has brainstormed a [few ways to move more during the holidays](. Did you know 80% of American adults and kids spend too much time sitting?! Many of those ideas include enjoying nature. - If you're not fully vaccinated, test and double mask for indoor gatherings â yes, even with family â or stay home.
- Please consider getting your shots (and a booster if you've already been vaccinated). Public health experts agree it is the best way to keep yourself and others safe. A scheduling note: We'll be hitting a pause on this newsletter until the new year! In the meantime, you can stay up-to-date on the latest omicron news by heading to [wbur.org]( or listening on air. I hope you have a safe, healthy and restful holiday, and I can't wait to be back in your inboxes in 2022. P.S.â As a loyal reader, we thought you would ace our latest Boston News Quiz covering the year's major milestones. [Take the quiz here](. Meagan McGinnes
Senior Editor, Newsletters
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 Best Of 2021
[The photos that helped us tell the stories of 2021](
Marked by the ongoing pandemic and a pivotal mayoral election, 2021 brought hope alongside angst and uncertainty. We take a look back at these critical moments, and the photographs that helped us tell the stories. [Read more.](
[The photos that helped us tell the stories of 2021](
Marked by the ongoing pandemic and a pivotal mayoral election, 2021 brought hope alongside angst and uncertainty. We take a look back at these critical moments, and the photographs that helped us tell the stories. [Read more.](
[Our 11 most-read global pandemic stories of 2021](
From India to Israel to white-tailed deer in Iowa harboring the coronavirus, our top COVID stories of the year reveal the ever-changing nature of the world's health crisis. [Read more.](
[Our 11 most-read global pandemic stories of 2021](
From India to Israel to white-tailed deer in Iowa harboring the coronavirus, our top COVID stories of the year reveal the ever-changing nature of the world's health crisis. [Read more.](
[Cognoscenti's Best Stories of 2021](
We published hundreds of essays and commentaries this year. Here are the pieces that attracted the most readers, and took up the most space in our hearts and brains. [Read more.](
[Cognoscenti's Best Stories of 2021](
We published hundreds of essays and commentaries this year. Here are the pieces that attracted the most readers, and took up the most space in our hearts and brains. [Read more.](
[Reflecting on our favorite arts and culture moments of 2021](
WBUR's arts and culture team reflects on moments from the year that provided reprieve, whether it was through a trip to the ICA or watching a movie at the cinema. [Read more.](
[Reflecting on our favorite arts and culture moments of 2021](
WBUR's arts and culture team reflects on moments from the year that provided reprieve, whether it was through a trip to the ICA or watching a movie at the cinema. [Read more.](
[The best conversations and live journalism at WBURâs CitySpace in 2021](
The pandemic forced CitySpace online to a virtual stage. But with that came a reinventing of WBURâs live journalism, ideas and innovative conversations. Here's a look back at the best of 2021. [Read more.](
[The best conversations and live journalism at WBURâs CitySpace in 2021](
The pandemic forced CitySpace online to a virtual stage. But with that came a reinventing of WBURâs live journalism, ideas and innovative conversations. Here's a look back at the best of 2021. [Read more.]( Want more of our year-end roundups? You can see [all of our 2021 recaps here](. It's worth the trip down memory lane. Time For A Break Get lost in a good book: We asked newsletter readers to share some of the best reads they picked up in 2021, and we got over 90 suggestions. [This must-bookmark list]( ranges from fiction to nonfiction, new releases to classics, serious to light-hearted. There's something on here for everyone. Download a podcast: A good podcast pairs nicely with traveling, cooking, cleaning or even just some "me" time. WBUR's podcast team pulled together some of their suggestions. From shows they just discovered, to new arrivals and classics that are still bringing the goods, [here are some of their favorites.]( Om nom nom nom: Even if you're not a fan of the holidays, almost everyone is a fan of cookies. Satisfy your inner Cookie Monster with [these sweet treats]( courtesy of Lan Lam, senior editor at Cook's Illustrated magazine and a cast member of PBS' America's Test Kitchen. (And if you're doing any baking this holiday season, here's why you should [thank culinary pioneer Fannie Farmer]( Be open and honest: The holidays can be really stressful for a variety of reasons, including money, loneliness, grief and family strain. [Life Kit spoke]( with clinical psychologist Andrea Bonior to help guide us through some of these winter rough patches. "Twas the night before Christmas": You can listen on air to a reading of "A Christmas Carol," featuring some of your favorite WBUR voices, tonight (Dec. 24) from 7-8:30 p.m. Treat yourself to some ear candy: The best way to do that is to listen to [local musicians that made an impact in 2021](. A number of our criticsâ favorite local albums were written and recorded during the deepest parts of the pandemic; these musicians found plenty of material to mine from that time â some of it painful, some of it transcendent. First Night
[A guide to the festivities of First Night Boston 2022](
From circus performers to outdoor musical acts, with styles ranging from jazz to country to rap, the eventâs dynamic schedule is bound to entertain and fill revelers with joy. [Read more.](
[A guide to the festivities of First Night Boston 2022](
From circus performers to outdoor musical acts, with styles ranging from jazz to country to rap, the eventâs dynamic schedule is bound to entertain and fill revelers with joy. [Read more.]( Before you go: The internet has been real weird this year, but it matches the 2021 vibe. Boston University shared a [list of memes]( that that made us laugh through the "meh" of it all, and remembering [Bernie's mittens]( put a smile on my face. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news
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