This is it, New Jersey - the last weekend to get in some holiday cheer before Christmas! Our state is full of festive fun whether you check out the Holiday Lights at Turtle Back Zoo, get crafty at Liberty Hall’s Gingerbread Workshop or enjoy a Holiday Parade down the shore in Seaside Heights. This Saturday is also the Winter Solstice, so celebrate the shortest day of the year with a Solstice Hike at the Round Valley Recreation Center. Don't miss our spectacular Biggest Holiday Giveaway contest with huge prizes every day and remember, you can find a full list of weekend activities in our Event Calendar.

Whenever I need recommendations on what to buy, I turn to my friends at Cool Mom Picks. Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase, the founders of Cool Mom Picks and Cool Mom Tech, know their stuff; especially when it comes to the very best gear, toys and design for stylish kids and their grown-ups. So I'm super psyched that Liz has offered to give us her best tech holiday gift picks specifically for New Yorkers, because, you know, we have special needs.

Check out her great gift ideas that will make anybody's tiny-apartment-living, stinky-subway-commuting, trying-to-stick-to-a-budget please just a little bit better. And then read on because we've got a great giveaway from Target for a Skylanders Swap Force Starter Pack with an Exclusive Target Two-Pack.

Tucked between Montclair and Clifton, Nutley is a charming small town located 10 miles from Manhattan. It may be known as the birthplace of Martha Stewart, but this quaint little Essex County village is also full of parks, annual events, and family-friendly eateries. If the idea of a sweet little village floats your boat, check out our other posts on Cranford, Millburn, Chester and Sparta. Get out there and explore our great state in one of these wonderful small towns!

Can you believe that Christmas is less than two weeks away?! If you’re anything like me then you haven’t even started your holiday shopping yet. Yikes, it will be here before we know it! If you prefer to skip the mall scene then head over to Avon, a town in Hartford County, that offers an array of shopping options from local shops to national retailers. There are many other things to do in Avon as well as shopping so be sure to check out what else there is to see here. 

If you have found something fun to do in Roslindale, there is a good chance that the Roslindale Village Main Streets (RVMS) organization is behind it somehow.   A non-profit organization, RVMS works to make Roslindale a vibrant place to live or visit by sponsoring events, supporting local businesses, and making the neighborhood beautiful.

We finish up our month-long focus on Bay Ridge, Brooklyn with a roundup my family's favorite places to play in the area, both outdoors and inside. The neighborhood's biggest and best known green spaces, Owl's Head Park and Shore Road Park, both boast incredible views of New York Harbor, old-school playgrounds and thrilling sledding hills. But there are a handful of other cute playgrounds worth checking out, plus some cozy indoor spots to play, including locally owned play space Play Days & Parties. Here are our top places for kids to romp around in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

‘Tis the season…to shop. Yes, we love the holiday season. We look forward to checking out the holiday light displays and train shows around town. We have fun celebrating the season with family fun events all month long. Even so, my kids have been counting down the days until Christmas since…Thanksgiving! We encourage them to remember that this season is about more than just gifts and we look for ways to get involved and give back to our communities; yet we have to admit seeing those gifts under the tree on Christmas morning is where the magic and wonder lie in our children's eyes. So shopping goes without saying.

Sure you can head to the big box stores, but why not shop local instead? There are fantastic local toy and book shops around Westchester where you’ll discover eclectic finds and mainstream staples plus great customer service and merchandise expertise. Did we mention some even offer free gift wrapping? Sweet! Of course, these shops are open year round and definitely worth stopping in. Read on for seven top picks for neighborhood toy and book shops in Westchester.

Normally, I have a firm “no-Christmas-decorations-before-Thanksgiving-has-come-and-gone” policy in our house.  To my mind, November is no time for Santas and snowmen to be dotting lawns and rooftops.  But this year, with the late Thanksgiving and early Hanukkah, I have to admit…I’ve been in the holiday mood since before Thanksgiving (I’ll deny it if asked). 

If you too are in the holiday mood, hop in the car and head to Greenwich, for Greenwich is a town that knows how to do Christmas right.  Christmas lights down their idyllic Avenue?  Check.  Beautiful churches with crèches?  Check.  Fun way to spend time with the kids in Fairfield County? Check. Fantastic shopping?  Check and doublecheck. For more fun things to do in December in CT check out our December Go List.