I was lucky enough to attend the Book Preview “Simon and Schuster celebrates Moms & Blogs & Books!” (courtesy of the Buzzing Bloggers) It was, indeed, a celebration of all things Mom and all things Books and now our readers have cause to celebrate too--we are giving away four gift packs of Simon and Schuster Children’s books! To win these incredible books just in time for holiday gifts by such celebrated children’s/young adult authors as Matthew Van Fleet (“Moo”), Rachel Renee Russell (“Dork Diaries”) and James Howe (“Bunnicula”), read on!

Winterfest isn't happening in 2012.
It's the season of lights. For the past few weeks, we've been posting about all of the dazzling holiday spectacles that illuminate New York City at this time of year, like Christmas tree and menorah lightings, holiday light displays and department store windows. Even the animals are getting in the illumination action. The Central Park Zoo is decking its halls with thousands of lights, and also hosting holiday-themed activities as part of its annual Winterfest celebration.

The festivities kicked off last weekend and continue every Friday and Saturday through December 17. I took my son and a few of his animal-loving buddies last year and they were mesmerized by the strings of twinkling lights threaded throughout the zoo. They also had a great time meeting the animals, making crafts and enjoying other special holiday activities.

Although the Central Park Zoo is the only New York City zoo that decorates its landscaped grounds, the Bronx Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo also have special holiday happenings, like giving presents to their residents and other seasonal activities.

Read on to find out about all the things you can see and do at NYC zoos this holiday season.

Besides attending one of the following events, this weekend is a good time to cut down your own Christmas tree. We have some great family options for you in Hartford, Fairfield and Litchfield Counties. The Nutcracker is a classic that we try not to miss each year. We've rounded up shows for you all over the area. Bergdorf's holiday windows in NYC can't be beat, however you don't have to drive into the city to get a visual thrill. Check out these Holiday Window Strolls in Fairfield County. If you are in Hartford County we've listed some great events over the next couple of weeks. Our post this week on dining options on 12/25 in Fairfield County reminds me of the hilarious Chinese restaurant scene in one of my all time favorite holiday movies 'A Christmas Story'. All of that being said, enjoy the weekend with the following great list of events we've compiled. Make a paracord bracelet, go on a family art adventure or family hike, ride a vintage train or attend a reindeer festival. Have fun making happy memories with your kids!

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Life's feeling more like a circus than usual these days, thanks to the holiday rush. So we thought we'd give you a break by (for the most part) shying away from seasonal links in our latest biweekly news roundup.

Stories that piqued our interest this time around include a handy way to track your kids' school bus via iPad (yes, there really is an app for that), the return of a popular downtown indoor park and a kids' fave at the Whitney, the scoop on how to help your children's school find unclaimed funds and a funky display of menorahs curated by beloved children's author Maurice Sendak. His picks aren't as wild as you might think.

The malls are packed with holiday shoppers, decorations are up, and Santa is ringing his bell at every store entrance. With Christmas less than three weeks away the festivities are commencing and what better way to celebrate than to enjoy a holiday themed event with your family. With a variety of activities like classic theater shows to holiday lights it will surely feel more like Christmas with these great events!

[UPDATED: NOVEMBER 12, 2012]

I was born and bred across the pond, as you Americans say. I try to expose my child to bits of British culture year-round, but when the holidays roll around, I really find myself longing for good old-fashioned Victorian Christmas celebrations, like the ones I used to enjoy growing up.

The Victorian period covers the reign of England's Queen Victoria from 1837 to 1901—and that’s where this history lesson ends. I'm more interested in sharing fun ways for families to enjoy vintage holiday fun that evokes this era. So don't be a Scrooge: From Christmas caroling to Charles Dickens to enjoying high tea, here are six ways to have yourself a merry Victorian Christmas in New York City.

It may not feel much like December, but it's sure beginning to look a lot like the holiday season. Department stores have unveiled their magical holiday windows, Santa has set up shop at lots of NYC spots and various productions of The Nutcracker are dancing around town.

This week we officially launched our 2011 Holiday Fun and Holiday Gift Guides. While we've already updated many of our annual posts, we'll continue to add new info throughout December, so check back regularly for more seasonal fun. Also, please consider supporting Mommy Poppins holiday food drive. We launched it last week and the response has been really heartwarming. As our founder Anna explains in the post, our appeal is very personal.

This week we also wrapped up our series of posts about the Upper West Side. Even if you live there, we think you may find out about a great toy store, restaurant or play spot you didn't know of.

And that's just a bit of what's going on. Here's what we covered this week on Mommy Poppins in NYC, New Jersey, Long Island and Connecticut, as well as selected stories from our sites in Boston and Los Angeles.