holidays

Hudson Valley Holiday Events Guide

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com
Updated for 2021

The lights, the music and of course Santa Claus! While we are still not quite back to “normal”, more holiday events are taking place this year throughout the Hudson Valley. Check out our Hudson Valley Holiday Events Guide for all the info! Tickets are going fast for some of these events so reserve yours now!
As always, please check directly with the venue for the most up-to-date information.

A Charlie Brown Christmas Live On Stage (Chappaqua) Enjoy a liver performance of A Charlie Brown Christmas at the Chappaqua Performing Arts Center. The show is 90 minutes including intermission. Stay for a sing-along with the cast after the show.
Dates: Select dates and times December 3 – December 19
Tickets: start at $25

A Christmas Carol at the White Plains Performing Arts Center (White Plains) A holiday show the entire family will enjoy. See the musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic.
Dates: Selected dates December 3 – 30, 2 PM and 7 PM
Tickets: $39 – $61

A Frosty Fest

A Frosty Fest: (Ulster Park) Attractions include a new for 2021 choreographed light show, a drive through Frosty’s Enchanted Forest, an outdoor photo with Santa, a walk through Frosty’s Adventure, “Jingle the Elf” stage show and more.
Dates: Weekends only (Friday-Sunday) November 26 – December 19
Tickets/Price: $18.95/adult + service charge and tax, $14.95/child (under 12) + service charge and tax, Free/children under 12 months
*advance ticket purchases are highly recommended

Boscobel Twilight Tours (Cold Spring) Enjoy a tour of the mansion, decorated for the holidays. After the tour walk the grounds that are decorated with lights. Tours are approximately 45 minutes and are limited to 10 guests
Dates: Fridays and Saturdays November 26 – December 18, 4 PM – 7 PM
Tickets: $25/adults, $15/children (5-18), Free/children under 5, discounted tickets for members

Grand Holiday Illuminations at Untermyer Park & Gardens: (Yonkers) This annual holiday light show will take place at Untermyer Park & Gardens.
Dates: December 10 – January 2, 4:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Tickets/Price: Free, no tickets required

Holiday on the Hill at Lasdon Park and Arboretum: (Katonah) Enjoy the annual Holiday on the Hill exhibit and train show at Lasdon Park and Arboretum. The show has been expanded to include an outdoor display. Santa will be in his Holiday Cottage for visits. Tickets $10/child, $20/adult
Dates: November 27 – December 31, Thursday through Sunday

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Photo Credit: Bronx Zoo

Holiday Lights at the Bronx Zoo: (Bronx)
Enjoy five lantern safaris throughout the park, ice-carving demonstrations, costumed characters and more.
Dates: Select dates November 19 – January 9
Tickets/Price: $39.95/Adult (Age 13+), $24.95/Child (Ages 3-12), $34.95/Senior (Age 65+), $17/Parking

Holiday Tea Musicale at Caramoor: Listen to live music. Then enjoy a tea service in the Music Room at Rosen House that includes tea sandwiches and holiday treats.
Dates: December 16, 17, 18, 19, concert starts at 1 PM, tea service at 2:15 PM
Tickets/Price: $65

NYBG Train Show

Holiday Train Show at NYBG: (Bronx)
The New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show is back for its 30th year. Advance tickets are recommended.
Dates: November 20, 2021 – January 23, 2022
Tickets: $32/adult, $30/seniors (65+), $18/children (2-12)

Hommocks Park Ice Rink Skate with Santa (Mamaroneck) Enjoy an afternoon of ice skating with Santa and his friends!
Date: December 12th, 1:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Admission: $10/adults (12+), $9/child, skate rentals: $5

Kevin McCurdy’s Holiday Spirit Festival: (Wappingers Falls)
This year the Holiday Spirit Festival will be an all outdoor event. Enjoy the Winter Wonderland Walk through a North Pole village, train exhibit, Santa’s Reindeer Barn, holiday entertainment, characters and more.
Dates: Weekends Only (Friday-Sunday) November 26 – December 19 and December 22 and 23, Fridays 6 PM – 9 PM, Saturdays 4:30 PM – 9:00 PM, Sundays 4:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Tickets/Price: Adults: $16.95 plus online fees and NYS sales tax, children: $13.95 plus online fees and NYS sales tax
Advanced ticket reservations required

LUMAGICA Light Show at Harvest Moon (North Salem) Enjoy a walking tour of illuminated animal structures and decorations through the apple orchards at Harvest Moon
Dates: Weekends only (Friday – Sunday) November 26 – December 12, then everyday December 17 – 23 and December 26-December 30.
Tickets: $31/adults, $28/child (ages 3-12)
*Tickets are for timed entry

Muscoot Farm Night Tours (Katonah) See the farm decorated for the holidays and enjoy some treats.
Dates: December 4, 5 and December 11, 12, 18
Price: $20/family, registration required

