Even though the biggest Boston New Year's Eve event for 2019 is the famous First Night celebration, there are plenty of other New Year's Eve parties and special events for you to consider - plus a spectacular fireworks show over Boston Harbor and Countdown at Copley Square at midnight.

Whether you're looking for a romantic night of dancing and champagne, a fireworks cruise, entertainment at a concert or a comedy club, or a festive but family-friendly way to welcome the New Year, you'll find plenty of exciting choices.

New Year's Eve Fireworks on Boston Harbor

New Year's Eve fireworks at midnight over Boston Harbor. Head over to Christopher Columbus Park to ring in the New Year by watching fireworks over Boston Harbor at midnight launched from a barge between Long Wharf and Fan Pier.

The best place to watch?  Any spot along the waterfront overlooking Boston Harbor, such as the North End's Christopher Columbus Park, the Downtown Waterfront, Fan Pier in the Seaport District, the East Boston Harborwalk, Charlestown Waterfront, and Castle Island.

New Year's Eve Cruises

Holiday cruises around Boston Harbor Cruise on the Northern Lights
Welcome the New Year aboard the elegant yacht Northern Lights on these special New Year's Eve and New Year's Day cruises around Boston Harbor. 

• New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise with live music, dancing, hors d'oeuvres, & fireworks at midnight
• New Year’s Day Brunch aboard Northern Lights

More Cruises:

Celebrate the holidays while relaxing and sightseeing on the festively decorated Yacht Northern Lights on these special cruises around Boston Harbor:

An Irish Christmas Carol Cruise - Get into the holiday spirit with Slainte, the Northern Lights' house Irish band.   Raise your glass as you join in singing some merry Irish holiday ballads on this 90 minute Harbor cruise.

Cocoa & Carols Holiday Cruise - Join in singing your favorite Christmas holiday songs led by the Blue Motion Jazz Quartet on this cozy 90 minute Harbor Cruise on the Northern Lights with drinks and snacks available for purchase at the yacht's Main Deck Bar. 

Holiday Sunset Cruise - As the ship's captain points out highlights of passing landmarks and soft music plays in the background, watch the ever-changing sunset colors as the sun sets behind Boston's city skyline on this relaxing 90 minute cruise around the Harbor.  

Holiday Jazz Cruise - Relax to the sounds of jazzy Christmas tunes performed live by Blue Motion Jazz Quartet, and enjoy an adult beverage on this 90 minute romantic evening cruise past iconic attractions along the Boston waterfront.

Holiday Brunch Cruise - See historic sights and panoramic views around Boston Harbor as you enjoy this 2 hour narrated cruise including hot chocolate and brunch (Mimosas, Bloody Marys, and spiked hot chocolate available at the bar).

Cocoa & Blues Holiday Cruise - Enjoy Boston's sparkling skyline at night along with spiked hot chocolate or a glass of champagne as City of Four, Northern Lights' house R&B/funk band, plays contemporary versions of holiday classics inspired by Stevie Wonder, James Brown, and the Temptations.

First Night Boston:

First Night Boston ice sculpture of Tadpole Playground in Boston Common.
Ice sculptures, a huge parade down Boylston Street, non-stop entertainment, music and dancing, Countdown to Midnight in Copley Square - Boston's annual First Night celebration offers something fun for everyone.

With events starting at noon, the alcohol-free, family-friendly First Night Boston is the city's largest New Year's Eve celebration.

Best of all:  All official First Night/First Day events are free.

New Year's Eve Shows & Theater in Boston

From Blue Man Group to Lake Street Dive, you can choose from several shows in Boston's theaters on New Year's Eve:

More shows in Boston:

New Year's Eve Comedy Shows, Start the New Year with a laugh.

Bryan Callen is appearing at the Wilbur Theatre on New Year's Eve (find tickets), and Boston's comedy clubs will have exciting lineups as well.

Boston Sports on New Year's Eve: 
TD Garden is usually a good bet for New Year's Eve entertainment - but not this year!  If you want to catch a Celtics, Bruins, or Harlem Globetrotters game there this year, head over on Christmas Day or Wednesday or Thursday.

