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Cross County Center’s popular pop-up ice skating rink is located right in the heart of the center. Photo courtesy of Cross County Center
Cross County Center’s popular pop-up ice skating rink is located right in the heart of the center. Photo courtesy of Cross County Center
12/17/23 - By Katherine Dhurandhar

With Christmas vacation on the horizon, we've got you covered with family-friendly things to do throughout Westchester and the Hudson Valley to keep your family entertained all week. Some of these are long-running holiday attractions that continue into Christmas vacation, while others are specially planned events to keep kids busy while school is out.

These Christmas vacation activities include everything from Brunch with Santa at the Bear Mountain Inn to Kwanzaa 2024 at Hudson Hall and multiple daytime New Year's celebrations for kids, including New Year's Eve at the Westchester Children's Museum. We've even made a special section for FREE things to do this Christmas vacation.

So, read on for dozens of ways to get the most out of the Christmas vacation school break. In the meantime, make sure to get some inspiration from our Holiday Fun Guide for families.

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Free Things To Do Over Christmas Break in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Holiday Puppet Show at the Pound Ridge Library

Pound Ridge
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Kids and families are invited to a special puppet show by Lucky Duck Puppets, an original story about Greg, a North Pole penguin trying to find his place in the world and how he can help spread holiday cheer. Holiday refreshments follow this show at the Pound Ridge Library.  READ MORE

Kwanzaa 2024 at Hudson Hall

Hudson
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Presented in partnership with Operation Unite NY, come celebrate African-American culture and unity with friends and family at Hudson Hall. Enjoy an afternoon of arts and crafts for children, dancing, drumming, a candle-lighting ceremony, and the sharing of Nguzo Saba: the seven principles of Kwanzaa. READ MORE

Beary Merry Holiday at Bear Mountain State Park

Bear Mountain
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Kids can make holiday snacks for the zoo's bears and watch them enjoy their tasty gifts. Afterward, enjoy the carousel and ice rink in the park. READ MORE

Winter Ornament Making at the New Rochelle Library

New Rochelle
Monday, December 23, 2024
Add a little sparkle to your home with this seasonal craft! Select from a wide variety of shapes to create some holiday cheer for you and your family. READ MORE

Giant Menorah Lego Build at Chabad of the Rivertowns

Dobbs Ferry
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
Enjoy traditional Hanukkah treats including fresh, crispy latkes and delicious sufganiyot (donuts) at Chabad of the Rivertowns as you work with master Lego architect Stephen Swissa to construct a giant 12-foot menorah entirely out of Legos. A special lighting ceremony will follow. READ MORE

Gingerbread Man Scavenger Hunt at the Rye Free Reading Room

Rye
Thursday, December 26, 2024
A batch of gingerbread men have escaped and are loose in the Children's Room. Complete the scavenger hunt to find all of them at the Rye Free Reading Room! READ MORE

Cross County Center Menorah Lighting

Yonkers
Thursday, December 26, 2024
Join Cross County Center for a special Chanukah Menorah Lighting with Chabad of Yonkers. Rabbi Mendy Hurwitz will light the menorah in celebration of the festival of lights, and guests will enjoy live music, cultural dancing, and delicious treats. READ MORE

Nutcracker Tapdance Special at the New Rochelle Library

New Rochelle
Friday, December 27, 2024
Musical duo Musiquita brings a fresh, jazzy twist to Tchaikovsky’s beloved holiday masterpiece. This unique show blends tap dance, violin and piano playing. Families are encouraged to sing and dance along to familiar holiday favorites in both English and Spanish, making this an unforgettable celebration of the season! READ MORE

Kwanzaa Storytime at the White Plains Library

White Plains
Saturday, December 28, 2024
The White Plains Library invites families to learn about celebrating Kwanzaa with a story, songs, and a craft to take home. READ MORE

Meet Live Owls at the New Rochelle Library

New Rochelle
Saturday, December 28, 2024
Join the New Rochelle Library for an owl discovery program and get an in-depth look into the fascinating world of these common - but seldom seen - local inhabitants! Enjoy up close observation of their amazing nocturnal hunting adaptations.  READ MORE

Menorah Lighting at Ridge Hill

Yonkers
Sunday, December 29, 2024
Enjoy a traditional menorah lighting ceremony along with lively family-friendly entertainment, festive activities, and delicious treats.  READ MORE

Cooking with Kids: Grinch Fluff at the Rye Free Reading Room

Rye
Monday, December 30, 2024
Learn cooking with the whole family in this kid-friendly cooking program. Participants will use a few simple ingredients to create a tasty snack together with children’s librarian Ms. Lisa. READ MORE

Rye Noon Year's Eve Party

Rye
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Celebrate the new year at the Rye Free Reading Room with 2025-themed crafts, snacks, and a countdown to 12 noon. This party is a great option for kids who want to celebrate but are not yet ready to stay up until midnight. READ MORE
Take advantage of the School's Out/Art’s In program at the Katonah Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of the museum
Take advantage of the School's Out/Art’s In program at the Katonah Museum of Art. Photo courtesy of the museum

