The Millstone Times December 2018

Holiday Guide

Santa Fly-In – Teterboro December 2 Santa gives the reindeer a rest and heads to the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum via helicopter. Stick around after the landing for candy and photo ops. Kids under 12 are free. Civil War Christmas – Morristown December 2–3 History buffs will love traveling back in time to the Civil War era for a Christmas celebration that includes attendance at an officer's ball, complete with period music, costumes, and dancing. Visitors can also walk through a Downtown Maplewood is decked out for the holidays, and local businesses sponsor horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, concerts, refreshments, and children's activities. The highlight is a mini "village" featuring 10 tiny houses decorated with scenes from A Christmas Carol. Menorah lighting will take place on December 18. soldier's camp and speak with costumed re-enactors. Dickens Village – Maplewood December 2, 9, 16, 18

A Charlie Brown Christmas – Rahway and Montclair December 2, 3, 9, 10 at Union County Performing Arts Center • December 21 at The Wellmont Theater Watch Snoopy, Charlie Brown, Lucy, and Linus discover the true meaning of Christmas as they mount a play and save a tree in the stage version of this holiday favorite. Cheer on the whole Peanuts gang, and hum along to Vince Guaraldi's classic score. Christmas Underwater – Camden December 2–30 Scuba Santa returns to Adventure Aquarium to swim with the sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays in the aquarium's 760,000-gallon Ocean Realm exhibit. Other attractions include the world's tallest underwater Christmas tree, storytime with an elf, a Snow Shower Dance Party, and more festive fun. The Laurie Berkner Holiday Show – Freehold December 3 Bestselling children's recording artist Laurie Berkner gets the band together for a performance of holiday hits at iPlay America. The show will include traditional favorites like "Frosty the Snowman" and "The Dreidel Song," as well as original songs from the album A Laurie Berkner Christmas. A Christmas Carol – Princeton December 5–31 The McCarter Theatre's top-notch, family-friendly production is the perfect way to introduce your kids to Dickens' holiday classic. The Maccabeats – Englewood December 6 The world-renowned a cappella group performs an assortment of Jewish, American, and Israeli songs in this pre-Hanukkah concert. NJ Ballet in The Nutcracker – Morristown December 8-10, 15-17, 22-24 Christmas just isn't complete without a visit to the Land of the Sweets with Clara and the Nutcracker Prince—and it's even better with live music. New Jersey Ballet will perform the holiday classic at Mayo Performing Arts Center this month, with accompaniment by the New Jersey Symphony Orches- tra. Read our roundup of Nutcrackers and holiday shows to find even more performances happening throughout the state. Gingerbread House Workshop – Union December 9 and 16 Kids can dig into piles of peppermint, candy canes, gumdrops, and more to decorate their own gingerbread houses at this workshop at Liberty Hall Museum. The museum provides all of the materials, and you go home with a special treat. The museum will be accepting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots. Reservations required. Sea of Lights – Point Pleasant Beach December 15–28 Head to Jenkinson's Aquarium for an indoor holiday light spectacular featuring crafts, holiday treats, photos with Santa, games, and of course, visits with fish and other underwater creatures. Kwanzaa Festival – Newark December 16 Celebrate the 19th year of NJPAC's Kwanzaa Children's Festival and Marketplace. Participants can make arts and crafts, sing, dance, and explore the rhythms of African tradition. Hanukkah on Ice – Voorhees December 16 Skate to contemporary Jewish music and traditional Hanukkah songs at this beloved family event held at the Flyers Skate Zone. The festivities include the The beloved TV classic soars off the screen and onto the stage this holiday season. See all of your favorite characters, including Rudolph, Santa, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, and more. Don’t miss this wonderful holiday tradition that speaks to the misfit in all of us. The Polar Express – Whippany December 18–31 As of this writing, tickets are still available for this magical holiday train ride featuring hot cocoa and cookies served by dancing chefs, a reading of The NJ Ballet in The Nutcracker lighting of a giant menorah made out of ice, as well as crafts, donuts, and hot latkes. Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical – New Brunswick December 18

Polar Express, and a special gift from Santa. New Year's Eve Splash – Camden December 31

Ring in the New Year at Adventure Aquarium, where you can celebrate by visiting with your favorite sea creatures, getting down at a dance party, and watching fireworks over the Delaware River. The event ends at 6 p.m., so you'll be home in time to have a New Year's Eve celebration of your own.

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