New Year's Eve (and Day) on the Waterfront:

In addition to the Midnight Harbor Fireworks, lots more mostly free fun activities take place along the Waterfront throughout New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Ice Sculpture Stroll:

The annual Ice Sculpture Stroll along Boston Harbor is bigger and better than ever this year, with imaginative ice sculptures and activities for you to enjoy in these (mostly) waterfront locations:

North End Ice Sculpture Locations: 

• Atlantic Wharf
• Battery Wharf Hotel
• Christopher Columbus Park
• Charlestown End Ice Sculpture Locations
• Charlestown Navy Yard
• Downtown Waterfront Ice Sculpture Locations
• Marriott Long Wharf
• New England Aquarium
• Harbor Towers
• International Place
• Boston Harbor Islands Welcome Center (Greenway)
• Boston Harbor Hotel
• Seaport/South Boston Waterfront Ice Sculpture Locations
• Envoy Hotel
• Fan Pier/Fallon CBRE
• Fjällräven
• Kings Dining & Entertainment
• LL Bean
• Moakley Courthouse
• Sephora Seaport
• WS Development Seaport
• Yotel

More New Year's Eve Along the Waterfront Activities - December 31

Wharf District Harborwalk Tour
1pm-4pm - First Responder Touch-a-Truck/Boat at the Envoy Hotel in Seaport
Harbor Map Tour at the Boston Harbor Hotel

New Year's Day Activities - January 1

12 noon-about 1pm - First Day Hike from Old North Church (meet there at noon) to the Bunker Hill Monument in Charlestown  (to be confirmed)
12 noon-4pm - Seafarer's Island Holiday - New Year's Cruise to Thompson Island from Rowes Wharf on the Downtown Waterfront

Christmas and Chanukah share a similar spiritual message: that it is possible to bring light and hope into the world. These two holidays occur together this year, which makes this an even more special holiday season.

This is a season to reflect upon how fortunate we are to have you as our customers: our friends and neighbors. During these holidays, we wish you, your family, and your friends a safe, joy-filled, and relaxing season.

Warm wishes for a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, and a most Happy New Year! With peace, joy, and love this holiday season and beyond!

Insurance might be the least exciting thing about surprising your loved one with a valuable gift this holiday — but don’t let it fall off your priority list.

Don’t sacrifice preparedness for the surprise.

You can insure some gifts by making a phone call to your agent or a specialty insurance company. Others, such as cars or vacations, require your loved one to buy a policy in his or her own name.

Whether it’ll hang on a wall or sit in a garage, here’s how to cover your big gift.

Existing insurance may cover the gift

If you’re giving a pricey gift to someone who lives with you, the simplest way to insure it may be by expanding your . Standard policies pay out if belongings in your home are damaged or stolen, but coverage for valuables — such as furs, art and jewelry — is typically limited to $1,000 to $5,000. That’s after any deductible, which is the amount you pay before insurance pays a claim.

You can expand your current policy with a “scheduled” rider, floater or endorsement. Scheduling items onto your policy insures them based on cost or current value. For this reason, you’ll likely need a bill of sale or certified appraisal to cover the gift.

But talk to your insurance agent before you start shopping. An agent can help you choose between coverage options — for example, a scheduled rider versus standalone jewelry insurance for an engagement ring.

Special coverage for items that gain value

For gifts such as contemporary art or heirlooms that may appreciate in value, a rider that pays the increased value if the gift is damaged or stolen is a good investment.

To keep such a policy or rider in force, you might need an appraisal every one to three years. An can help you find an appraiser.

When a standalone policy is better

Some insurers specialize in certain policies, covering only boats, electronics, or jewelry, for example. These companies may offer more policy options than large insurers — such as coverage for losing the gift — but you might miss the convenience and savings of bundling with one insurer.

There are several reasons you may want a standalone policy for a gift, rather than using home insurance:

• It’s for someone who doesn’t live with you, and you can’t add it to your home insurance
• You or the recipient don’t have homeowners or renters insurance
• It might be used for work, which would exclude it from many home policies
• A different type of policy is required for the gift, such as car or travel insurance

Vehicles are a special case

If your gift involves four wheels and a big red bow, the person driving it will need his or her own insurance — and you’ll need coverage to get it off the lot.

If you share an with the gift recipient, it’s relatively simple: Add the car to your shared policy and transfer the title after the surprise.

But if you bought a vehicle for someone who doesn’t live with you, he or she will have to insure it independently. In this situation, consider surprising your loved one at the dealership so the car is properly titled and insured from the start.

Take precautions for travel or shipping

The last thing you want is for your expensive gift to be lost or stolen before the recipient sees it, and the chances of this are higher if it needs to travel. Never pack expensive items in your checked luggage.

If you’re ordering something expensive online, make sure it won’t sit on a front porch unattended. Porch theft is a hot new cottage industry. Use a shipping method that requires a signature upon delivery.

When shipping fine art, use a professional shipper and packer so it’s not damaged before it arrives, and make sure the shipper has insurance. Damage in transit is the leading cause of fine art claims. For more information, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

nerdwallet.com

Did you know that if you or your employees are using personal vehicles for business and you get in an accident, the accident may not be covered under your personal auto policy? It's true.

