1. Lace Up Your Skates
Dust off your skates or rent a pair and spend the day on the rink with the kids. Whether your family is perfecting their triple axels or just trying to stay on their toes, there are countless ice rinks throughout the Garden State from which to choose.
2. Give Back
What better time to start giving back than the day after Thanksgiving? Check out our list of family-friendly volunteering opportunities to help the kids see how important it is to help others.
3. Watch a Holiday Light Show
Take a drive around town and check out residential light shows. Your family will love seeing houses and streets decked out in holiday cheer. If you’re looking for a bigger display, head to one of these free light shows around the state.
4. Challenge Yourself to an Escape Room
After you’ve had a good nap, why not lock yourself in a room with your family members? If your kids love a good mystery, you’ll want to bring them to an escape room. Use hidden keys, word puzzles and secret codes to unlock compartments, reveal hidden rooms and escape before time runs out.
5. Roll Into a Train Show
The Antique Toy Train Show at the Museum of American History at Deptford features O and O-27 gauge toy trains from the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. Lionel, Marx and American Flyer engines, with adjoining cars, will race against each other on two diverse platforms. The Model Railroad Club in Union Twp. has an 11,000-square-foot layout where each track is hand-laid. In addition to the HO-scale trains featured in the show, there are G-scale and N-scale layouts on display, a small play area, and gift shop. Starting Saturday, you can go to the Model Train Show by the NY Society of Model Engineers in Carlstadt. There are two large operating layouts, O scale and HO, with steam and diesel engines, Thomas and friends, freight and passenger trains, and working trolleys.
6. Head to the Theater
There are musicals, stage plays, ballets and circus acts that grace the stage this time of year. Get tickets to see “The Nutcracker,” “A Christmas Carol” or other holiday favorites like “Elf,” “Charlie Brown: Live on Stage” and Cirque Musica.
7. Take a Road Trip to Cape May
Cape May at Christmas is a Victorian wonderland. Take a trolley or house tour, try a Candy Cane Crush at Jingle Bar, have breakfast with Santa, see the beautiful decorations at Congress Hall, start your holiday shopping along Washington Street Mall, see a viewing of “The Christmas Caper,” wait for a horse-drawn carriage ride, or head to the Cape May County Park & Zoo for the tree lighting ceremony and festival.
8. Have a Festive Cocktail
Holiday pop-up bars are becoming more popular, with drinks like Sippin’ Santa or Mistletoe Margarita for the adults; but many of these bars are so beautifully decorated that they welcome kids, too, for photo ops and kid-friendly hot chocolate.
9. Cut Down Your Christmas Tree
Many farms in NJ offer pre-cut, balled or live fir and spruce trees to hold your tinsel, garland, bows and ornaments. After you have a tree lighting of your own, head to an NJ town to see their massive tree lit for the first time of the season.
For more ideas, see our list of Things To Do This Weekend.
And don’t forget about shopping locally at a holiday market or downtown on Small Business Saturday.
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Read More:
This Year’s Must-See Holiday Attractions in NJ, NY and PA
The Ultimate Guide to Holiday Lights in NJ
This Winter Wonderland in PA Is Worth the Drive from New Jersey
This Town is The Best Winter Destination in NJ
