Waiting and preparing for Christmas can be almost as magical and fun as the holiday itself. The Advent period or the season of preparation which was originally observed in many Western Christian churches emphasizes this tradition - even without the religious content. One of the sweetest - sometimes in the literal sense of the word, too - prop of the season is the Advent calendar. Counting down the days with suspense for the big holiday rewards you with a little surprise for each day of patience in the long, cold month of December. There are many types of advent calendars and you can read more for our break down.

They're here. In honor of the first day of December, we're officially launching our 2011 Holiday Activity Guide. Unlike some other holiday guides out there, we primarily focus on inexpensive but unforgettable seasonal experiences, including family volunteering opportunities, so you can give your kids the best present of all: happy holiday memories.

We also launched our first-ever Holiday Gift Guide, but instead of filling it with toys and games you can buy off amazon, we concentrate on shopping local, and supporting our community stores and artisans.

Read on for a closer look at what you'll find in our Holiday Guides and a peek at cool Christmas and Hanukkah posts yet to come.

The holiday season is in full effect, and there are celebrations all over the Island: Christmas tree lightings, festivals, a LEGO-menorah-building event, shows--even a weekend-long Charles Dickens festival, complete with period costumes, horse-and-carriage rides, and, of course, productions of The Nutcracker and A Christmas Carol. And if you are ready for an outing to Cut Your Own Christmas Tree, we've got you covered. There are also some fun and educational non-holiday-oriented shows at the Long Island Children's Museum. And Saturday's National Cookie Day, don't you know? So cut the kids some slack this weekend, and while you're at it, take them to the Whaling Museum in Cold Spring Harbor for a Sea Cookie Workshop!

We've rounded up a list of the top events happening around the Island to suit whatever you're looking for--holiday themed or not.

And if you have a moment, check out the wonderful food drive that Mommy Poppins herself has spearheaded and Help Us Feed 10,000 NYC Children This Holiday Season. It's an easy process, and may be the start of an important discussion with your kids.

It's December! See some fun holiday shows, win free tix to "It's a Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play" or just ease into the holiday spirit with gingerbread house tutorials, craft fairs, fests and loads and loads of shopping. A fan of the Elf on the Shelf? Be sure to check out the Elf Movie Special Author signing in Westfield to get the details on the sneaky elf-turned movie star. And have fun! It is the most Wonderful time of the year, after all.

For many of us, watching “It’s a Wonderful Life” is as much a holiday tradition as hanging stockings or baking cookies for the full-figured man in red. I have seen the film many times and consider myself a “IAWL” purist, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about a different version. Happy to report that the consistently excellent Mile Square Theater won me over with their charming “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play”. Read on for my review and a chance to win tickets to this Wonderful show.

There’s no denying it: the Christmas season has started. So Cal kids have already been exposed to snow, ice skating and an average of 2.7 Santa Clauses*, so we at Mommy Poppins suggest you go with the flow and embrace the season of giving. And in that spirit, we offer you our first giveaway, our gift to you, in this holiday season.

This weekend, kids can learn about fire, fashion, and penguins; good little children can visit with Santa for breakfast, storytime, or a vintage train ride. Families can enjoy Big Band music, classic Disney cartoons, a party with Cirque du Soleil, and any number of Nutcracker ballets.

Keep reading for some of our favorite picks for this weekend, and to learn about our great big giveaway!

(*Figure entirely made up)

It’s that time of year, when there are more seasonal activities than hours to do them. Santa has set up shop at many locations around town, and neighborhood tree lightings are in full swing. Plus, you can take your pick of holiday shows like A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker.

There are other events going on as well. The Boston Children Theatre presents The Velveteen Rabbit and Concord Youth Theatre stages Anne of Green Gables. Read on for all of our picks and remember, you can find additional options in our Events Calendar.

Enjoy!

Here are some questions to answer to determine if you should take the time to read this article:
1. Do you spend more than two minutes a day looking for ANYTHING?
2. Does accessing any daily needed item require you to move something else to reach it?
3. Do you have visions of night gnomes merrily tidying while you sleep and magically making the stress inducing piles disappear?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, read on.