Commercial automobile insurance is there for a reason. Make sure your employees are properly covered and save your business from unwanted risk.

With commercial auto insurance, the policy should include liability, property, injury, medical, collision and comprehensive, un- and underinsured motorist, towing and rental.

Every business has specific needs however. Perhaps yours is seasonal, or maybe your are in the towing business. Perhaps you are in the livery business or transport expensive merchandise. Contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance for your specific commercial auto insurance needs.

Thanksgiving Day is the perfect time to remind one another of the many reasons there are to be grateful. We gather on this day to be thankful for what we have, for the family we love, the friends we cherish, the success we have had, and for the blessings that will come.

Thanksgiving is more than the festivities, it gives us time to ponder the lessons that we have learned and how we can spread happiness around, to look back at all the great memories and good people who came into our lives. We appreciate you, our customers and clients, so much.

At this time of year our thoughts turn gratefully to you with warm appreciation. Our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

Those in Quincy and Weymouth, MA who have tasted deep-fried turkey usually say there’s simply no comparison to an oven-roasted bird — turkey out of the fryer is moist, with crispy skin and a beautiful color.

And, it cooks much more quickly than a turkey in the oven, which means you don’t have to wait for hours on end to get your fix.

But, if you’re not careful, frying a turkey can ruin your Thanksgiving, too. You’ve no doubt seen videos of people accidentally starting fires with their attempts. In some cases, families have even lost their homes.

With a little common sense, though, you can safely enjoy that great taste and fast cooking time. Here are five tips for cooking a great deep-fried turkey — without doing any damage (except maybe to your waistline):

1. Find a safe place to cook.

Don’t ever set up a fryer any closer than 10 feet from your home, garage or any other structure. Make sure the area is flat to keep the fryer from tipping, and never put it on a deck or other flammable surface.

2. Don’t use too much turkey.

You don’t want to drop a 20-pound bird in your fryer; it’s just too big. Keep your turkey to 12 pounds or less, don’t stuff it and make sure it’s completely thawed and dry.

3. Don’t use too much oil, either.

When it comes to the oil, use something with a high smoke point (for example, canola or safflower) and do a test with water beforehand to figure out how much you need. Put the turkey in your fryer and fill with water until it is covered. Then take the turkey out and make a mental note of the water line — that’s how much oil to use. Be sure to dry everything completely after your test.

4. Use caution when it’s time to cook.

Don’t just drop the turkey into the fryer, unless you want to splash hot oil on yourself (bad) or the burner (even worse). Gently lower it into the oil, and then monitor everything as it’s cooking. Keep an eye on the oil temperature to make sure it doesn’t get too hot. Keep an eye on the clock, because you want your turkey to cook for about 3-5 minutes per pound. And, watch kids and pets so they don’t get too close to the fryer.

5. Be prepared for disaster.

If you’re cautious, the odds are you won’t need a fire extinguisher, but you should have one on hand anyway – a multi-purpose model with dry powder. Don’t ever spray water on a fryer fire. If you don’t have an extinguisher, either cover the oil or dump a large amount of baking soda on the blaze. And, if all else fails, call 911 – quickly.

Of course, there’s one way to get a deep-fried turkey that can’t fail: Buy one from a professional. They’re available at some grocery and specialty stores, and even restaurants are getting into the act now.

Whichever you choose, we here at Lallis & Higgins Insurance wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Getting ready for winter weather

Fall has arrived, but there’s still time to get ready for winter weather, including storms. Extreme cold is always a possibility here in Quincy, Weymouth, MA, so we at Lallis & Higgins Insurance have compiled some tips to help you stay safe and limit damage.

Preparing your home

• Perform basic winter maintenance — insulate your walls and attic, caulk and weather-strip doors and windows, and insulate water lines that run along outer walls. When temperatures drop, keep water taps slightly open so they drip continuously, and keep the cabinets under sinks open to allow warmer air in.
• If you use a fireplace or wood stove, have the chimney or flue inspected each year. Make sure your house has working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and test them monthly.
• Check your emergency supplies and ensure that you have adequate food and water, along with a battery-powered radio, in the event of an extended power outage. You’ll want a week’s worth of supplies, or more if you live in a remote area.
• Never use gas-powered generators or barbecue grills indoors. These can allow deadly carbon monoxide to build up.

Preparing your car

• Have your vehicle serviced according to manufacturer recommendations. Check the antifreeze level.
• Keep the gas tank near full, which helps avoid ice in the fuel lines and the gas tank itself.
• Replace wiper fluid with a wintertime mixture.
• Make sure your tires are in good shape and have the proper air pressure.
• Check to confirm your battery has a good charge, your heater and defroster are working well, and that your emergency lights are functional.

