Christmas/Hanukkah

The holiday season is coming to a close, so whether you went and cut down your own Christmas tree or bought it at the corner deli, it's time to start thinking about how you are going to get rid of it. You want to make sure that your tree goes back into the land, not the landfill. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreation has a great program for turning your Christmas tree into mulch that's free and easy to do. Even those of us who don't buy Christmas trees appreciate smelling yours as we walk through our city parks, so please recycle your tree. Another option is to leave your tree curbside for pick up by the New York City Department of Sanitation, but there are certain rules you need to follow in order for your tree to be recycled. Read on to find out how simple it is to recycle your Christmas tree in New York City.

The presents have been ripped open, the insane plastic packaging dismantled and the batteries installed. Dinner won't be ready for hours and the kids are totally stir crazy. What else can you do on Christmas Day?

Jews have been asking that question for centuries and their answer in New York City is often Chinese food and a movie. But there are other options, whether or not you celebrate Christmas. Here are 9 fun things to do on December 25.

Happy holidays to your family from all of the moms at Mommy Poppins NYC!

Christmas Eve falls on a Saturday this year. While we realize some of you may need to pick up a few last-minute gifts, you've got the entire day to get into the spirit of the season (beyond shopping).

Whether your family has set Christmas Eve traditions or you decide to wing it, there are lots of ways to celebrate. From holiday shows to Christmas pageants, festive movies to a seasonal scavenger hunt, here are 14 things to do on Christmas Eve, both during the day and after dusk.

These days, it seems like so many gifts require batteries. Even classics like a hobbyhorse need AAs so it can make galloping and neighing noises.

A few weeks ago, when my three-year-old daughter complained that her toy fire engine was no longer making the siren sound, instead of replacing the batteries I suggested she make the noise herself. She did it and loved it of course. It made me realize how much I longed to step away from all of the electronic toys with the flashing lights and sounds, and let my daughter play with kid-powered toys. Not only do they encourage her to use her imagination, they're also more eco-friendly. No leaky batteries to throw away.

Here are 10 great non-battery-powered toys for young children. All of them are good for kids 3 and up. We've included links to amazon for purchase, but you can also pick most of these up at local toy stores.

You don't have to be Jewish to enjoy a good Hanukkah celebration. This year, the Festival of Lights coincides with Christmas—it begins at sundown on Tuesday, December 20 and continues for eight days and nights—but a lot of festivities kick off this weekend.

We've rounded up 13 cool Hanukkah fetes for families filled with songs, dancing, latkes, dreidels and menorah lightings. A couple are even on December 25, in case you want to do something beyond the traditional Jewish Christmas of Chinese food and a movie. You'll have so much fun, you're gonna plotz.