NYBG GLOW: (Bronx)
GLOW is an evening, outdoor illuminated experience at the New York Botanical Garden. During your visit you can also enjoy ice carving displays, dancers, musicians and other outdoor fun.
Dates: November 24, 26, & 27 December 2, 3, 4, 9, 11, 16, 17, 18, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, January 1, 6, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22
5 PM – 10 PM
Tickets/Price: $35/adults, $20/children (2-12), Free/children under 2
Get a discounted combined ticket with the NYBG Train Show $49/adult, $34/child

The Octagon House: Victorian Christmas Tour (Irvington) Enjoy a Victorian Christmas tour of the Armour-Stiner Octagon House. The eight-sided home will be decorated for the holidays. Tours are approximately 1 hour and recommended for ages 7+. Parking is free but limited. Masks must be worn during the tour.  
Dates: Fridays – Mondays, November 12 – December 30 Tours are at: 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:00 PM, 2:30 PM and 4 PM
Tickets: $29/adults, $26 (youth ages 7-17)

Peace, Love, Lights: Drive-Thru Holiday Lights Experience at Bethel Woods: (Swan Lake) Enjoy an over one mile drive-thru holiday illuminated experience from the warmth of your car.
Dates: November 19, 2021 – January 2, 2022
Sunday – Thursday 5 PM – 9 PM, Friday & Saturday 5 PM – 10 PM
Tickets/Price: $28.75/car (with fees)

While you are at Bethel Woods, you can also enjoy Dinner with Santa before or after your drive-thru experience.
Dates: December 3- December 18, 5 PM – 8 PM
Price: $50/adult, $25/child

Pop-up Ice Skating Rink at the Cross County Center: (Yonkers) The Cross County Center has a Pop-Up Ice Skating rink. It’s located at Center Court near the Christmas tree. Admission: $10 for a one hour session and includes skates. Debit/credit only – no cash.

Santacon at The Valley (Yorktown Heights) Dress up in a Santa suit or an ugly Christmas sweater and enjoy a bar crawl around the mall. There will be activities for kids along the way, drink specials, Best Santa contest and more.
Date: December 11, 2 PM – 6 PM
Free to participate – food and drink sold separately

Westchester’s Winter Wonderland: (Valhalla) Enjoy Westchester’s Winter Wonderland drive-thru Holiday Light Extravaganza. Enjoy a 1.2-mile illuminated drive from the warmth of your car.

Dates: Open every night November 26, 2021 – January 2, 2022 (except December 24 and December 25)
Tickets/Price: $25/car off-peak, $35/car peak, large passenger vans/limos additional fee

White Plains Holiday Market: (White Plains)
This holiday market will be held on Court Street between Martine Ave. and Main Street. Over 55 vendors and artisans will be selling their wares in individual walled sheds.
Dates: December 5 – December 19

The Wonderland of Lights (Rhinebeck) Taking place at the Dutchess County Fair Grounds, enjoy this drive through holiday light experience.
Dates: November 25 – December 26, 2021
Tickets: $25/car

Photos with Santa:

Cross County Shopping Center: (Yonkers) Santa will be available for photos and visits in his workshop. Reservations are recommended but not required.

Jefferson Valley Mall: (Yorktown Heights) Reservations are strongly recommended. Santa and his helpers will be wearing masks and guests are required to wear masks as well.
Dates: November 27 – December 24

Welcome Santa on November 27 at 9:30 AM and enjoy breakfast with him. There will be arts and crafts, “Letter’s to Santa” writing opportunities, special guest appearances from costumed characters, Holiday Bounce House and more.

The Westchester: (White Plains) Reservations are strongly recommended. Santa and his helpers will be wearing masks and guests are required to wear masks as well.
Dates: November 12 – December 24

Enjoy pet photos with Santa on November 21, November 28 and December 5 from 7-8 PM


Cookie Decorating Kits {Where in Westchester?}

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

Cookie decorating is a fun, indoor holiday activity! It keeps the kids entertained and you end up with a tasty treat to enjoy! I am fortunate that my kids are old enough to help make sugar cookies which we recently did. However, making the cookie dough and then letting it chill, baking the cookies, making the icing and then finally getting to decorate the cookies takes a lot of time!

Here are some of the places in Westchester County where you can purchase DIY holiday cookie decorating kits. Everything is prepped, packaged and ready so you can immediately get to the fun part, decorating! Most of these businesses require you to preorder the kits. If you want them in time to do with the kids over the holiday break, get your orders in soon!
*Please check with the vendor directly for the most up-to-date prices and information.

Flour and Sun Bakery: (Pleasantville) Kits cost $15.00 and include 6 cookies (2 different shapes) with 2 tubs of royal icing and sprinkles.