Preparing yourself

• Always wear temperature-appropriate clothing, such as hats, gloves, scarves, etc. Remove any wet clothing immediately. And keep spare clothing in your car trunk throughout winter in case you are stranded or stuck.
• Stay hydrated. You might think this is more important when it’s warm outside, but it’s just as vital in winter.
• Be mindful of physical exertion and the amount of time you’re spending outdoors. Shoveling snow is hard work, so don’t overdo it!

Winter is a lot of fun, and we’re looking forward to sledding and trips to Santa's village. So get your house, car and body ready, and have a great season!

Contact Us!

At Lallis & Higgins Insurance, we can work with you to make sure you've got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at 781-561-9031 or send us a note at Service@LallisandHiggins.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what's important to you is protected!

Content provided by Safeco Insurance

While the majority of American homeowners have insurance, only about a third of renters buy renters insurance.

Renters insurance provides financial protection against the loss or destruction of your possessions when you rent a house or apartment. Your possessions are not covered by your landlord's insurance.

Renters insurance premiums are relatively inexpensive.

With renters insurance, your belongings are covered against losses from fire or smoke, lightning, vandalism, theft, explosion, windstorm and water damage (not including floods). Renters insurance also covers your responsibility to other people injured at your home and pays legal defense costs if you are taken to court.

Renters insurance also covers your additional living expenses (ALE) if you are unable to live in your home because of a fire or other covered peril.

There are two types of renters insurance policies:

Actual Cash Value - pays to replace your possessions up to the limit of your policy, minus a deduction for depreciation.

Replacement Cost - pays the real cost of replacing your belongings (regardless of depreciation) up to the limit of your policy.

If you have expensive jewelry, furs, sports or musical equipment, or collectibles, you may want to consider adding a floater to your policy. Most standard renter’s policies offer only a limited dollar amount for such items; a floater is a separate policy that provides additional insurance for your valuables and even covers them if they are accidentally lost.

If you are a renter, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance for more information.

Source: Wall Street Journal / Source Insurance Information Institute

Whether your home is for sale, under renovation, or part of an estate, you should strongly consider consulting an independent insurance agent about the risks associated with not being there and to review your vacant home insurance policy options. Consulting one will open you doors of opportunities to protect your home and everything inside it while it is unoccupied for various reasons.

Many people vacate their home but fail to consult their insurance agent/advisor. They wrongly assume that their homeowner’s policy will cover the new situation. While that policy will protect a home from certain risks it likely will not cover all risks. Every homeowner should be advised that some insurance providers will deny claims on an existing homeowner’s policy for homes that are no longer occupied. That is why you really need to consult your agent and determine what should be done in order for you to achieve a comprehensive coverage for your property.

The vacant home and property insurance policies that we independently research and we write throughout Massachusetts can help you provide the protection that your property needs when there is no one around. Just because you the home is not occupied does not mean it no longer needs protection while you are away. For this reason, it is really imperative to consult an independent agent about it, know you options, and come up with a comprehensive insurance for your vacant home.

To find out more about vacant home insurance, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

Unless you’re headed to a warmer climate for the winter, fall in Weymouth and Quincy, MA is the time to start preparing your RV for winter (as long as you’re done using it for a while, that is).

The elements can wreak havoc on your RV’s systems and exterior, but with these five RV winterization tips, you can take steps to protect your investment and make sure it’s ready to go in the spring. Before you get started, though, remember to always check the owners’ manuals for both your RV and any appliances inside — and follow those specific instructions.

1. Drain and blow out the water lines. Frozen water will do a real number on your RV’s water system. So, clear the lines and drain the tanks, and then add nontoxic (not automotive) antifreeze following the specifications in your manual.
2. Clean the interior. You don’t want food to spoil and risk mildew on bedding and clothing, so remove all of it from your RV. You also want to get anything out that will attract animals and insects looking for a cozy winter home. After you clean the interior, open up the cabinets and fridge and leave them that way. Close your blinds to keep the sun out, too.
3. Then, tackle the exterior. Clean all surfaces, including tires (which should be properly inflated), and then put on an RV cover if you have one. Make sure awnings are dry before you roll them up, and close all the windows and doors.
4. Find a good place to park. After you’ve spent all this time getting your RV protected for winter, don’t park it somewhere unsafe, where a tree could fall on it or high weeds will attract insects.
5. Watch the battery. Actually, don’t watch it — disconnect it, particularly if you won’t be driving your RV for at least 30 days.

Bonus tip: While you’re not driving your RV, call Lallis & Higgins Insurance to discuss your insurance coverage. You may be able to save money on your policy if it won’t be on the road for an extended period of time.