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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Dec 31 at 4pm: Bring the whole family to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Gilroy Gardens! Enjoy the park’s exciting rides, North Pole Nights holiday fun, and a DJ Dance Party with specialty appetizers and drinks. Then join the countdown to midnight and our big fireworks show over Coyote Lake!
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The Experiments in Sound series includes regional performers and musicians that invite you to listen, participate and imagine. Lights and music turn on nightly from 5:00 PM to 12 Midnight Sonic Runway is a light-art installation that visualizes the speed of sound created by a team of artists including lead artist Rob Jensen, co-lead Warren Trezevant, and design by Stockhausen. Free and open to the public.
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It’s snowing on The Row every Tuesday & Saturday from 6PM-8PM in December! Santana Row brings the North Pole to San Jose for a fun, holiday celebration. Bring family and friends together for snow showers & holiday tunes every 30 minutes from 6PM-8PM in Park Valencia in front of Maggiano’s.
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Bring in the new year aboard the New Years Holiday Lights Train. Ride vintage train cars beautifully decorated with holiday lights through the streets of Santa Cruz. Light-up hula hoopers and a live DJ will keep spirits bright and help bring in 2025 right.
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Continue the merriment with family and friends with Boardwalk arcades and attractions using your MyBoardwalk card, included with your fare. Happy holidays! Vintage excursion cars, adorned with thousands of colorful lights, roll through Santa Cruz streets. Passengers lend their voices to holiday carols and sip spiced cider while Santa visits with the little ones and the young at heart!
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The holiday magic is back! From November 28 through December 31, immerse yourself in the enchanting world of North Pole Nights at Gilroy Gardens. This extraordinary experience includes jolly characters, fun live shows, ice skating under the stars, festive food and drinks, Santa's Workshop, magical light displays--and much, much more!
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Circus Bella returns to the Big Top Circus Tent for a third year with STARLIGHT – An All-New Winter Circus Spectacular. With brand-new acts, sumptuous costumes, and artists from across the US, Circus Bell brings all the nostalgia and beauty of an old-timey circus combined with the eyebrow-raising savvy & modern look of 2025. A diverse cast of 13 perform thrilling feats of balance and strength, demonstrations of grace & poise, outrageous humor, and authentic moments that bring us all together.
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Slide into holiday fun at The Tech Interactive's indoor sock skating rink. No skates needed. Included with museum admission.
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Celebrate the season at the Kristi Yamaguchi Holiday Ice Rink, now 8% larger and more magical than ever. Glide into the spirit of the holidays at this beloved community tradition—perfect for skaters of all ages and skill levels. Warm up by our cozy fire pits and make lasting memories with friends and family as you take in the festive atmosphere. For those who can’t get enough time on the ice, our Season Pass is back, offering unlimited skating all season long.
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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 the San Jose Area. Here are local organizations that
offer memberships.
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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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- Free mini photo session with Shoott! - Bay Area - Shoott - Shoott, Broadway, New York, NY, USA, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, See link for times
- Sonic Runway - City of San Jose, CA - City of San Jose - 200 E Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, Lights and music turn on nightly from 5:00 PM to 12 Midnight
- Snow Showers - Santana Row - 377 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, 6:00 - 8:00pm PST
- Elf on the Shelf Scavenger Hunt - Santana Row - 377 Santana Row, San Jose, CA 95128, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, Check Website for TIme
- San Jose Holiday Lights - San Jose Downtown Association - 28 N First St #1000, San Jose, CA 95113, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025,
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- Winter Wonderland - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk - 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, 12:00 - 5:00pm PST
- The 4th Annual Great Downtown San Rafael ELF HUNT - Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District -
Downtown San Rafael Business Improvement District - 1000 Fourth Street, San Rafael, CA 94901, 12/26/2025 to 12/28/2025, Check Website for Time
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Click here to discover Birthday party locations in the San Jose 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 San Jose survey winners: What are the best places to take kids in the Bay Area? Each summer, thousands of parents vote in the KidsOutAndAbout survey of the Top 20 Places to Take Kids. Who won the top spot? 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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