On January 7, 2011 it will be exactly 4 years from the day that I posted my first post on Mommy Poppins. As the site has grown, I have asked myself what can I do, now that Mommy Poppins is read by hundreds of thousands of parents every month, to make a real, immediate difference in the lives of other New Yorkers. The answer that I came up with was to start a new site that would be dedicated to raising money for NYC schools. Education has always been a passion of mine and I have been a dedicated advocate of NYC public schools, which are struggling more than ever with terrible budget cuts.

So I am very excited to announce the launch of my newest website, Poppins Perks, which will offer great deals for NYC families with 40-90% off of products and services we love, plus each Perk will be targeted to fund an important project for one NYC classroom through a partnership with DonorsChoose.

I hope that Poppins Perks will enable you to try out more of the best things in New York City for families at unbelievable prices. Read on to hear more about Poppins Perks and our first Perk, a great Holiday gift for a friend, relative (or yourself!)

One of the coolest things about living and raising children in New York City is that you can experience so many different cultures up close and first hand without ever really leaving home.  This month Carnegie Hall kicks off a huge two part, city-wide festival celebrating the art of Japan, JapanNYC.  The whole thing starts this week and will be taking the city by storm with 65 different events in 22 venues around town, featuring the best of Japan’s art and culture in the form of orchestras, films, visual arts, drumming, Noh theater and pop art.  Read on to find out our family friendly picks for the festival.

Lots of festive stuff to get you into the holiday spirit this weekend: Santa sightings, special live holiday performances like the Pushcart Players version of Peter and The Wolf or The Yorkville Nutcracker. Brave the cold and experience some fun at one of the city’s zoos as they celebrate the holidays, visit a dazzling Christmas Tree, do the department store windows walk or check out these merry and bright homes decked out for the holidays. Tons more holiday merriment can be found in the Mommy Poppins Holiday Activity Guide.

You can check a few to-dos off your list this weekend. Gifts, by hitting Wave Hill’s holiday gift making workshops, shopping, a Holiday Craft Fair, Holiday Market or the new Disney Store; tree, buy one in town or chop one down on Long Island or New Jersey.  Our best bets for the weekend are below, so read on or visit the Mommy Poppins Events Calendar for more ideas on how to spend your weekend.

Have a great weekend.

It really is the most wonderful time of the year, and New Jersey has many wonderful events to prove it. Pick from an underwater Santa, a gift wrap workshop, puppet shows and carriage rides or a Kwanzaa fest. Ho ho ho and all that good stuff to you!

For more holiday events, see our Holiday Guide.

December is the time to sit on Santa's lap, sing Christmas carols, and eat way too many holiday cookies! If you're looking for a fun way to get in the holiday spirit, plan a cookie crawl. Throughout the city, bakeries are making beautiful cookies that look as good as they taste. To get you started, here are festive treats from seven of the city's sweetest spots. 

And for more sweet ideas, see our Holiday Guide.

There is just something about Tchaikovsky's Sugar Plum Dance that makes you want to bake Christmas cookies, break out the holiday lights, and sip hot cocoa on the living room couch.  Seeing a performance of the Nutcracker is a holiday tradition that we honor every year.  We have found six spectacular kid-friendly performances of the Nutcracker for your family, ranging from grand and impressive to tot-friendly...

And for more cool holiday outings, check out our Holiday Guide.

If your kids love Pixar movies or beg to play dress up all day, it's time to plan a trip to the new Disney store in Times Square. With merchandise lining every inch of the place, it'll be hard to leave without buying something, but at least it's cheaper than a trip to Orlando. And the added bonus, it's super impressive. Read on to see photos and find out why your kid will be wowed.