A note of caution for families venturing out this weekend: Saturday is Santa Con or as we like to call it at our house, "Drunk Santa Day." Expect extra crowds that may be unruly in some Brooklyn and Manhattan neighborhoods and on the subway. Remember, do not approach the animals. 

All Weekend

All Aboard! Historical Train Weekend — Upper West Side
Explore the New-York Historical Society's revamped holiday train display. Go on a scavenger hunt and enjoy special hands-on activities like playtime with Conductor Abe and train-themed crafts. Best for the preschool set. Free with admission.

Experience Charlie Brown Christmas Live at its new location, Redwood Studios in Brooklyn for this sweet holiday show. Photo courtesy of Pig Brooch Theatre Company.

Charlie Brown Christmas Live — Gowanus
Pig Brooch Theatre Company takes its show to Brooklyn's Redwood Studios this year for the seventh annual run of the beloved holiday classic, A Charlie Brown Christmas. This live stage adaptation of the iconic TV special is extremely faithful to the source material, right down to the 30-minute run time, and features a lively jazz trio playing Vince Guaraldi's memorable music.

Taste of Christmas Cookie Walk — East Village
Take a tasty stroll through St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church and choose from more than 50 varieties of homemade treats. Grab as many as you fit in your box! Kids can also create their own sweets and pose with Santa at the photo booth.

Ballerina Swan — Midtown West
One of our December GoList picks, New York City Children’s Theater revives its 2013 hit inspired by legendary New York City Ballet dancer, Allegra Kent's children's book of the same name. Set to Tchaikovsky's glorious Swan Lake (a nice change from all the Nutcracker performances this time of year), this production tells the tale of a Central Park swan who yearns to dance ballet. Told through a mix of theater and dance, the performance features 5-foot, dancing swan bunraku-style puppet that kids will love.

Saturday, December 12

Note: Today is Santacon, so beware hordes of rowdy and possibly drunken St. Nicks.

Unsilent Night — Greenwich Village, East Village
A December GoList pick, this is a funky alternative to traditional Christmas caroling. Help create a "sound sculpture" by blasting music by avant-garde composer Phil Kline as part of a procession from Washington Square Park to Tompkins Square Park. Download the music online, get the free app or show up early to snag a free CD or cassette tape. FREE

Doktor Kaboom! Science of Santa — Tribeca
Catch this interactive, science-themed holiday show at Tribeca Performing Arts Center. Clever and comedic Doktor Kaboom deconstructs iconic Santa lore, answering questions like how St. Nick knows who's naughty and nice and why his reindeer can fly. My son and I saw this show last year and really enjoyed it.

Star Wars Day — Prospect Heights
In preparation for The Force Awakens, the latest film in the Star Wars saga, Brooklyn's Central Library hosts three programs for little Jedis and their families. At 11am, kids can create their own Jedi Knight with artist David Alicea. Then kids can participate in a pair of interactive live action workshops: train to be a bounty hunter with Mandalorian Mercs Boot Camp or hone those light-saber skills with the masters from the Empire Saber Guild. Participants can also snap selfies in the replica Mandalorian Holding Cell. The last activity of the day has kids creating a new Star Wars-style gadget using littleBits. FREE

Skippyjon Jones Snow What — Manhattan Beach
Fans of Judy Schachner's Siamese cat with a canine alter ego will enjoy Theatreworks USA's musicalization of the book, Skippyjon Jones Snow What. In this new take on the familiar story, watch as Skippyjon and his band of Chihuahuas retreat to the closet for a fairy-tale adventure where they rescue princess Nieve Qué, aka Snow What, from the enchanted forest, battle a dragon and defeat the evil witch. Bonus: Kids can meet the cast after the show!

Kids learning how to create delicately scented pomanders from citrus fruit at the King Manor Museum. Photo courtesy of the museum.

Hands on History: Winter Wonderland — Jamaica
This month's edition of FREE family activities at King Manor Museum includes traditional pomander and paper snowflake making and learning how the King family celebrated the holidays and lived during the long, cold 19th century winters. FREE

Skate with Santa — Prospect Park
Take a spin on the ice with old St. Nick at Prospect Park's newly opened LeFrak Center's double ice rinks. The skate school will be on hand with complimentary 15-minute group lessons, too. Free with paid admission.

See all Saturday events.

Sunday, December 13

Tuba Christmas — Midtown East
Head to the Rock Center ice rink to catch this kooky concert featuring 500 tuba players tooting holiday songs. It's truly a sight to behold. The public performance is always crowded so try showing up at 12:30pm for the rehearsal and a less crowded experience. FREE

Judy & the Maccabees — Upper West Side
The Poppy Seed Players mount engaging family musicals that bring the stories behind Jewish holidays to life. In its Festival of Lights tale, Judy is a headstrong girl who joins the Maccabees to fight for religious rights. They dismiss her at first, but ultimately she becomes a major player in the struggle. A great way to introduce kids of all backgrounds to the meaning of Hanukkah.

Songs for Unusual Creatures — Upper East Side
Head to the Metropolitan Museum of Art to hear writer/composer Michael Hearst's unique project, Songs for Unusual Creatures. It is a five-piece band that shows videos and croons tunes about strange animals from across the globe, while playing wacky instruments such as the theremin, claviola, daxophone and stylophone. Afterward work on a creative arts project inspired by the show. Free with paid admission.

When Mindy Saved Hanukkah Scavenger Hunt — Lower East Side
The historic Museum at Eldridge Street is the setting for Eric Kimmel's popular kids holiday book, When Mindy Saved Hanukkah. During this week's Preservation Detectives, kids can follow in Mindy's footsteps and find the Hanukkah candle while saving the holiday. Creative themed art projects round out the fun.

See all Sunday events.

Don't forget: We have additional seasonal fun in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Guide.

Top image: Is Santa magical or the best scientist ever? The hilarious Doktor Kaboom investigates. Photo courtesy of Tribeca Performing Arts Center.