Mommy Moments

The Holidays are Here – Now What?

By Krista Martinelli

So the holidays are officially here, and you might be wondering what local attractions and traditions are worth bringing the whole family to. Here are a few things that we have enjoyed and/ or plan to do again this year. Local parents, please feel free to email me with further holiday “things to do” that you would like to recommend too. Bear in mind that my children are five and three years old.

A fun holiday place to visit is Hoffman’s Chocolate Factory, Shop and Gardens in Greenacres (5190 Lake Worth Road). You can take a walk through their woods and see a lot of light-up Christmas decorations, see an outdoor toy railroad set and (on certain evenings) meet Mr. and Mrs. Santa. You can’t get away without stopping inside the chocolate factory and shop, so just prepare ahead. Warning: you will be eating some very good chocolate if you go there. Probably lots of it.

In my neighborhood we have had a visit from Santa on a fire truck in past years and we look forward to it again this year. If you have a bunch of young kids in your neighborhood and have the time to organize it, it’s a great tradition. It turns out to be an affordable one too, if you can get about ten families to chip in. Santa visits and each child takes a turn on his lap. And he hands out an early gift to each child. Each family brings an appetizer. As a result, we get to spend some quality time with our neighbors and get to know everyone a little better.

If you want another visit with Santa, you can visit him at the Mall at Wellington Green. We always do, getting mixed reactions from our children each year. Actually, this year we were two for two (two smiling children).  Family photos with Santa are happening up until December 24^th, and you can visit the Mall’s website for the schedule.  This year’s theme is ‘The Chronicles of Narnia.” Meanwhile, if you’d like to get a Santa photo with your pet, stop by the Mall on December 5^{th between} 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Details . . . 

A new tradition begins this year in Wellington, WinterFest on December 4^th from 4pm to 8pm. Bring a new unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Enjoy crafts, shopping, an antique car show, a holiday tree lighting, celebrity emcee Vanilla Ice, refreshments and more! Visit www.WellingtonChamber.com for more info.

If you happen to live in Wellington, you’ve probably enjoyed that Annual Holiday parade in past years, which will be happening on Sunday, December 12 at 1pm. Get a good spot on Forest Hill Boulevard early on and you’ll be all set to see beautiful floats, marching bands, local dance troops and more. If you’re a runner or a walker, you might want to participate in the Mile Run/Walk at 12:45pm that same day, which precedes the parade. Families can also take advantage of the bounce houses, food and exhibits at the Holiday Fun Park, same day, from 10am to 5pm, all around the new Wellington Amphitheatre. Visit www.PalmsWest.com for more info on all of the events on this day.

Another place we like to visit just before Christmas is Playmobil FunPark in Palm Beach Gardens. Loads of toys to “test out,” only $1 admission price per person and always immaculately clean are just some of the benefits of visiting this play place with your young children. As they play with the different toys, you can usually get some good ideas for Christmas gifts – not to mention some good deals in their adjoining gift shop. Also check out the Playmobil Advent Calendars, a great holiday tradition for kids!

If you can come up with an extra day during all of the holiday parties and plans, aim for a trip down to Ikea. It’s always nice to get a few new affordable and stylish gifts for your home for the holidays, whether it’s furniture or just a few house wares. The kids have their own play place while you can shop. Don’t forget to sample the Swedish meatballs in the café.  And don’t forget to pick up a bottle or two of Glögg, a Swedish mulled wine that you add raisins and nuts to. If you want to celebrate Christmas like a Swede, Ikea has plenty of ideas for you.

It’s always good to remember those in need during the holidays too, even in the midst of all of the celebrating that you’ll be doing. It’s just plain good karma to give back to the community. If you’re a parent of young children, it’s a good way to get them started in thinking about giving back and making a habit of donating. Toys for Tots is always accessible, so we always try to buy a few toys to go into their bins. Here are some Toys for Tots events happening in our area too. 

Giving away your used, but good condition toys is a great holiday tradition too. As a mother, I’m so pleased to find that my kids can help in the decision-making process of which toys to donate to Goodwill. Don’t forget about Faith Farm too – for many of your other household items. Another great local charity organization is Palm Beach Harvest, which collects up food for those in need in Palm Beach County.

I hope that you have a joyful time during the holidays, including plenty of laughter and good food. I hope you also find some quiet time in the middle of the hectic quality that seems to come with this time of year to truly enjoy the people you love and spend time with them. Happy Holidays!