1. The Egleston Holiday Celebration is happening Dec. 1 at 1:30 p.m. at the Egleston YMCA and Peace Garden. And it's free!

2. As is tradition in Boston, shoppers will enjoy two free hours of metered parking at all City parking meters starting for the next five consecutive Saturdays (through Dec. 29). While meters will be free on these days, a two-hour time limit will be enforced by the Boston Transportation Department to accommodate as many visitors as possible in shopping districts.

3. The Writers’ Room of Boston, an urban writers’ colony providing 24/7 workspace for serious writers, is currently accepting applications for the 2013 Emerging Writer Fellowships. Located at 111 State Street, in the heart of downtown Boston (convenient to public transportation), The Room offers fully funded one-year residencies to four fellows in any literary genre. The deadline is December 31.

4. Downtown Boston is lighting up this week. The Copley Square tree lighting ceremony is tonight from 5-6 p.m., and the Commonwealth Avenue Mall and Boston Common holiday tree light up Thursday during a ceremony that starts at 6 p.m.

5. Get in the holiday spirit with a visit to the USS Constitution Museum in the Charlestown Navy Yard. Now through Dec. 24, visitors can create a free weatherproof ornament to decorate the holiday tree on board Old Ironsides. Decorate it before Dec. 2 to have your ornament included in the annual tree lighting ceremony. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.