Every year, Americans use about 4.6 million pounds of birthday, holiday, and Christmas gift wrap... and only about half of that wrapping paper gets recycled. That's 2.3 million pounds of glittery, inky, foiled paper going into landfills around the country. But there are loads of gift wrapping ideas that cut back on waste. These eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas involve using cloth, reused paper, metal, wood, or cardboard to wrap gifts; in addition to that, they add a personal touch from your kids.

Here are 13 eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas that will help put less holiday and Christmas gift wrap into landfills this holiday season. For more ways to help save the planet, check out our Earth Kids Guide, and sign up for our Earth Kids newsletter.

Bundle up and brighten your family's holiday season with a fun-filled trip to see the twinkling holiday lights at the Amaze Light Festival at Citi Field. The immersive experience is the largest holiday lights show in the United States, with thousands of colorful, shimmering lights and larger-than-life displays.

New York City has no shortage of family fun to enjoy while counting down to Santa's arrival, with traditional activities like visiting the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree or touring the popular Dyker Heights Christmas lights. Still, the Amaze Light Festival is a must-visit if you're looking for something new and out of the box! Read on for our experience and find more seasonal fun in our Guide to the Holidays and Christmas in NYC to find all our top picks for families.

Catch larger than life holiday installations, thousands of Christmas lights, festive food trucks, seasonal drinks, and fun for all ages at Holiday Road’s immersive LA event.

“This is the best night of my life!” my three year old squealed as he skipped through a tunnel of twinkling lights.

My almost-two year old pointed towards the sparkling trees and illuminated tunnels with wide eyes, murmuring the word “pretty” under her breath.

My six-year-old, ever practical, turned to me and said “When you said we were going to look at lights, I thought you meant lights on houses. This is way more impressive.”

Their glowing reviews all point to one fact: Holiday Road in Calabasas is one of the top things to do for Christmas and the Holidays in Los Angeles! The immersive holiday light show is at King Gillette Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains in Northwest Los Angeles through December 30, 2022.

One of the best things about the holiday season is hunting for the best Christmas cookies in NYC. It's the season to indulge in once-a-year special treats. Whether you bake them or buy them, enjoying Christmas cookies is a great way to treat the kids (and you!) between all that shopping, visiting Santa, and checking out amazing Christmas windows all over town.

From traditional European specialties and the American classic sugar cookie, we've rounded up 10 tasty bakeries for Christmas cookies in NYC this season. Find more sweet treats in our Family-Friendly Restaurant Guide and all our top holiday picks in our NYC Kids' Guide to Holiday and Christmas Events.

Billed as an action-packed indoor entertainment center for LEGO-lovers ages 3 to 10, LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester in Yonkers’ open-air Ridge Hill Mall is a great day out for families. Small but mighty compared to the LEGOLAND theme park, the center packs LEGO building stations, play areas, rides, and a 4D movie theater.

I headed there with my 4- and almost-7-year-old daughters on a recent half-day to check it out. Read on for my take on what to expect at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester, who it’s best for, and how to get the most out of your trip.

Over the last few years, even Santa Claus has had to learn how to Zoom. This season, families looking for a virtual meet and greet with Father Christmas can choose between a number of 2022 Santa photos and visits that use technological magic to create a remote way for kids to connect with Old Kris Kringle.

From perfectly customized video greetings to live cameos by Mrs. Claus and the elves, there are so many ways to hang with Saint Nick and his crew from the comfort of your own home. Silver linings: no long lines, no crowds, and the ability to really personalize the visit to make your 2022 Santa Claus meet-and-greet extra special.

Read on for some of our favorite virtual Santa visits, coming to you from a few of our partners who sure know how to spread the holiday cheer when we need it most.

Rockefeller Center is usually the most crowded place in New York City during the holidays. While the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is the pièce de résistance, there is actually quite a bit for families to do in the area. Rockefeller Center is a great holiday destination with plenty of shopping, dining, and culture for kids of all ages. Include it as part of a holiday windows walk and grab a bite at one of the family-friendly restaurants and finish off your visit with a sweet treat from Magnolia Bakery in Rockefeller Center.

Read on for our picks for the best things to do at Rockefeller Center this winter.

This is the start of sledding season in Los Angeles—at the beach! So get ready to grab a sled and hit the sand.

Sledding may involve getting cold and wet in other parts of the country, but that is so ... un-Californian. Sure, there are places near Los Angeles to go sledding on snow if that's your thing, but we're raising California kids, and that means beach sledding. Every winter a few Los Angeles area beaches get their annual sand berms, intended as protection against winter storms and violent surf. Or so they say. The real purpose is clearly to lay the groundwork for the ultimate SoCal winter sport: sand sledding. We've got the lowdown on when those sledding hills storm berms are going up.

For actual winter day trips from Los Angeles where you can find snow in SoCal for sledding, skiing, or snow tubing, visit our Winter Activities Guide for Los Angeles Kids.