Submitted by Jody Mercier on
With November upon us, so too are some magnificent holiday traditions. In the Bronx, the New York Botanical Garden team is busy behind the scenes getting ready to open the 25th anniversary edition of its beloved Holiday Train Show. Opening day is Saturday, November 19.
Submitted by Julia Tolstrup on
The humble cider donut. They are, without a doubt, not only an autumn tradition but a necessity here in the northeast. We in Fairfield County could not be luckier because we live in a major epicenter of cider donut greatness and just because apple picking season ends, this does not mean cider donuts go with it. Whether you prefer them moist or cakey, and whether you spell it donut or doughnut, here is a round-up of the very best places around to score one. Or a dozen.
Submitted by Michelle Vames on
The beach isn't just for swimming and sunbathing anymore: Soon you can add ice skating to your list of things to do down the Jersey Shore. It all starts Sunday, November 27, when Ice at the Pier opens at Pier Village in Long Branch, New Jersey.
Submitted by Ally Noel on
It's never too late to organize a super simple Halloween Party. This year I hosted our annual neighborhood party and tested out some frighteningly easy Halloween snack recipes. They must have been a hit, because my little ghosts and goblins didn’t let out a single boo in protest. Now that I have my fifth party under my (witch's) hat, here are a few tricks for how to host your own Halloween Party.
For more Halloween fun, from the best kids Halloween movies to 75 fun Halloween activities for kids—and more—check out our Halloween Activities Guide for Families.
And for Halloween activities near you, check out our Local Halloween Fun & Activities Guide!
Submitted by Laura J on
Twix, Milky Ways, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles! It seems like kids collect enough Halloween candy to last a lifetime. Instead of saving your surplus supply of Kit Kats or having your children consume it all in one night (or worse, you consume it all in one night), take a look at our alternate ideas for using up your little ones' leftover candy haul – whether you donate it, bake with it, make money from it (!), or make others smile with it. Hope you have a great Halloween, New Jersey!
Submitted by Brianna Angelucci on
Recently, I had the opportunity to take my children, ages 11 and 13, to the new Robot Revolution exhibit at the Franklin Institute. This was, hands down, the best and most interactive exhibit I have taken them to, and I would not hesitate to recommend this to anyone with children of any age.
Submitted by Roberta B on
I didn't grow up in Los Angeles; and although I have Latin American family, we are not of the Mexican or Guatemalan variety - meaning I arrived in SoCal knowing next to nothing about Day of the Dead. I've gradually pieced together the whole fascinating cultural and historical puzzle, discovering how many Halloween traditions we actually owe to the Native Americans who were in the city of angels before us, before the Spanish, before Christianity. El Día de los Muertos is a rare opportunity to understand several layers of angeleno culture, while celebrating something that looks a heck of a lot like Halloween.
While LA offers many Day of the Dead celebrations, the most authentic may be the novenarios, the nine nights of revelry leading up to November 2. Many Spanish-speaking countries have novenarios leading up to Christmas, but there is a similar build-up to the Day of the Dead, and here in LA it is most celebrated, not surprisingly, on Olvera Street. I've been curious to check out this traditional celebration for years, but between ghost trains and haunted houses our last week of October has always been booked solid. Not to mention that whole parking downtown thing. This year I finally decided to take the sugar skull by the horns and go see what it's all about. Curious?
Submitted by Sonia Gonzalez on
Halloween is fast approaching, and while you're counting down to the big day and enjoying all the fun haunted happenings around town, why not consider adding a multicultural flair into the mix? Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is technically not a Halloween event; however, it falls right around the same time of year and shares many similar customs and themes.
This Mexican tradition may sound somber and spooky, but it’s actually a joyous time of year, meant to honor family and friends who have passed on. Revelers prepare special foods, don colorful outfits, and create alters adorned with flowers, smiling skulls (calaveras) and candles to celebrate lost loved ones. Festivities include dancing, joyful skeletons (calacas), masks, plenty of candy, skulls made out of sugar, and marigolds, the traditional flor de los muertos (flower of the dead). Day of the Dead is observed on November 1 and 2, but events are already taking place. Read on for ways to celebrate Dia de los Muertos in Westchester. The best part—all events are FREE.
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