Spectacular Holiday Lights in Westchester: Three Must-See Holiday Displays Within an Hour of NYC

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The holidays are a truly magical time of year in New York City, Westchester and beyond. Everywhere you look there are FREE seasonal sights like illuminated Christmas trees, amazing department store holiday windows and over-the-top seasonal displays.

For years, we've raved about the jaw-dropping holiday homes in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn and the Bronx Christmas House in Pelham Gardens. But Southern Westchester is also home to three must-see holiday houses that are so incredible, my kids and I visit every year. Best of all, they're all located within 15 miles of one another so you can easily hit all of them in one night by car.

Liberty Science Center's New Infinity Climber: a One-of-a-Kind Experience for Kids

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The endlessly entertaining Liberty Science Center has unveiled its brand-new Infinity Climber just in time for the holiday break. Suspended like a pristine spider web 35 feet above the Center's atrium floor, the Climber is the world’s first suspended climbing play space. Even better: It is an activity that parents and children can enjoy together. My kids and I were lucky enough to be invited to experience Infinity firsthand—and it did not disappoint.  

Taylor Swift: Shake It Off at the GRAMMY Museum with LA Kids

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The opening of the new Taylor Swift Experience, combined with the presence of 'tweens in my world, made a vist to the GRAMMY Museum at LA Live an absolute imperative this past weekend. Luckily we're big fans of the GRAMMY Museum at Mommy Poppins; hey, any museum that keeps the whole family singing and dancing all the way through is worth the price of admission in my book. I've enjoyed recent exhibits aimed at the parental generation, like Ringo Starr: Peace and Love and California Dreamin'. And while I don't fit the demographic of the "Swifties," I was quite willing to suffer through a little Top 40s stuff to rack up a couple of Cool Mom points.

It turns out no suffering was required. I may have arrived in a cloud of toleration, but I left a total Taylor fan! (And it's not just because that tune Shake It Off will now never leave my head.)

Rock On! 5 NYC Spots Where Kids Can Explore Gems, Crystals, Minerals, Fossils & Meteorites

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With STEM the big buzzword in education these days, there's a lot of emphasis on kids learning high-tech skills like coding and robotics. But it's important to expose them to low-tech science fun, too. Examining fossils, meteorites, rocks, precious minerals, gems and other natural artifacts unearthed from the ground is quite fascinating, especially for children. After all, what kid doesn't like the idea of buried treasure—not to mention dirt?

We've found five cool places where budding geologists can see and even touch the best natural history NYC has to offer.

Weekday Event Picks for LA Kids: Happy Hanukkah & Downtown Sing-Along, December 15-19

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The trees are lit; now it’s time for the menorahs. The eight crazy nights of Hanukkah commence Tuesday, and there are festive lighting ceremonies all over town. Meanwhile, on Olvera Street, the story of Joseph and Mary’s search for an inn is recreated nightly through Christmas Eve. This is the week to celebrate all beliefs and cultures. The kids love it because no matter which direction they turn, a present is involved. It may also be time to check out some giving opportunities. There are many holiday gift drives. While our kids may need a little prompting when it comes to giving, children usually enjoy an opportunity to be benevolent, particularly if it involves choosing a cool toy.

Places to Play in Gowanus: Parks, Drop-in Play Spaces, Rock Climbing & Robots

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We continue our series of posts on Gowanus with a roundup of places to play in the area, both indoors and outside. While this historically industrial neighborhood has only one major green space, Thomas Greene Playground, there are many drop-in indoor play spots, from traditional kiddie gyms to more offbeat rock climbing and robot havens. Here are our top 9 places to play with kids in Gowanus, Brooklyn.

Best Family-Friendly Hanukkah Events in New Jersey

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Hanukkah is almost here! This year, it begins the evening of Tuesday, December 16th and ends the evening of Wednesday, December 24th. Here in New Jersey there are many Menorah Lightings and musical events that are fun for the whole family these next few days, so check one out and enjoy the Festival of Lights. Also, click here for more wonderful events in the Garden State as 2014 gradually comes to a close and we usher in a new year.

This Week: Winter Travel Deals, Christmas Tree Farms Near NYC, Making the Holiday Season Really Special

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Because of a personal loss as well as some of the disturbing things going on in our city and country these days, I've been putting a lot of energy into making my family's holiday season feel even more special than usual (in between some tough conversations about grief and justice with my daughter). In addition to our annual traditions such as going to Macy's Santaland and seeing all the department store windows, we've been crossing things off our holiday bucket list, like enjoying tea with Santa at the Plaza and splurging on holiday spectacles like Cirque Ziva and the family opera Puss in Boots/El Gato con Botas.

Of course, you don't need to spend lots of money to make the season magical. This week, we wrote about no-cost ways to connect with Santa online and over the phone, shared a pair of inexpensive and easy-to-make holiday crafts, and posted slide shows of gloriously over-the-top holiday homes on Long Island, in Philly and Connecticut, all FREE to see.

In the market for a winter getaway? Our Travel site has a roundup of enticing vacation deals near and far, and a few are even valid during the upcoming school break.

Here's what else we covered on the NYC site this week:

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