KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
When my husband and I started planning a family, we talked a lot about the kind of parents we hoped to be. Naturally, we looked back on our own childhoods. David had story after story about his parents—their quirks, what they cared about, who they were. But when I tried to do the same, I came up oddly blank. I could tell you what I loved as a kid, but not much about what made my
own parents’ hearts sing. I remembered that my dad had a garden when I was little, but I couldn’t say whether he enjoyed digging in the dirt, liked making things grow, or was just trying to save money on vegetables. That realization stuck with me. I didn’t want my kids to grow up seeing me as a blur in the background of their story; I wanted them to see me clearly: as someone who had favorite things, real interests, and a sense of enjoyment they could understand. I wanted them
to grow up expecting that adulthood could be full of that, too... all of the vivid experiences that make up the inner life of a regular person, especially the joys. I started using the phrase "live what you love" as a kind of parenting guidepost. Our kids are always watching, taking cues about what adulthood looks like. If all they ever see is grownups stressed, rushing, and tired, they’ll assume that’s the default. But if they also see us delighted by a song, energized by a
game, inspired by something we've learned, genuinely laughing with people we love... that’s powerful. It shows them that joy isn’t something you age out of, it’s something you grow into. The holidays are packed with tasks and to-do lists, but they’re also full of opportunities for joy. So tune your radar to what YOU love, and if you catch yourself smiling at paper snowflakes or belting out a corny carol, don’t downplay it. Let yourself have that moment. When your kids see the
joy you've just pushed into the room; it's a gift to their present and to their future.
—Debra Ross, publisher
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KidsOutAndAbout.com: Discover more. Do more. Connect more. If you like my publisher's column, you can easily scroll through past columns in the "Notes
from Deb" section of our site. |
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From November 22, 2025 – January 3, 2026, join the elves this holiday season for Santa’s Brickmas Adventure, a new festive event filled with creativity, kindness, and holiday cheer making its global debut at LEGO® Discovery Center Boston in Assembly Row! Work together to complete fun missions that power up Santa’s Magic Meter by building last-minute presents and dancing with the elf helper squad. Even create LEGO® hearts for children in need and designing cozy gingerbread houses for the elves to enjoy. Every mission helps keep the holiday magic alive!
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Gardens Aglow is a celebration of lights that has become a treasured holiday tradition. This event features beautiful light displays throughout the gardens, festive seasonal décor, and fun activities for all. At the J.K. Lilly III Automobile Gallery, visit with Santa in the 1913 Ford Model T and view Heritage’s antique car collection. At the American Art & Carousel Gallery, take photos on the 1908 Looff carousel and view winter scenes from our Currier & Ives collection. Outdoors, stroll the lighted gardens with family and friends, roast marshmallows, go on a reindeer scavenger hunt, enjoy seasonal treats from Lilly’s Café and the Cape Cod Donuts truck, play with giant building blocks, warm up at a fire table, enjoy lighted tunnels, firefly lights, a model train display, and more. We look forward to welcoming you to Gardens Aglow where you can enjoy Heritage in a whole new light!
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November 14 - January 4, 4:00 - 9:30 p.m. (Closed Nov. 27 and Dec. 25)Step into a sparkling winter wonderland and stroll along tree-lined paths aglow with thousands of twinkling lights. Discover festive displays throughout the Zoo and look for animal residents, including flamingos, black bears and reindeer, adding to the holiday magic.
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Westgate Mall in Brockton is hosting The Salvation Army of Brockton’s Annual Angel Tree now through December 10, 2025. Help make a child’s holiday wish come true by selecting an ornament from the Angel Tree and then purchasing a child’s requested gift. The Angel Tree is located near Kay Jewelers.
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Unwrap the Magic at The Skating Club of Boston's Holiday Market! Get ready for a day filled with holiday enchantment and joy! Join us on December 6th for a festive extravaganza like no other. Shop 'Til You Drop: Explore over 30 vendors offering unique holiday gifts that are perfect for everyone on your list. Santa's Workshop: Bring the kids to experience the wonder of Santa's Workshop and capture those precious moments with photos with Santa himself! Live Music: Enjoy live music performed by The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra as they serenade you with beautiful holiday classics. Unlimited Skating: Glide and twirl to your heart's content on our ice rink. All ticket holders can skate as much as they like! Festive Treats & Drinks: Satisfy your taste buds with delicious holiday treats and warm beverages.
