Free Stuff December 9-16

Girlfriends play Great Scott's free holiday party on Sunday

Charles Elton | Mr. Toppit discussion | Porter Square Books, Porter Square Shopping Center, Cambridge | December 9 @ 7 pm | 617.491.2220 or portersquarebooks.com

20UNDER40 Kick-Off Colloquium and Party in the Future | Talks with writers and scholars, followed by an "artful extravaganza" with music and dancing | Three venues: Zumix, 260 Sumner St, East Boston; Cloud Place, 647 Boylston St, Boston; and Oberon, 2 Arrow St, Cambridge | December 10: noon-midnight | 20under40party.eventbrite.com

Kink Academy Holiday Open House | Faculty demos, kinky craft station, contests, prizes, and more | Democracy Center, 45 Mount Auburn St, Cambridge | December 10 @ 6 pm | kinkacademy.com

Taza Grand Opening Weekend | Free samples and hot chocolate, plus raffles and the chance to see the factory space and its vintage chocolate-making equipment | Taza Chocolate Factory and Store, 561 Windsor St, Somerville | December 11-12: 11 am-5 pm | tazachocolate.com

Holiday Indoor Street Festival | Live performances, music, children's activities, and a "Sidewalk Showcase" along the Pru walkway | Prudential Center, 800 Boylston St, Boston | December 11 and 12 @ noon | 617.236.3060

Tom Perrotta and Janice Shapiro | Bad Haircut: Stories of the Seventies and Bummer and Other Stories readings | Newtonville Books, 296 Walnut St, Newtonville | December 12 @ 2 pm | 617.244.6619

Great Scott Holiday Party" with You Can Be a Wesley + Girlfriends | Badass local rock and holiday festivities | Great Scott, 1222 Comm Ave, Allston | December 12 @ 9:30 pm | greatscottboston.com

Thanassis Cambanis | A Privilege to Die: Inside Hezbollah's Legions and their Endless War Against Israel discussion; RSVP required | Boston Athenæum, 10 1/2 Beacon St, Boston | December 14 @ 6 pm | 617.720.7600 or bostonathenaeum.org

Nights at the Museum | Check out the MFA's special exhibitions and new Art of the Americas wing free of charge | Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave, Boston | December 15, 22, and 29: 4-9:45 pm | 617.267.9300 or mfa.org