Each September 1, hundreds of U-Hauls and pickup trucks descend upon Allston as thousands of resident leases end and students move in and out of their housing for the school year.

Residents refer to the tradition as “Allston Christmas” in honor of the free furniture, clothes, and wall decorations that flood Allston sidewalks as students and renters leave their unwanted belongings out for others to take.

Three people push a bin down Pratt Street to collect furniture on Allston Christmas. By Hugo C. Chiasson

“My new desk came from down the street,” Alex X. Perrera, a junior at Boston University, said.

“One of my roommates just got a lamp, actually maybe multiple lamps, and our dining room table also came from one of our neighbors,” Perrera added.

Student renters make up a significant portion of Allston residents, with about 14 percent of the population attending surrounding universities. With the high renter turnover comes an influx of traffic as residents move in and out of apartments.

The city of Boston issued over 2,500 moving permits for the past weekend alone, deploying parking officers, sanitation crews, and inspectors to monitor the neighborhood during the annual tradition.

Perrera described Allston Christmas as “a tough situation for a lot of people” from his doorstep as parents and students flooded past on the sidewalk. On the street, moving trucks and residents’ cars stalled in bumper-to-bumper traffic.

“We were lucky. We can move in a day early,” Perrera said.

Laura B. Dees, a Boston University law student who spent the day helping her friends move out of their rented Allston home, said they prepared a pile of clothes and furniture specifically to give away for free.

Laura B. Dees, a law student at Boston University, sits on a couch in her yard during Allston Christmas. By Courtesy of Hugo C. Chiasson

“There’s the free pile. Someone was filming content in it earlier. They had a tripod and a camera, and they laid in it, and they were playing guitar. It was crazy,” Dees said.

Erin S. Scheier, another junior at Boston University, watched as her neighbors attempted to move out within a specific timeframe to avoid additional fees from landlords.

Two people place recently retrieved furniture from the streets of Allston into their car. By Hugo C. Chiasson

“It was super hectic this morning — lots of trucks, lots of people moving things out,” she said.

But September 1 is “even more hectic,” according to Scheier. “It’s probably going to be insane, because everybody who is starting their lease for September 1 will be moving in.”

George B. Kreidler, another Boston University student renting in the Allston area, found it difficult to find suitable furniture in the bustle of Allston Christmas.

Passersby search through a heap of furniture and household items on the street in Allston. By Hugo C. Chiasson

“We’ve seen a lot of stuff — it’s been like trash. We haven’t really found that many big pieces of furniture yet,” Kreidler, who was on the hunt for a new couch, said.

“It’s stressful and exciting,” Perrera said. “You know, it’s nice to feel productive and to make a place your home. So that’s always fulfilling.”

—Staff writer Angelina J. Parker can be reached at angelina.parker@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X @angelinajparker.