U-Haul trucks and miscellaneous debris typically litter the streets of Allston each Labor Day weekend in celebration of “Allston Christmas.” This year, however, some residents and students were unaware of the tradition or chose not to participate as move-in difficulties surfaced.
Allston Christmas, when college move-in and apartment turnover culminates in a neighborhood-wide free yard sale, has become standard over the years in Allston. Residents and local college students participate by leaving their unwanted belongings on the streets and finding items to claim for themselves.
Leases ended all across Boston at the end of August. A heat map developed by RentHop shows a high concentration of moving truck permits in Allston issued from Aug. 30 to Sept. 1.
A high concentration of Boston college students rented moving trucks over the weekend, according to RentHop. Allston ranked seventh among Massachusetts zip codes with the highest number of moving truck permits, with 174 permits issued.
There were far fewer moving permits this year compared to years prior, according to the RentHop study. It stated that because larger universities in Boston enrolled fewer students in 2023, there was a decrease in the number of students needing to move than in 2021 and 2022.
Allen Ng, a Northeastern alumnus and associate scientist working in Cambridge, moved out of his apartment in Brookline on Sunday to a place close by in Allston. He said he noticed the activity around the neighborhood increase this weekend.
“It’s definitely busier. Usually this road is pretty quiet,” Ng said.
Ng said he was aware of Allston Christmas festivities, but did not plan to participate in the tradition because he wanted to hold on to as many of his personal belongings as possible through his move.
Shanti Marshall, a junior at Boston University, said the lack of air conditioning in her apartment made for a “sweaty” and difficult moving experience.
“Day one, the walls are broken, there’s a lot of maintenance stuff to do, but it’s fun seeing all of my friends,” Marshall said.
Last year, Marshall lived in South Campus as a transfer student. She is moving into Allston for the first time.
Marshall said her roommate’s dad helped with moving items by renting a truck for them, which made for an easier process.
Paige Zimmerman, a junior at BU, said her landlord abruptly sold her apartment in Kenmore earlier in the week, causing her to quickly switch to moving into West Campus close by.
Zimmerman said she did not know what Allston Christmas was, but her move-in experience this year was “really unforgettable.”
Mia Powers, a junior at BU, said the move-in experience has brought her friends closer together.
“The camaraderie is definitely there,” Powers said. “It’s bringing us together as a community.”