Flowerbake by Angela: (Pelham) Flowerbake by Angela sells puzzle cookie decorating kits. You can purchase a baked cookie kit which includes an instruction sheet as well as all the cookies and icing, a dough kit – which includes a ball of cookie dough, cookie cutters, icing, parchment paper and instruction sheet or a cookie dough mix kit – which includes the sugar cookie mix, cookie cutters, icing, parchment paper and instruction sheet. Prices range between $35=$38. Available for pickup or delivery.

Mama Ingram Bakes: DIY Christmas cookie kits – $15 for 6 cookies or $30 for 12 cookies. Kits include cookies, icing and sprinkles.

Sugar Mama by Kim: (New Rochelle)
Kim sells DIY cookie kits that include 12 cookies, 3 bags of icing, a container of sprinkles and decorations for $35. She also sells Paint Your Own cookie kits. Each cookie is $6 each or 6 for $30. Orders are submitted via a form that can be found on her Facebook page.

Sugar & Sweets by Stacey (Yonkers)
Sugar & Sweets by Stacey is selling Winter themed cookie kits. They are $39 and includes 12 cookies, 3 icings, 6 popsicle sticks and 2-3 containers of sprinkles. There are 4 different themed kits to choose from: gingerbread men and women, snowflakes and snowmen, mittens, hats and penguins and ugly sweaters. They are also selling stencil cookie kits for $33. These kits include 6 cookies and 3 paint brushes. Orders can be picked up in Yonkers or delivered.

Wildly Cakes: (White Plains) Cookie kits are $35 and include 12 baked cookies in the shape of your choice, frosting to match the theme, sprinkles and directions. Orders must be placed one week in advance. Pickup in White Plains. Delivery is available for an additional fee on a first come, first serve basis.

Westchester County Experience Gift Ideas

Posted on by nyfoodiefamily@gmail.com

It’s that time of year again, where we start making our lists of everyone we need to buy presents before. Before you run out and buy more “stuff” think about giving an experience gift this year. There are plenty of fun things to do in and around Westchester County. Check out some of these experience gift ideas! Below are links to past posts that offer a comprehensive list of Westchester County experience gift ideas! Even though some of the posts are a few years old, the ideas are still relevant. Only the prices may have changed. Please check websites for the current pricing. If you know of any experience gift ideas that we have not included, please let us know!

Holiday Gift Ideas for Westchester County Families (2016)

Holiday Gift Ideas for Westchester County Families (2017)

Experience Gift Ideas for Westchester County Families (2018)

Books to Celebrate Mardi Gras

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Mardi Gras Books

Mardi Gras is quickly approaching.  On February 9, the holiday will be celebrated with King’s cake and parades down in New Orleans.  Here are some Mardi Gras books to read with the family to celebrate!

Non-Fiction Books:

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Mardi Gras in New Orleans:  An Alphabet Book by Karen Jansen
Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

This picture book goes through each letter of the alphabet and relates it to the celebration of Mardi Gras.  Each page is accompanied by what appears to be a colorful graffiti-inspired chalk illustration.  The text of this book is a bit busy.  The author uses alliteration for each letter so there are several sentences of text for each letter.  Every word on the page that begins with the featured letter is colored and the sentence from one page sometimes flows into the sentence of the next letter’s page.  Almost all the important concepts of Mardi Gras are touched upon or named in the text, but descriptions of them are not provided.  This book is okay to supplement your Mardi Gras reading, but does not provide enough information to make it a primary reference to learn about the holiday.

*This book was borrowed from the library.

Fiction Books:

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Mimi’s First Mardi Gras by Alice Couvillon and Elizabeth Moore
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

In this lengthy picture book (yes, this is not a quick bedtime read!) Mimi goes to her first Mardi Gras.  She eats beignets for breakfast and gets dressed up as a princess before heading out to celebrate Mardi Gras with her parents.  Mimi’s parents explain many of the sights that she sees.  She gets to taste cotton candy for the first time and collects beaded necklaces.  Although this is a fictional picture book, I think it does a nice job of describing a child’s first experience of Mardi Gras.

* We borrowed this book from the library.

On Mardi Gras Day by Fatima Shaik
Rating:  3 out of 5 stars

This picture book depicts the Mardi Gras experience  through the eyes of two young children.  From the parades to the food, author Shaik drew upon her own childhood experiences to write this book.

*We borrowed this book from the library.

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Timothy Hubble and the King Cake Party by Anita C. Prieto
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

This is a cute fiction picture book that helps explain New Orleans tradition of King Cake during Mardi Gras.  Timothy Hubble’s family has just moved to New Orleans.  When he receives an invitation to his new friend and neighbor Adam’s king cake party he’s not exactly sure what to expect.  Adam and his twin sister Amanda explain what a king cake is and when and why the parties are held.  The explanation seems to worry Timothy even more…. a baby in the cake?  Girls at the party?  What happens if he doesn’t get the baby?  And what happens if he does and no girl wants to be his queen?!  This book does a good job of explaining the king cake tradition to young children, as well as touching upon worrying too much and making new friends.

*This book was borrowed from the library.