It’s hard to believe winter’s around the corner with this almost-balmy December weather. Take advantage of this unseasonably mild late-fall with some outdoor fun. Get outside for holiday festivities that include Turtle Back Zoo Holiday Lights, Manalapan's Holiday Concert & Christmas Tree Lighting and Red Bank’s Twelve Days of Christmas Holiday Hunt. Outdoor nature activities are also in the spotlight with Growing in the Garden and Winter Solstice Celebration. And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options!

It’s that shopping time of year. While hitting the stores alone sounds ideal, it’s likely you’ll have to shop with the kids in tow at some point. And we all know shopping with kids can be challenging, if not downright chaotic. Having experienced a five alarm meltdown in a home improvement store a while back (I have yet to return), I tend to dodge stores that have no toy aisle.

While there are plenty of book and toy stores that have train tables and other fun activities, sometimes we can’t avoid dragging the kids to clothing, jewelry, grocery and other adult-oriented shops. Fortunately, we’ve discovered some non-children stores that offer play spaces and other tantrum-preventing distractions. So if you plan to shop as a family, check out some of these child-friendly non-child stores. Multi-location stores may not offer the play features in every branch, so you may want to contact your local destination ahead of time. Hopefully-happy shopping!

It’s Thanksgiving week! Gobble up all the Turkey-centric fun at holiday-themed events that include Tyke Hikes: Totally Turkeys, Thanksgiving Arts & Crafts and Turkeys Always Gobble. Looking for some non-shopping fun for the no-school days? Catch a performance of State Theatre’s Disney Live! or get a start on your holiday light expeditions at Historic Smithville Light Show. And don’t forget to check out our Event Calendar for even more options.