KidsOutAndAbout Weekly Newsletter |
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Dear KidsOutAndAbout readers:
Peace can come in many textures during the holidays. For some, it’s the energizing bustle of concerts and community events, or the warmth of a crowded house full of voices and motion. For others, it’s the stillness of a walk through snow-covered woods, a soft blanket at home, or the quiet company of someone who understands them. It shifts from person to person, and
sometimes even from one day to the next. Peace can be internal, external, or, at its best, a bit of both: a sense that life makes sense, within and around us. It’s easier to feel when we’re free from hardship, but even in the midst of challenge, it’s sometimes possible to find a quiet kind of peace when we know we’ve done our best with the time and energy we’ve been given. Peace can be elusive for parents; after all, we're the ones in charge of figuring out
how to make the family rhythm and flow work for everyone, and what brings peace to our kids may look nothing like what brings it to us. Maybe your son needs to be out with friends while you crave stillness. Maybe your daughter is hoping to hide in a corner with a book while you're in full-on glitter-and-cookie mode with all the cousins. Parenting is the art of balance, of helping everyone in the family thrive by seeing who they really are and doing our best to honor it. It's not easy, and it's
never perfect, but we try. When kids feel known—when they hear “I see that you love this, that you need this, and I’ll help you find your way to it”—they flourish. That sense of being understood can be its own kind of peace. So as the season winds to a close, I wish you whatever kind of holiday rhythm helps you feel most like you. And I hope you’ll find moments to offer that same gift to those around you. When we make space for each other’s version of peace,
it’s more likely to find its way into the room.
—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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Join us for a celebration filled with joy and light! Loosely translated, Hikari means “shine” in Japanese, and this holiday season we have really made Tanaka Farms shine with over a million twinkling lights! Grab a hot cocoa and take a cozy Wagon Ride around the festively lit farm that will take you to the “Land of a Thousand Lanterns!” Once off the wagon, you will wander through the light displays, with photo opportunities throughout. After the wagon ride, make your way down to the Festival Grounds where you can visit with the Barnyard Animals, grab some food from the Tanaka Grill, take advantage of lots of photo-ops, games, Arts & Crafts, meet Santa for a photo, and, of course, more holiday lights! (all activities are priced individually.) Enjoy live music on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights
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For children from infants to 5 year olds. Children must be accompanied by an adult. This not a drop-off program. Members free; included in paid admission. Registration is not required.
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Catch Scooby Doo and the meddling kids of Mystery Inc at our seasonal exhibit SCOOBY DOO! Mansion Mayhem. Get ready for an adventure filled with supernatural sleuthing, mysteries, and thrills for the whole family. It’s your turn to uncover clues, solve puzzles, and work together to crack the case! Don’t forget to take a picture with the Mystery Machine! Included with general admission or membership. This exhibit is open from September 20, 2025 until January 19, 2026.
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Santa Anita Park | Nov 21 – Dec 28: Step into a holiday adventure filled with dazzling light displays, festive treats, and joyful moments for all ages. Step into 10 acres of holiday wonder—featuring the World’s Largest Light Maze, a sparkling ice skating trail, live entertainment, and more. Enchant is an immersive experience weaving magic into its every corner, perfect for joyful seasonal celebrations. Wander our Village of tiny storefronts featuring artisan vendors, specialty crafters, and boutiques - perfect for holiday gift gathering.
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On Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, mar’sel offers an elegant five-course holiday tasting menu. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Forbes Four-Star restaurant presents Chef Fabio Ugoletti’s festive creations featuring locally sourced produce, seasonal seafood, and artful plating.
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Experience enchanting holiday magic for the entire family at Holiday in the Park! Featuring musical shows, twinkling lights, holiday treats, Santa, and much more at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
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Set to the sounds of the motion picture soundtrack, passengers will relive the magic of the classic story as they are whisked away on THE POLAR EXPRESS™ for a magical one-hour trip to meet Santa. Once on board, your car hosts will work their way through the coach and punch your golden ticket before hot chocolate and delicious Walker’s Shortbread are served by dancing chefs. Passengers then read along with the classic children’s book, The Polar Express, by Chris Van Allsburg. Santa and his helpers board the train to greet passengers and each guest is given the first gift of Christmas – a silver sleigh bell. During the trip, characters on each car lead passengers in caroling and onboard entertainment just like in the film! Each guest will take home a keepsake sleigh bell in addition to the wonderful memories made on this magical trip. We have consolidated our event to one location at the Southern California Railway Museum in Perris, CA. The Fillmore & Western Railway in…
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Bacy by popular demand, this holiday season…a waterfront ice rink in the heart of Newport Beach! Enjoy ice skating with views of the water and Lighting of the Bay
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“In Bloom: Flowers in Contemporary Art” premieres at Forest Lawn Museum on September 20, 2025. While artists have been depicting flowers for thousands of years, this exhibition explores a range of contemporary artistic approaches to the subject. Featuring paintings, sculptures, installations, and video, the artworks vary dramatically, from naturalistic to abstract, and from playful to contemplative.
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Holiday Road is the premiere holiday experience. Expect to see some larger than life holiday displays, thousands of lights, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Elves, countless candy canes and all of your favorite holiday cheer!
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Ring in the New Year with a little help from KidsOutAndAbout! Our Big List of family-Friendly celebrations is just what you need to find ball drops, fireworks displays, NOON Year's Eve fun, activities, parties and more! If your favorite isn't on the list be
sure to send us an email and we'll add it pronto.
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- Farmers Market - Runway Playa Vista - 12775 Millennium Drive, Playa Vista, CA 90094, Friday, December 26, 2025, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm PST
- Free mini photo session with Shoott! - Los Angeles - Broadway, New York, NY, Friday, December 26, 2025 to Sunday, December 28, 2025, See link for times
- Turning Screen Time into Green Time over the Holidays - Your local LA parks, Friday, December 26, 2025 to Sunday, December 28, 2025, Any time
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Take out your calendar - you have a lot of scheduling to do to fit in all the incredible Holiday Break camps taking place in and around our area! If we're missing a camp that should be on this list, please email us to let us know.
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EXPERIENCES create memories much more than stuff does. As you're considering gifts for family and friends, consider giving the gift of a family membership to one of our local attractions in and around Los Angeles. Here are local organizations that offer
memberships.
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KidsOutAndAbout is America's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the LA 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 of ideas!
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2025's best places to take kids in the Los Angeles area! In early summer each year, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Who won first place? An indoor play center, museum, farm, nature center, sports
team? Click through to find out!
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Have a great weekend!
Debra Ross
Publisher, KidsOutAndAbout.com
Mom of Madison and Ella |
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