It's probably obvious from my posts that I'm all about free activities for my family, especially when trying to keep kids entertained all week. While I'm planning to fill up most of our schedule with some of those free picks, there are also tons of cool activities that are worth the money this February break. We certainly won't be able to hit all of these, but I'm going to do my best to narrow it down to a favorite or two and make our plans now (some activities require advance registration or tickets). Good luck choosing, and have a great school vacation week!

Boston rings in 2017 with its annual First Night celebration, the country’s oldest and largest New Year’s Eve arts festival. The celebration features music, dance, ice skating, and theater performances. There's a family festival in the Copley Square area and a procession to Boston Common, where fireworks for families light up the sky at 7pm. Best of all, the festival is completely free, with no buttons required.

December Vacation Week is a wonderful chance to relax with family, but it's also a time when boredom can easily hit kids who are used to daily school and activity routines. To keep everyone happy, a good strategy is to pencil in a variety of events over the time off, making sure to include some free activities in the lineup. There are too many cool events to count this December, with everything from holiday shows to outdoor fun, so peruse our picks below to find some real gems to enjoy with the kids starting before Christmas Day through the New Year. Here's to a holly jolly vacation around town!