Sign up for our FREE Mommy Poppins newsletters and get our weekend picks delivered to your inbox every Thursday morning.

All Weekend

Santa's Winter Garden – Battery Park City
Visit with Santa, reindeer and some lively elves, and then have your picture taken by a professional photographer at the Winter Garden. All proceeds go to New York Theatre Ballet. Be sure to get there early as the lines are long and they eventually get capped. It's a truly gorgeous photo op, as you can tell from the pic above of my son, which was taken back in 2005. Free admission but photo packages start at $20

All Aboard! Historical Train Weekend – Upper West Side
Best for the young and choo-choo-obsessed, this train-themed weekend features a visit from Conductor Bob, tales from the rails and an engine car craft, all in conjunction with the New-York Historical Society's seasonal Batteries Not Included: Toys and Trains display. Free with admission: $18 for adults, $12 for students, $6 for children ages 5-13

The Nutcracker – Citywide
Multiple family-friendly versions of Tchaikovsky's iconic ballet twirl into town this weekend including offbeat renditions like Nutcracker: The Fun One!, The Colonial Nutcracker and The NotCracker to traditional high-end productions by American Ballet Theatre, New York Theatre Ballet, Moscow Classical Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet School. Locations, prices and takes vary to click through to our listings for details.

A Charlie Brown Christmas– Park Slope
Catch this live stage adaptation of the iconic TV special at the Brooklyn Lyceum. Extremely faithful to the source material (right down to the 30-minute running time), the show features Charlie, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang as a live jazz trio plays Vince Guaraldi's memorable music. While there, hit the Lyceum's holiday market featuring goods from local vendors. $10, $25 for a family four-pack

Taste of Christmas Cookie Walk – East Village
Take a tasty stroll through the aisles of St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church's bake sale and choose from more than 50 varieties of homemade treats. Grab as many as will fit in your box! Afterward hit the hot cocoa bar or say hello to Santa. Cookie boxes are $15 for small, $25 for large; gluten-free options available

Mother Africa – Midtown West
My son and I saw the New Victory's holiday spectacle last weekend and it's truly exuberant. Marvel at the talented acrobats, stilt walkers, jugglers and other performers of Tanzania's Circus Der Sinne and groove to live Afro-beats. Bonus: On Saturday, teaching artists will lead two African dance workshops inspired by the production. Show: $17-$55; workshop: $17

Seven In One Blow or the Brave Little Kid – West Village
Another great holiday show that my son and I enjoyed. Axis Theater Company's offbeat stage adaptation of the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale follows the adventures of Kid, a young boy who kills seven flies in one shot and gets caught in a tangle of lies surrounding his feat. In the end, he learns about love and caring with help from the kids in the audience. $15 for adults, $5 for children and students 
 

Saturday, December 14

Unsilent Night – Greenwich Village and East Village
One of our December Go List picks is an offbeat alternative to traditional Christmas caroling. Help create a "sound sculpture" by blasting music by avant-garde composer Phil Kline as part of a procession from Washington Square Park to Tompkins Square Park. Download the music online, get the free app or show up early to snag a free CD or cassette tape. FREE

Elizabeth Mitchell and You Are My Flower – Upper West Side
Another Go List pick: The Grammy-nominated songstress celebrates the release of her holiday-themed album The Sounding Joy with a performance at Symphony Space. As usual, her husband, Daniel Littleton, and daughter, Storey, join her onstage, as do a slew of special guests, notably Grammy winner Dan Zanes and Natalie Merchant from 10,000 Maniacs. $25 for adults, $15 for children

Story Pirates: Holiday Edition – Soho
One of our favorite sketch comedy troupes for kids hits the Housing Works Bookstore for a special holiday show. All of their mini musicals are based on children's stories and the results are usually hysterical. FREE

Coca-Cola Winter Wonderland – Harlem
Catch performances by some of NYC's best choirs, pose for photos with Santa or enjoy other seasonal festivities under the Apollo Theater's famous marquee. FREE

Kwanzaa Celebration – Elmhurst
Celebrate the seven guiding principles of the holiday at the Langston Hughes branch of the Queens Library with a screening of The Black Candle: A Kwanzaa Celebration, African folktales, drumming and dancing, and crafts. FREE

See all Saturday events.  
 

Sunday, December 15

Gustafer Yellowgold – Upper East Side
Head to the Jewish Museum to catch one of our favorite musical acts. Singer/songwriter Morgan Taylor and his band play catchy Beatles-esque tunes as the animated adventures of Gustafer, a little yellow creature from the sun, screen behind them. $18 for adults, $13 for children

Tuba Christmas – Midtown East
Head to the Rock Center ice rink to catch the 40th anniversary of this kooky concert featuring 500 tuba players tooting holiday songs. It's truly a sight to behold... and hear. While the public performance is always crowded, if you show up at 12:30pm you can see the rehearsal and avoid the hordes. FREE

Tech Time With Jarred: High-Tech Holiday Ornaments – Staten Island
Hit Staten Island's brand-new maker space to craft holiday ornaments illuminated with LED lights. There will also be 3D printing demos and everyone takes home a 3D printed snowflake. Advance registration required. $20 for adults, free for children under 12, $5 for ornament kit

See all Sunday events.

Don't forget: We have additional seasonal fun in our Event Calendar and our Holiday Guide.