Thanksgiving is almost here, and every family has its own traditions that make it special. Whether it's running a Turkey Trot, watching football, cooking dinner for 40 from scratch, or going to the Thanksgiving Day parade, everyone has a unique way to celebrate this holiday centered around family.

But before sitting down to eat turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce, be sure to take a look at our Events Calendar, which is bursting with storytimes, nature experiences, and museum activities. To narrow down your options, select a specific age, type, and area. After the leftovers are put away, you'll notice winter holiday events such as Nutcracker Performances, Santa Train Rides, and Holiday Light Shows begin filling our calendar in full force.

No matter what your Thanksgiving traditions may include, please know that everyone at Mommy Poppins Philly is thankful for you! Read on to find our top picks for the week.

Due to renovations at the Burr Homestead, the Fairfield Christmas Tree Festival will not run in 2016. Look for an update in 2017!

If there's a heaven, I have a feeling it looks something like Fairfield's Burr Homestead, decked out for the annual Fairfield Christmas Tree Festival. If you're a fan of design, or just love looking at beautiful displays, stop by from December 3-6 when the Homestead will showcase more than 200 decorated live Christmas trees and wreaths, sprays, decorations and garlands galore.  At the Festival, each of the mansion's high-ceilinged, Italianate rooms is transformed into a Christmas wonderland show room, with different materials, color schemes and themes from room to room, making each its own special Christmas vignette. [Visit our Holiday Guide for more events.]

Bundle up the kids and grab your thermos of hot chocolate because it is time for the Christmas parades and tree lightings throughout Montgomery County.  A few towns welcome Santa Claus even before Thanksgiving!  

These festive community events are a great opportunity for friends and neighbors to gather and celebrate the holiday season.  Enjoy caroling, dance performances, and photo opportunities with Santa at these hometown parades and tree lightings.

Black Friday is almost upon us, but this year, you can hit the snooze button! Instead of making your way, bleary-eyed, through the crowds of people clamoring for the season's most-sought toys and tech, take advantage of all that the Philadelphia area offers for holiday cheer. Get out, get some fresh air, work off the turkey, and enjoy the season with family, with many activities at low or no cost. Let's spend time, not money!

Winters can feel like they never end in New England, but one sure way to combat cabin fever is to get the kids having fun outside. Living within driving distance of dozens of ski mountains in New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont and Massachusetts makes it easy to hit the slopes for the day or a whole weekend. But with a lift ticket usually costing upward of $50 per session, a ski day can get expensive. Luckily, several mountains offer great deals on ski passes for fourth and fifth graders. Here’s how to score one for a super skiing season.

As the saying goes, one thing they can’t make more of is land. It is sometimes hard to believe that Los Angeles was initially populated by people who wanted to grow things; they came for the oranges, stayed for the weather, and soon our rural western outpost became a city. Los Angeles is no longer the big suburb it was when I was growing up. I miss that old city but am perpetually grateful for all of the open land that we still have. Huge amounts of acreage have been donated or conserved. This means that on any given day our children can be surrounded by nature on public land that belongs to them and to us. We can leave the city behind to go picnicking, hiking or camping. We have beaches, deserts, the Santa Monica Mountains, and in Orange County, the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks: 37,000 acres of permanently protected wilderness designated as national natural landmarks by the State of California and U.S. Department of Interior.

The holidays are right around the corner and your to-do list is probably overflowing.

It doesn't help that schools across the five boroughs let out for winter break recess from December 24-January 1. If you need to be back to work, or just need a day to catch up, there are plenty of holiday break camps in NYC that offer enriching drop-off programs running until New Year's Day.

Whether they're into art, theater, animals, academic enrichment or sports, there are plenty of options for children of all ages. We've rounded up some of our favorite full-day camps to cover your winter recess child care needs.

Could your kid be the next Food Network star? If only they had proper instruction! Throwing your little one a cooking- or baking-themed birthday party is a great way to introduce him or her (and guests) to kitchen basics. Best yet, you don’t have to deal with the messy aftermath of pots and pans. From decorating cupcakes to crafting quesadillas, here are the best places in Westchester that can give them the skills to be Top Chefs for their birthdays. 

Don’t forget to consult our Kids’ Party Planner Guide for additional party ideas, and sign up for our FREE newsletter!