No. 1 Glow Time
A 20-minute drive from Greenwich, Westchester’s Winter Wonderland is a 1.2 mile drive through a glittering extravaganza filled with thousands of lights. Attractions include favorite elves Ned and Albert, shimmering angels of peace, a 50-foot dove, 30-foot snowflakes, dancing trees, glowing snowballs, Candy Cane lane, a spectacular 100-foot light tunnel and, of course, Santa. wwinterwonderland.com
No. 2 Menorah Magic
Old Greenwich’s first pre-Chanukah celebration will light it up on Sunday, December 14 at the Old Greenwich Fire Station. Enjoy a live game show by Hollyrock while building the menorah, a fire truck tour, children’s activities and a Chanukah market. There will also be pizza by Napoletana, fresh donuts, a babka bar by Greenwich & Delaney and delicious matzah ball soup to keep you warm and toasty.
1 to 2 p.m.–Gameshow and menorah rise
2 to 3 p.m.–Food and activities in the Fire House
jewishrog.com
No. 3 Full Steam Ahead
After more than 30 years, the Holiday Train Show continues to delight as New York City’s favorite winter tradition.The timeless magic of rail travel fills the New York Botanical Gardens as model trains travel over famous bridges and through familiar city settings, bringing nearly 200 twinkling landmark replicas—including new surprises this year—to life. Through January 11, get up close to these miniature masterpieces, each one meticulously crafted from plants, like palm fronds, pinecones and cinnamon sticks. Outside on the Conservatory Lawn, there’s a glowing mountain-scape with even more trains and picture-perfect moments. On select evenings, journey through the exhibition after dark during Holiday Train Nights. nybg.org
No. 4 Branch Out to Bedford
Our favorite activity during the holidays is heading up to Bedford to pick out the tree, grab a photo with Santa and shop the Christmas décor at Troy’s. Choose from a large selection of fresh cut trees ranging from two- to 16-feet. After you’ve picked out the perfect tree, head inside. The 100 -year old barn is filled to the rafters with an amazing selection of decorations. Don’t take our word for it, stop by and take a look for yourself. There are double Fraser wreaths, fresh garland and three floors of beautiful ornaments and holiday accents. Tree delivery, installation and lighting is also available. And Santa makes an appearance on Sundays throughout
the month. troysnurseries.com