The holidays are in full swing, and kids everywhere are dreaming of toys they want and are counting down the days until it's time to open presents. However, the holiday season is as much about giving as it is about receiving, and during this time parents have a unique window of opportunity to teach children the importance of volunteering and giving back to those in need. One way to do this is by donating toys to a local holiday toy drive, and we've rounded up several organizations in and around Houston that are dedicated to bringing holiday cheer to families unable to afford gifts this holiday season.

There are so many family activities in Westchester this time of year that it can be hard to decide which ones to choose. To help you out, we’ve collected our favorite 25 things to do during the holiday season.

Need even more inspiration? Check out our Holiday Fun Guide and Event Calendar to stay in the holiday loop, or follow us on Facebook to share some of your experiences! 

The weather outside might be turning frightful but the amount of Christmas events and activities available on Long Island are just delightful. Check out our list of 12 Days of Christmas Events on Long Island -- starting on December 1 -- and perhaps you'll even find a partridge in a pear tree!

And don't forget to also check out some of the Long Island homes with awesome holiday lights displays, as well as our Long Island Holiday Fun Guide.

If you’re like me, the thought of taking your small fry skiing is, well…daunting.  There’s the expense, the crowds, and don’t even get me started on the hassle of hauling all that gear…

But now as I watch my 5, 7, and 9 year old whiz past me on the slopes (admittedly, not a major feat – I’m no Lindsey Vonn!), I’m so glad we started them skiing at a young age.  If you’re just starting to contemplate taking your little guys skiing, I’ve put together a list of ingredients essential for a successful day ski trip in Connecticut (read into this: everything-I-didn’t-do-but-wish-I-had the first few times we went on family ski trips).

A trip to the Wood Library and Museum during the holidays is an annual event for our family. After discovering the Gingerbread Festival three years ago, I have made it a point to plan a morning to take my boys there every year. The Library itself is located in a part of South Windsor that could easily be transported back in time. The little, and I mean little, library is packed to the gills with books in every nook and cranny. But this time of year, also squeezed inside are hundreds and hundreds of handmade gingerbread houses made my children and adults alike.

Childhood memories of the holiday season for me include hot cocoa, making snow angels, and going ice skating. I remember traveling to the city as a young girl with my family to see the gigantic Rockefeller Christmas tree and, afterward, skating around the beautifully lit rink. That is when it officially felt like Christmas to me. But you don’t have to travel that far to have this magical experience. Hartford County has many great choices for both indoor and outdoor ice skating rinks so that you, too, can begin making family traditions and forming memories that will last a lifetime. For more fun check out our Winter Fun Guide.

“Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business.” So says the ghost of Jacob Marley in Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol. We all know the holidays are a season of giving, but sometimes it’s hard to know exactly where to give. If you are moved by the spirit of charity this holiday, here are some organizations in Fairfield and New Haven Counties that are working hard to make the holidays (and every day) a little brighter for families in need.