Kids all over the country are counting down the hours—make that minutes—until holiday break begins on Saturday. But even with 12 days off from school, it's going to be hard to find time to fit all the festive activities in. Here in New York City, we made a list of the top 25 things to do with kids over holiday break, a cheat sheet for seasonal family fun in case you don't have time to browse our jam-packed Holiday Fun Guide. If you're thinking of doing a day trip or a longer getaway over the recess, you'll find lots of inspiration in our Holiday Guides for Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and Connecticut.

And while you shop for last-minute gifts, make sure you take a moment to enter our Biggest Holiday Giveaway. We're giving away different prizes every day between now and Christmas Day—enter to win one or all. More ways to win cool stuff: We're also doing flash giveaways on our Facebook page and we've got a Skylanders Swap Force Starter Pack giveaway going, too. Hey, if you lost that record-setting Mega Millions jackpot this week like I did, maybe you'll be luckier this time!

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

This weekend, several shows hit the stage. The Eglevsky Ballet performs The Nutcracker at the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts. Kathryn Crosby hosts A Crosby Christmas at Madison Theatre at Molloy College. Enjoy a musical performance of Scrooge at The Showplace at Bellmore Movies. For a change of pace, head to Bridgehampton and put those creative skills to the test by making holiday cookies or creating bird-friendly decorations. Don't forget to stop by the Long Island Aquarium & Exhibition Center for Breakfast With Santa. For plenty of ideas on how to enjoy all that the season has to offer, be sure to check out our Holiday Fun Guide. As always, check our events calendar every day for fun activities for the family.

Don't forget to enter our Holiday Giveaway. Mommy Poppins is giving away over $3,000 in prizes until December 25th. We're also doing some flash giveaways all month long, so be sure to like our Facebook page to see what's coming up. Check back daily to enter to win one or all of these amazing prizes.

The start of school vacation and the last weekend before Christmas mean there’s a calendar full of things going on for Boston families. Special shows include Hansel and Gretel at Puppet Showplace Theatre and The Muppet Christmas Carol at Coolidge Corner Theatre. Vacation week activities kick off at several museums this weekend, and special holiday shows and performances continue.

And although most places in and around Boston are closed on Christmas day, we’ve come up with a few things you can do with kids on December 25. And if you are still looking for good camp options for December vacation, check out some camps for nature enthusiasts, LEGO fanatics, young artists, and preschoolers with a lot of energy to burn.

Also on Mommy Poppins Boston this week is Celeste’s post about the Roslindale Village Main Streets (RVMS), an organization that works to make Roslindale a vibrant place to live or visit by sponsoring events, supporting local businesses, and making the neighborhood beautiful. (And be sure to check out Rachel's 20 Things to Do in Roslindale, too.)

A reminder: Our BIggest Holiday Giveaway continues every day through Christmas - have you checked it out yet? We're giving away over $3,000 worth of prizes!

Enjoy, and wishing you and yours a week that's full of friends, family and fun.

The Lythgoe Family Productions British panto-style production of Aladdin and His Winter Wish at the Pasadena Playhouse is an exuberant theatrical experience, delivered with a wink and a smile. The celebrity-studded cast is out to have a good time, and they make sure to bring the audience along for the ride. If you're wondering whether this holiday show is the right one for your family, read on!

The official start of winter is upon us this weekend with plenty to do in Westchester (if you’re not too busy trying to get all your last minute shopping done before Christmas). Take a winter solstice hike at Westmoreland Sanctuary on Saturday to slow down and enjoy the winter around us before the hustle of the holidays.

Also on Saturday, little ones can participate in a dance class at the Sugar Plum Party at the Dance Gallery in Tuckahoe, where each dancer will receive a tutu to take home. In Peekskill, make a Christmas craft at the Field Library or decorate a tree for wildlife at Teatown Lake Reservation in Ossining. On Sunday, play with the wolves at the Holiday Howl in South Salem.

All weekend long you can take the family to visit the Westchester County Center to see the Nutcracker, enjoy A Christmas Wizard of Oz at the Westchester Sandbox Theater or head over to Ridge Hill for the Holly Jolly Celebration at Legoland. Also, don't forget to enter our Biggest Holiday Giveaway! Maybe you'll win a fantastic gift for you or someone you love. Good luck! 

Read on for our top weekend picks. If you see something that piques your interest, click through to the event listing to view full details. Looking for more options? Be sure to check our Event Calendar for more fun happening this weekend and beyond.

It's the last weekend before Christmas and NYC is overflowing with holiday cheer. Get into the spirit at multiple multicultural celebrations like the annual East Meets West Christmas Parade in Chinatown and Little Italy, Mano a Mano's Mexican fiesta Posadas y Pastorelas and El Museo's early Three Kings Day fete. Or go caroling in Greenwich Village and Jackson Heights, catch a host of holiday shows, hit the ice at the brand-new Prospect Park rinks or make a joyful noise in one of the interactive Make Music Winter parades throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.

It's also a great weekend to hit all the seasonal sights before the tourists take over. So in between last-minute gift shopping, make sure you carve out time to see Santa, gawk at awesome holiday windows and light displays, and enter our Biggest Holiday Giveaway. Who knows? Maybe you can win some of your Christmas presents this year!

All of our best bets for the weekend are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide. Before heading out on your adventures, be sure to download our FREE Mommy Poppins Kids on the Go app so you can find the best family destinations wherever you happen to be in NYC.

I've spoken of my affection for NY Waterway before; my usual mode of travel when hauling myself and two kids to NYC involves a jumpy bus ride or a claustrophobic journey on the PATH, but my few experiences on the NY Waterway ferry have been downright--dare I say it?--pleasurable, and fun, even. So we are happy to tell you that NY Waterway is making the holidays even more festive (and affordable) by letting all children travel free from the Port Imperial terminal in Weehawken to the Midtown/39th Street terminal! Read on to find out the details of this special "Kids Ride Free" deal and all the other reasons why NY Waterway ferry is a great choice for your holiday travel to Manhattan.

This is it, New Jersey - the last weekend to get in some holiday cheer before Christmas! Our state is full of festive fun whether you check out the Holiday Lights at Turtle Back Zoo, get crafty at Liberty Hall’s Gingerbread Workshop or enjoy a Holiday Parade down the shore in Seaside Heights. This Saturday is also the Winter Solstice, so celebrate the shortest day of the year with a Solstice Hike at the Round Valley Recreation Center. Don't miss our spectacular Biggest Holiday Giveaway contest with huge prizes every day and remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.