Fun Things To Do Over Christmas Break in Westchester and the Hudson Valley

Shake it Off's Baby Shark Holiday Dance and Craft Party

Scarsdale
Saturday, December 21, 2024
Dive into holiday cheer with Shake it Off's Baby Shark Holiday Dance & Craft Party! Grab your little sharks and mermaids and wiggle, clap, and shake to some holiday beats for a fun-filled event with dancing, crafts, and bounce time. READ MORE

Yorktown Stage Presents Dance for Joy’s Nutcracker for Kids

Yorktown Heights
Saturday & Sunday, December 21-22, 2024
The Nutcracker for Kids is a one-hour, condensed, and narrated version of the full story of the Nutcracker, in which all parts are danced by students at the Yorktown Stage. It allows audience members of all ages to experience the magic of the Nutcracker during the holiday season! READ MORE

Brunch with Santa at Bear Mountain Inn

Tompkins Cove
Weekends through Sunday, December 22, 2024
Restaurant 1915 hosts Santa—and you—for a special holiday meal at the Bear Mountain Inn. Start the day with a hearty breakfast, then take a hike to see real black bears at the zoo! READ MORE

Salt Art Workshop - Snow Art at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum

Poughkeepsie
Select dates from Thursday, December 26-Monday, December 30, 2024
During this workshop at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum, kids learn to create a snowflake or snowman using glue, salt, and watercolors.  READ MORE

School's Out/Art's In at Katonah Museum of Art

Katonah
Thursday, December 26-Friday, December 27, 2024
Participate in creative arts workshops inspired by the current exhibitions at the Katonah Museum of Arts during the winter break. Each day brings new and exciting projects facilitated by teaching artists. READ MORE

Children's Holiday Tea at Mount Gulian

Beacon
Friday, December 27, 2024
Mount Gulian Historic Site hosts its Children’s Holiday Tea. The popular annual holiday event welcomes children and adults for fun, good manners, and education about a bygone era in an authentic location where social teas were once standard fare. READ MORE

Christmas on the Farm with Eggbert 2024

New Windsor
Select dates through Tuesday, December 24, 2024
It’s a Hudson Valley thing, and if you know who Eggbert is, then you know how special he is to the local community. The Christmas trail weaves through Devitts nursery, rated one of the top 100 garden centers in the country. Attractions include candy land, Eggbert's barnyard pals (the cutest farm animals ever), Eggbert's garage, a slot car track, face painting, visiting with Santa, a Christmas train, and more.  READ MORE

Emelin Theatre's Nutcracker Dream

White Plains
Select dates through December 26, 2024
The Emelin Theatre proudly continues its December holiday tradition by presenting "Nutcracker Dream" performed by Ballet des Amériques, Westchester’s premier professional dance company. Inspired by the work of Rudolf Nureyev and Marius Petipa, this 90-minute family-friendly adaptation is an exquisite interpretation of the beloved holiday classic.  READ MORE

New Rochelle Kwanzaa Celebration

New Rochelle
Sunday, December 29, 2024
Join Sisters to Sisters International for a Kwanzaa celebration in New Rochelle celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa. Additionally, the event includes dinner, dancing, and vendor shopping. READ MORE

Polar Express Train Ride in Kingston

Kingston
Select dates through Sunday, December 29, 2024
Once on board, the conductors walk through the coach to punch your golden ticket as you’re served hot chocolate and a cookie by dancing chefs, while passengers read the classic children’s book. READ MORE

Mr. Dickens Tells A Christmas Carol at Lyndhurst

Tarrytown
Select dates through Sunday, December 29, 2024
This theatrical performance recreates Charles Dickens' own readings of the classic tale that brings the travails of Ebenzer Scrooge, Bob Cratchit, and Tiny Tim alive. Guests listen to the tale in the parlor of the mansion, "meeting" the different spirits and characters.  READ MORE

Winter Wonderland at Dogwood Acres Farm

Middletown
Select dates through Monday, December 30, 2024
Celebrate winter at Dogwood Acres Family Farm with wagon rides through holiday lights, holiday movies, games, visits with farm animals, s'mores, and more.  READ MORE

New Year's at Noon at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Center

Poughkeepsie
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Celebrate New Year's Eve in daylight hours at the Mid-Hudson Discovery Museum with music provided by Lutz Entertainment, special activities for kids of all ages, refreshments, and of course, noisemakers, as everyone counts down to Noon. READ MORE

New Year's Eve at the Westchester Children's Museum

Rye
Tuesday, December 31, 2024
Ring in the new year at this all-day celebration at the Westchester Children's Museum with a variety of music programs and a special New Year's Eve countdown after each program.  READ MORE

