It's the weekend before Christmas! If you celebrate, no doubt you've got lots of last-minute shopping to do. But the kiddies still need to be entertained. We've got you covered. Santa's at the Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery again, there's a great production of the Nutcracker at the LIU Tilles Center, the Cupcake Corner in Garden City's got gingerbread decorating, Take One Theatre has a couple of holiday productions this weekend, and the there's Family Sundays once again at the Nassau County Museum of Art. Check out our Holiday Fun Guide for more great things to do this holiday season.

There's plenty to do in Boston this holiday break - catch a movie, see a holiday show, visit a museum, take a day trip, spend some time outdoors. With the kids off from school, it is a perfect time to really enjoy what the city has to offer. Read on for some of our best bets for museums, movies and libraries, concerts and shows, active kids, and nature programs.

And while thoughts of Newtown may make it difficult at times to be fully immersed in the holiday spirit, kids especially need to know that life does move forward. Tara’s thoughtful post offers suggestions of how to facilitate this.

Check our Holiday Guide and Events Calendar for other things to do with kids, and please stay in touch with us on Twitter and Facebook for updates and more tips on family fun. And have a great break, no matter what you do.

Enjoy!

Ok, so let's just say you're one of those parents with your act together come Christmas Eve -- gifts purchased and wrapped, cards sent, feet up sipping eggnog by noon.  That, or you've got a bazillion things to do, and need to tell Daddy/Mommy/grandparents where to take the kids to blow off steam for a few hours.  Here are your options in Fairfield County:

It's the final weekend before Christmas and while these days are bound to be full of last-minute shopping sprees and festive activities, our hearts are heavy due to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. If your family is looking to do something to try to help the grieving community, our Connecticut site has some ideas, including a request from the Sandy Hook PTA for cut paper snowflakes that will be used to decorate the new temporary school. While we haven't heard about any vigils in NYC this weekend, families may find Judson Memorial Church's Greenwich Village Caroling Walk or the Church of the Intercession's annual reading of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas comforting and low-key ways to mark the season.

Two family favorites reopen this weekend after being closed since Hurricane Sandy: The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum and the Tribeca Performing Arts Center, which is hosting a free kid-friendly performance of A Christmas Carol. Other weekend highlights include the annual East Meets West Christmas Parade, a no-cost screening of last year's big holiday hit Arthur Christmas at the Sony Wonder Technology Lab and seeing Santa before he says goodbye and hops in his sleigh.

All of our weekend picks are below. You can find additional options in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Fun Guide, which has info on the best things to do on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and throughout holiday break.

As a mom to four children including a tween with special needs, I'm always happy to share information about the best resources I've found for New York City special needs families. So I'm continuing my series of monthly special needs posts with a look at an organization we (and countless other families) count on for information on the best services available in NYC: Resources for Children with Special Needs.

RCSN was founded in 1983 by three local mothers and offers information about resources for NYC children and young adults with social, cognitive, physical and behavioral issues. A call to the organization's friendly staff can swiftly connect you with the appropriate programs and services for your family. RCSN is also skilled at helping parents become advocates for their children, and hosts many free workshops and events for special needs families including its upcoming annual Special Camp Fair in January.

Here's a look at some of the services Resources for Children with Special Needs offers:

Christmas is just around the corner and if you’re sticking around town or have guests to entertain, you can find last-minute holiday fun with Adventure Aquarium’s Christmas Celebration, Christmas in the Country Trail or brunch with the big red man himself at Liberty Hall Museum.  Read on for our top picks and remember you can find a listing of all NJ activities in our Event Calendar.

I know I am not alone as I hug my children a little tighter this holiday season.  As parents our hearts may be heavy but our children are counting down the days until Christmas arrives.  One of the most important things we can do right now is to be fully present with our children and maintain a sense of routine and normalcy in their lives.  This week, that includes moving forward with our holiday plans, traditions and fun family outings.