Long Island Parent Talk

Looking for things to do with the kids this weekend? From reindeer and angels to menorah lighting, holiday parties, "The Nutcracker" and more, there's much to do on Long Island. Here are my top five picks for fun, family-friendly activities this weekend:

1. Live Reindeer at Hicks Nurseries (100 Jericho Tpke., Westbury) Besides visiting with Santa, you can enjoy the animated Santa...

For many families, taking a photo with Santa is a quintessential holiday tradition.

Parents place their children on St. Nick's lap, hoping and praying there are smiles rather than tears.

Many kids are excited to meet the man who brings all the toys on Christmas morning, but for some, it's a truly frightening experience.

Last year, my daughter Maggie wasn't even a year old when...

In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly food for you that's appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose a sugar cookie, perfect for the holidays. I found the recipe in "The Brown Betty Cookbook," by Linda Hinton Brown and Norrinda Brown Hayat (Wiley; $22.99).

Soft Sugar Cookies (Makes 18 cookies)

Ingredients -7 tablespoons vegetable shortening -3 cups all-purpose...

When my teen recently dropped the “F-word,” I swear it shook me to my core. As she was getting ready for school one morning, I heard the words “what the freak” thundering down the hallway, jolting me awake from my early morning slumber.

Now “freak” may be an innocuous four-letter word unlike some other unprintable words, but in my house the kids are the ones who usually threaten to wash my...

Actress and entrepreneur, Jessica Alba, knows a thing or two about being busy.  The 31-year-old star of movies such as "Sin City," "Honey" and "Fantastic Four" has two young daughters, Honor, 4 and Haven, 1, with producer husband Cash Warren. She's also the founder of The Honest Company, a parent-friendly service that delivers eco-friendly, affordable diapers,...

Jewish Holidays in a Box was created by a woman named Ellen Zimmerman to help families celebrate the holidays with less stress; KiwiCrate.com offers a holiday crate with two holiday crafts. Hanukkah begins Dec. 8 this year.

Hanukkah in a Box is a kit that includes blessings, songs, Hanukkah bingo, dreidels, recipes, an all-about-Hanukkah primer, decorating ideas and a CD tutorial for $34.95....

Move over Santa, Mrs. Claus is taking the lead to host a holiday breakfast at Dees' Nursery, 69 Atlantic Ave. in Oceanside.

On Dec. 8, 15 and 22, enjoy breakfast and storytime with Mrs. Claus. Kids can have bagels and juice and decorate a holiday apron and ornament from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m.

The cost is $14.99 per child; tickets are limited and can be purchased in the store or by calling...

Kids are willing to do almost anything to get the toys they want for the holidays, from cleaning their room to giving up playtime. 

According to Walmart's Talking Holiday Toys Survey, 68 percent of kids said they would clean their rooms daily for a year, while 84 percent would work hard and give up playtime in order to get everything on their wish lists. 

What's not on the...

If your kids have a nose for news and an eye for detail, Pulitzer & Panetta Writing & Art studio in Huntington is a place where they can tap into their creative side. Here they learn how to generate story ideas, research information, interview sources, take photographs, write and package their stories, and publish a newspaper.

That these kids, between ages 6 and 18, can show and tell...

Head to the Smith Haven Mall (313 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove) tomorrow for a free, family-friendly Hands-on-Hanukkah event.

Activities include a dreidel origami station, where kids can create their own dreidels while learning about the game and the meaning of the Hebrew letters used on each side.

There will also be a scavenger hunt, Hanukkah cookie decorating, olive oil tasting, drummings,...