If one writer is synonymous with the holiday season, it's Charles Dickens. The legendary Victorian author's novella A Christmas Carol and its iconic characters pop up everywhere this time of year, both on stage and on screen.

But rather than do another adaptation of this oft-told tale, New York City Children's Theater cleverly delves into the man behind the story, or rather, the boy.

Based on Deborah Hopkinson's picture book A Boy Called Dickens, Young Charles Dickens is an engaging bio-musical inspired by the 12-year-old Dickens' menial job at a shoe polish factory as he helps his family out of debtors' prison. Readers familiar with his famous books such as Oliver Twist, Great Expectations and, of course, A Christmas Carol will recognize many of the people Dickens meets during this dark period in his young life. However, even school-age kids unfamiliar with his work will pick up a lot from this gritty, but heartwarming tale.

Two of Manhattan's most picturesque communities, Greenwich Village and neighboring West Village are filled with historic houses on quaint and crooked tree-lined streets. This former counterculture epicenter is now home to many of New York's priciest restaurants, retail stores and real estate. But there are still plenty of affordable and even FREE attractions for families to discover as they stroll these labyrinthine sister neighborhoods.

Beautifully renovated playgrounds pepper the area, including two in iconic Washington Square Park. Treat spots like cupcakeries and candy shops abound. And while there are no traditional indoor play spaces or kiddie gyms, a family-friendly pool hall, a board game cafe and the Whitney Museum of American Art offer inside amusements when the weather doesn't cooperate. Situated from 14th to Houston Streets between Fifth Avenue and the Hudson River, this westernmost area may be cozy, but it's also packed with so many things to do and places to see, families can spend many days exploring the neighborhoods.

'Tis the season to get the gang all dressed up to see some holiday shows. While there are certainly lots of spectacles to splurge on beyond the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and all those Nutcrackers, if you've got young children you may not want to blow all of your bucks on theater tickets. That's why our roundup includes a range of productions, from inexpensive, low-key offerings perfect for fidgety preschoolers, to extravaganzas that are worth the money. Bonus: We've got the scoop on how to save money to a few of the higher-priced offerings.

From live stage adaptations of holiday classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas and Elf to tot-friendly puppet shows to offbeat, eye-popping circus and dance, here are our top 16 holiday shows for NYC families.