Legoland Discovery Center Westchester | Holiday Bricktacular

Yonkers
Daily through Wednesday, January 1, 2025, except December 25
Come explore an indoor winter wonderland filled with Lego holiday-themed creations made up of thousands of Lego bricks. Festivities include cookie decorating with the Lego gingerbread man, Lego ornament building, giant holiday Lego builds, and more! READ MORE

Legoland New York Holiday Bricktacular

Goshen
Weekends through Saturday, January 4, 2024
Experience the holidays at Legoland New York, where the entire resort is bursting with holiday cheer. Visit the new Lego City Elf Extravaganza, sing and dance at one of the seasonal shows, take “elfies” with your favorite holiday Lego characters, and more. READ MORE

The New Castle Historical Society's Great Holiday Train Show

Chappaqua
Select dates through Saturday, January 4, 2025
All aboard for some holiday fun as the New Castle Historical Society hosts its annual Great Holiday Train Show at the historic Horace Greeley House, which has been festively decorated for the season. Now in its fourth year, the show features two new model trains and all-new displays with a mix of vintage and returning family favorites.  READ MORE

Holiday on the Hill Train Show at Lasdon Park & Arboretum

Somers
Select dates through Sunday, January 5, 2025
Celebrate the season at this festively decorated train show at Lasdon Park. Stroll through the outdoor exhibits, then explore the elaborate train show featuring festive flower displays, waterfalls, characters from Frozen, and more. Afterward, meet with Santa! READ MORE

Cross County Center Pop-Up Holiday Ice Skating Rink

Yonkers
Select dates through Sunday, January 5, 2025
Cross County Center’s popular pop-up ice skating rink is located right in the heart of the center. The pop-up rink is not made of real ice, it is a synthetic floor which glides slower than real ice, making it perfect for first-time and young skaters. Character and theme skating nights will be hosted throughout the season. Private rentals are also available for a festive family party or friendly get-together. READ MORE
Experience the magic of Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival Winter Wonderland Walk! Photo by the author
Experience the magic of Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival Winter Wonderland Walk! Photo by the author

Holiday Lights Shows to Enjoy Over Christmas Break

KM's Holiday Spirit Festival

Wappingers Falls
Select dates through Monday, December 23, 2024
Experience the magic of Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival Winter Wonderland Walk! Take a fun-filled stroll through the sparkling Enchanted Forest of Lights, discover the cozy Polar Bear Igloo, and dance along to the tunes of Candy Cane Lane Musical Trees.  READ MORE

The Wonderland of Lights in Rhinebeck

Rhinebeck
Select dates through Sunday, December 29, 2024
This spectacular drive-thru holiday light experience returns to the Dutchess County Fairgrounds. The attraction features dozens of illuminated exhibits along a mile-long route.  READ MORE

Watt Christmas Wonderland

Goshen
Daily through Sunday, December 29, 2024
Pile in the car for a visit to this holiday staple. This drive-thru exhibit features an assortment of inflatables, hundreds of lights, and other seasonal displays to enjoy. READ MORE

Peace, Love & Lights at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

Bethel
Daily through Sunday, December 29, 2024
This drive-thru light experience on the site of the Woodstock Festival returns with even more lights, with themed displays depicting New York and holidays around the world plus special rock-n'-roll-themed displays honoring the site's history.  READ MORE

Holiday Lane at Christmas in America

Mt. Vernon
Select dates through Sunday, December 29, 2024
Experience holiday magic on a grand scale. Holiday Lane at Christmas in America is decorated with more than 100,000 twinkling lights, captivating animatronics, and nine enchanting themed areas.  READ MORE

Lumina Magical Lights Experience at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard

North Salem
Multiple dates through Monday, December 30, 2024
Immerse yourself in the warmth and magic of an enchanting, illuminated forest as Harvest Moon's light trail returns. More than half a million brilliant lights create a cozy and inviting glow, filling the air with holiday cheer. READ MORE

Westchester’s Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru Holiday Light Extravaganza

White Plains
Daily through Tuesday, December 31, 2024
(Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day)
This holiday lights extravaganza returns to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla for its 11th season. The interactive holiday event is bigger and better than ever, with two 100-foot light tunnels, a live Santa Claus, and thousands of electrifying lights that create magical vignettes.  READ MORE

Grand Holiday Illumination at Untermyer Gardens

Yonkers–FREE
Daily through Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Inaugurated in 2015, the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy's Grand Holiday Illumination has quickly become a Yonkers tradition, and thousands of visitors come to enjoy the spectacle. Come for FREE and see the Walled Garden lit with more than 100,000 lights and listen to holiday music from many traditions.  READ MORE

Places featured in this article:

Rye Free Reading Room at Rye Public Library
Bear Mountain Inn and Overlook Lodge
Westbrook Lane Station (at the Kingston Plaza shopping center)
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Westchester
Lasdon Park Arboretum and Veterans Memorial
Kevin McCurdy's Holiday Spirit Festival
Bethel Woods Center for the Arts