Where To Take Pictures with Santa in New Jersey

Submitted by Danielle Halibey on

Bring your camera for a picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus will be at Abma's Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

Santa Claus is coming to town, and he's ready for his close-up. From simple setups to elaborate events, there's no shortage of opportunities for your little elves to pose for pictures with Santa this Christmas season throughout New Jersey. We've rounded up our favorites, and there's something for every budget.

Want more QT with jolly St. Nick? Book a breakfast with Santa. And for even more seasonal activities, check out our Holiday Fun Guide.

Stockholm in 48 Hours: Best Things to Do in Stockholm with Kids

Submitted by Lindsay Li on

Stroll along the canal in Stockholm's Norrmalm neighborhood.

The beautiful Nordic city of Stockholm makes a wonderful family travel destination even if you can't spend the week. For those traveling through Europe with the kids, and taking advantage of high-speed train travel and plentiful flights for a multi-city tour, a stop in the capital city of Sweden is a must-do in our opinion.

Stockholm offers an amazing blend of historic and modern things to do for all ages. Surrounded by water and made up of more than a dozen islands, Stockholm's buildings sit in a row, symmetrically together, offering up stunning views. The streets are impeccably clean, and many (especially in the neighborhood of Norrmalm) are blocked off to cars and restricted to foot traffic only. You're also likely to meet local families at the many playgrounds that dot this kid-friendly and outdoors-loving city.

Read on for our favorite things to do in Stockholm. Find more nearby cities in our Family Travel Guide to Europe.

25+ Awesome Santa Activities for Kids in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Submitted by Susan Miele on

Santa greets visitors at Holiday on Huguenot Street in New Paltz. Courtesy of the event

For those who celebrate Christmas, the holiday season is hardly complete without a trip to visit Santa—so we've rounded up more than 25 Santa activities in Westchester and the Hudson Valley. From traditional mall photo ops to meals with Santa, train rides with Santa, painting with Santa—even skydiving Santa—we've got the goods on where to see the man with the bag. Incredibly, most of these events are FREE.

As a reminder, any event that requires or recommends advance reservations (especially if it's FREE!) should be pounced on, as these often sell out weeks in advance. Some might be gone by the time you finish reading this sentence.

But there's more! Also refer to our list of Santa breakfasts, tree lightings, and other holiday activities for even more opportunities for Santa encounters. And to optimize the season, check out our Must-Do Holiday Experiences for Westchester Kids and where to see performances of The Nutcracker and other holiday shows. Our Event Calendar is also loaded with events—many of which are FREE—and more are being added daily!

Best Holiday Shows for Kids and Families in NYC 2019

Raven Snook's picture Submitted by Raven Snook on

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical. Photo courtesy of Character Arts

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are plenty of extravaganzas to splurge on, like the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those beautiful Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets.

That's why our roundup of Christmas-season family theater includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to over-the-top spectacles that are worth the investment.

From live stage adaptations of classics such as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Christmas Carol, to seasonal musicals based on popular picture books, to amazing circus feats and offbeat experiences, here are our top 18 holiday shows for NYC families for the 2019 holiday season.

Kidmoto Brings Safe, Reliable Airport Car Service with Car Seats to More Areas

Jessica Laird's picture Submitted by Jessica Laird on

If you haven't obsessed over whether or not to lug your kid's car seat to the airport, are you even a parent?? Getting everyone to and from a flight safely can be a total headache—as if flying with kids isn't already overwhelming enough—but the folks at Kidmoto have made it their mission to make the trip simple. With a fleet of professional drivers and safety-inspected livery vehicles equipped with pre-installed convertible car seats, the family-friendly service provides transportation to and from a number of major airports, and cruise piers, too. Plus, now the stress-saving airport car service has expanded to serve Philadelphia, Orlando, Tampa, and Charlotte, in addition to New York City. Read on to find out how Kidmoto works and why it's one of the safest and most reliable options out there for your whole crew.

Things To Do in Connecticut this Weekend: Stamford Parade, Family Volunteering, Holiday Lights

Submitted by Donald Eng on

Bond with llamas! Photo courtesy of Country Quilt Llama Farm

It's the last weekend before Thanksgiving, Black Friday, and the official start of the holiday season. But before you begin your annual gift-shopping in earnest, make sure to take some time out to give back to the community and have a little family fun. This weekend there are several volunteer opportunities in Stamford, Bridgeport, and New Canaan.  If you simply can't wait to start getting into the Christmas spirit, check out the annual Fantasy of Lights, with 60 animated displays containing over 100,000 lights in a mile-long display. Of course, there's the annual Stamford Parade Spectacular, too. 

You'll find all sorts of holiday fun recommendations in our Holiday Fun Guide. For even more ideas, make sure that you subscribe to our free, weekly newsletters and follow us on Facebook and Instagram so that you won't miss any of the fun. Have a great weekend!

Things To Do in Chicago This Weekend with Kids: Lights, Frozen 2, Trains, Toy Fair

Submitted by Siobhan Adcock on

The Magnificent Mile Lights Festival is packed with holiday-themed activities. Photo courtesy of The Magnificent Mile

Brace yourselves: This weekend brings a veritable blizzard of much-loved holiday events to Chicagoland, from the Magnificent Mile Lights Festival, to the opening weekend of Illuminations at the Morton Arboretum, to the Chicago Toy and Game Fair. Holiday train season rolls into town this weekend, too, with the return of the CTA Holiday Trains downtown, the Polar Express Train Ride from Union Station, and the Fox River Trolley Polar Express train ride out in Aurora. And families can get a head start on presents at holiday markets around town: There's the annual Millennium Park Art Market, the seasonal Randolph Street Holiday Market, and the traditional Christkindlmarket in Daley Plaza and at Gallagher Way in Wrigleyville.

If you think it feels a little early for all this holiday stuff, there's plenty of Christmas-free activity too. Teens can build their comedy skills at a FREE workshop hosted by Second City, a new exhibit devoted to the Chicago Night Sky opens at the Adler Planetarium, kids can learn about the origins of the written word at the Oriental Institute Museum, and families can drop in for FREE, hands-on activities sponsored by the Chicago Architecture Biennial. 

Meanwhile, Frozen 2 fever reaches its peak this weekend with Snow Queen-inspired events like a meet-and-greet, a Frozen sing-along, and a sensory-friendly screening of the film. 

For even more fun things to do with Chicago kids, check out our highlights below, and keep an eye on the event calendar.

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