If you are like me you are amazed the holidays are here already – shoot I am still working on my New Years resolutions for 2009…but heck, gotta jump right into the spirit! Especially if you have kids.
Thanksgiving weekend gives you the opportunity to do all that. Whether you are staying home or traveling to see family, there are myriad holiday festivities that begin this weekend, kicking off this special time of year. Visiting them can create wonderful family memories, and get you out of the house!
Wherever you are going to be this weekend you can research the holiday festivities in that area. www.travelwithkids.about.com offers a good round up of things going on. Also check your local paper or regional websites like www.dailycandy.com for local events.
Here are some that have come to my attention :
–Even if it is 80 degrees like it is in Los Angeles, there are ice skating rinks that will get you in the mood for bundling up to winter. Santa Monica, downtown Los Angeles’s rink in Pershing Square, Detroit, Frog Pond in Boston Commons, and of course Rockefeller Plaza are all feeling the freeze.
–Many zoos in cities like Chicago, Los Angeles, the Bronx, and even the Living Desert in Palm Desert begin a holiday light festival that is sure to light up your little ones’ eyes. 
–Thanksgiving Day Parades: Not just in New York! Seattle even has one. Check in your community.
–Chicago : The Wreathing of the Lions.On Friday, November 27th, the iconic statues outside of the Art Institute don their holiday finery. The actual wreathing takes place from 10:00-10:30. The event includes a performance by Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and a wreath craft. Afterward, you can visit the Art Institute.
A Gingerbread House Workshop at the Emerald City Theater Company.On both Saturday, November 28th and Sunday, November 29th, parents and kids can create a gingerbread masterpiece and enjoy theater games based on The Nutty Nutcracker Christmas. The workshop is from 3:00 until 4:30 p.m. on both days.
–Washington D.C.: At the U.S. Botanic Gardens – November 26 through January 10, 2010. Regular hours 10 a.m.-5 p.m. During the holiday season, the U.S. Botanic Garden presents a unique exhibit featuring model trains that kids will love and fantastic replicas of Washington, DC’s most famous buildings and monuments.
National Harbor Christmas Tree Lighting
November 27, 2009, 5-7 p.m. Waterfront Plaza, National Harbor, Maryland. The waterfront community will kick off the holiday season by lighting up the sky with fireworks and a 65ft Christmas tree decorated with 20,000 lights. Sip some hot chocolate and enjoy story-telling, an ornament-making workshop and holiday music.
ICE! – Christmas at the Gaylord National Resort
November 19, 2009 – January 10, 2010. The award-winning holiday attraction is a winter wonderland created entirely of 5,000 BLOCKS of ice weighing 1.5 MILLION POUNDS! hand-sculpted by 40 international artisans and kept at a chilling nine degrees Fahrenheit. New in our region this year, this is an interactive holiday attraction you won’t want to miss.
Christmas Light Displays in the Washington, DC Area
Celebrate the holiday season with a drive or a stroll through one of the Washington, DC area’s spectacle of lights at a local park in the suburbs of Maryland. These Christmas light displays are a fun way to get in the spirit and a great way to share the magic and joy of a winter wonderland.
City of Alexandria’s Tree Lighting Ceremony
Historic Market Square in Old Town, Friday, November 27, 2009, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
Lake Tahoe: Resort at Squaw Creek
This luxurious Lake Tahoe resort will roll out its annual Magical Memories program with a tree-lighting ceremony and the unveiling of its gingerbread village. Families can take part in holiday-themed activities such as sleigh rides, ice skating, caroling and visits with Santa.
Wherever you and your family are this holiday, enjoy and give thanks for all your blessings.