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Celebrate Christmas in the quaint community of Rockport! Rockport does Christmas the way it was done back in the day.... Holiday fun and celebrations start November 29th with Small Business Saturday, a chance to shop local and find unique gifts right in your own backyard! The festivities continues right on through to New Year's Eve, where you can celebrate Rockport New Year's Eve in the town where First Night events started!
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Our fun-for-all-ages seasonal exhibit returns—filled with classic charm, hands-on activities, and a captivating wintry environment brimming with nostalgia! Explore intricate miniature train displays featuring snow-covered peaks, colorful landscapes, and detailed scenes complete with décor, buildings, and tiny townsfolk. Watch model trains of various scales power along their tracks through delightful, meticulously crafted settings. Guests of all ages can enjoy a range of interactive experiences: “drive” a train through a snowy mountain scene, discover trains from around the world, and compose your own symphony using train sounds and musical elements. Little engineers will love exploring wooden train tables, brio layouts, and a design-a-train activity in the expanded play area. Celebrate the wonder of the season with friends and family at this beloved Museum of Science tradition.
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City Ballet of Boston will perform excerpts of the modern, Boston-themed retelling of the holiday classic, The Urban Nutcracker. Following the performance, listen to a reading of the Nutcracker story and learn some new dance moves from a City Ballet of Boston teaching artist. Geared towards young movers ages 3-8.
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Westgate Mall is hosting a pop-up Holiday Market in partnership with the African American Association of Brockton. The holiday market will be located by GNC and will run Saturdays + Sundays in December through Christmas during center hours.
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KidsOutAndAbout.com's 2025 holiday events list for Boston: Santa sightings, Christmas concerts, lights, trees, nativities, and more. . . plus activities for Chanukah, Kwanzaa, and New Year's Eve. The
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Where to Cut Your Own Christmas Trees in the Boston area November & December are times of contrast: The gray days outside herald the coming of the holidays, so we make ourselves warm and cozy inside.
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- PVD Downcity Holiday Market – Providence, RI
02940, Friday, December 5, 2025 through Sunday, December 7, 2025, Schedule Varies
- Drop-In Gaming Time (All Ages) - At Boston Public Library - Chinatown Branch – 2 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116, Friday, December 5, 2025, 12:30 pm - 4:30 pm
- Free mini photo session with
Shoott! - Boston – Broadway, New York, NY, Saturday, December 6, 2025, See link for times
- FREE Indoor Holiday Movie Day at CambridgeSide featuring The Polar Express – 100 Cambridgeside Place, Cambridge, MA 02141, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- Christmas in Rockport - Santa's Arrival & Tree Lighting 2025 - Greater Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce – 24 Harbor Loop, Gloucester, MA 01930, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 11:00 am - 4:30 PM
- The Urban Nutcracker- At Boston Public Library - Central Library in Copley Square – Boylston Street, Boston, MA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- Junk Journaling - At Boston Public
Library - Egleston Square Branch – 2044 Columbus Ave, Roxbury, MA 02119, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm
- Intro to Bullet Journaling (Grades 6-12) - At Framingham Public Library - Main Branch – Lexington Street,
Framingham, MA, Saturday, December 6, 2025, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
- Boston Family Days At Museum of Science – 1 Science Park, Boston, MA 02114, Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9 am - 5 pm
- Special Free Admission at the Harvard Museum of Natural History – 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, Sunday, December 7, 2025, 9 am to 12 pm
- Mayor Michelle Wu's Boston Family Days- At
Old State House (Boston) – 310 Washington Street, Boston, MA, Sunday, December 7, 2025, 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the Boston area. From Arcades to Ziplines our Big List will help you think outside the box and plan the party of your kids' dreams. KidsOutAndAbout has dozens (and dozens) of ideas!
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2025's best places to take kids in Boston as voted by Massachusetts parents! Parents vote, we do the math, and the result is the Top 20 Places to Take Kids! But there is LOTS more to do in Boston than even just this wonderful list: visit KidsOutAndAbout.com
to see our events calendar, find seasonal activities, get ideas for the perfect day trip and MORE !
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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