Usually we write our yearly circus post in the spring when Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus barrel into town for their annual extravaganza. But this holiday season, there are not one, not two, not three, not four, but five circus shows playing New York City over the holidays, plus a circus-themed exhibit and Cirque du Soleil holiday windows inspired by the troupe's soon-to-open 3D movie.

So if you want to run away with the circus you certainly don't need to go far. Here's where to get your big-top fix in NYC this December plus details on two big circus spectacles debuting in 2013.

Sadly, the Van Cortlandt Ice Skating Rink won't open for the 2014-2015 season. Every year it seems like we hear about a new outdoor ice skating rink opening for the season in NYC. But the brand-new rink in Van Cortlandt Park is really notable since it's the only place to ice-skate in the entire Bronx!

As a proud Bronx mama, I was particularly excited to check out the rink with my family last weekend. Even though we're not that great on the ice, it was a thrill to glide (and stumble and fall) in our home borough.

The age of Legos is just dawning in our house (2 and 4 year-old boys), and trains are already a mainstay, so the Stamford Museum and Nature Center's latest exhibit seemed to be on the PERFECT track for us.  Its  title, 'ALL ABOARD with Bill Probert & Friends III' is a bit of a mouthful, but it's also an eyeful -- of what the imagination and an unknown amount of time can do.  We're talking a miniature city block -- made of Legos ... and that's just the beginning.  Unfortunately, the exhibit will leave you impressed and wanting at the same time.  There is nothing interactive about it ... but Mommy Poppins is going to fix that for you with a tip or two on how to make this worth the trip and admission price.

Yesterday we posted about 10 great pop-up shops where you can purchase offbeat holiday gifts this season. But at the 3DEA pop-up gallery, which just opened last week, you don't buy products, you see how easy it is to design and then print out your own creations using 3D modeling software and 3D printers.

Sound like something out of a sci-fi flick? Well it's not. I first heard about 3D printers at Maker Faire and initially I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the concept. But then I watched a 3D printer literally print out a pair of earrings, and it all made sense. At 3DEA, which is open through Sunday, January 13, you can check out a wide variety of products made via 3D printers (jewelry, clothing, accessories, toys, even furniture), play with 3D modeling software, print out simple 3D objects and even take classes with pros in the field to learn how this phenomenon may transform the retail industry. And guess who seems to take to this new technology best? Why kids of course.