Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (Summit)

Good grief! Take in a timeless classic, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”, complete with popcorn and toast, plus arts and crafts at the Summit Y. Saturday, November 19, 3pm to 4 pm. FREE. Call 908-273-3330 for more information.

Gingerbread House Workshop (Hamilton)

Your annual G-House looking more like a casualty of war? Learn a pastry chef's techniques for making a gingerbread house and then try your hand at making your own dazzling confection and holiday tradition.  Participants should bring their own icing, spatula and pastry tips.  Saturday, November 19, 12 pm demonstration, 2pm for the house-makin'. For more information call 609-586-0616.

Star Party (Mountainside)

It’s the time of the year for thanks, so why not thank your lucky stars? Head to the Trailside Nature and Science Center for an evening of stargazing, presentations on the night sky, and the latest NASA mission. Learn about the November night sky, discover the latest planetary and constellation information in Trailside's auditorium, and go outside and view Jupiter, and watch the evening sky come up. Telescopes and binoculars available for public viewing. November 19, 7pm to 9pm. Fees: donations requested. For more information call 908-789-3670.

Live Penguins at IMAX (Atlantic City) 

Warning: High Adorableness Factor. In between screenings of “Happy Feet Two” at the IMAX Theatre at Tropicana, check out some real penguins, all the way from Jenkinson's Aquarium.  The feathered friends will make their appearances 40 minutes prior to each “Happy Feet Two” showing on Saturday, November 19 and Sunday, November 20. Admission/$13-15. For more information call 609-340-4000.

Thanksgiving Day Craft Workshop (Union)

Kids can craft and create colorful turkey centerpieces for Thanksgiving at the Liberty Hall Museum.  November 19, 10am to 1pm.  Fees: $10. Reservations are recommended. For more information call 908-527-0400.

Art for Families: Art Tales (Princeton)

At Princeton University Art Museum, kids of all ages can listen to stories from around the world and create their own puppets. Saturday, November 19, 10:30am to 1pm. FREE. For more information call 609-258-3788.

Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Presentation and Table Customs and Manners (Westfield)

The Miller-Cory House is hosting an open hearth preparation of authentic colonial food where Thanksgiving recipes will be demonstrated. The program also includes a presentation on early American manners, place settings, and other "table top" traditions, something we can all learn a thing or two about.  Sunday, November 20, 2pm to 4pm. Fees vary; kids 4 and under are free. For more information call 908-232-1776.

Holiday Centerpiece Workshop: Thanks for Thanksgiving (Morristown)

Make your Thanksgiving table a little prettier with a hand-crafted arrangement in a pumpkin at the Holiday Centerpiece Workshop at the Arboretum. Sunday, November 20, 1pm to 2pm.   $20/members, $25/non-members. Registration is required. For more information call 973-326-7603.

LL Bean Grand Opening at Paramus Park Mall (Paramus)

The Bean is finally coming to Jersey with a grand opening celebration Friday, November 18 and Saturday, November 19, 9am to 9:30pm. Fun contests (guess how many Bean Boots in a display and win a pair, enter a raffle and win a kayak), and the first 100 customers on Friday morning will receive a gift card $500 in value. Oh, and your kids can take pictures with the LL Bean Bear, who's bringing a little bit of Maine to NJ. FREE. For more information call 207-552-6016.