15 Ways To Have Festive Fun

This weekend features a packed lineup of exciting happenings the whole family will love.

The holidays are in full swing, and our county is buzzing with cozy, family-friendly ways to embrace the spirit of the season. Whether you’re craving twinkling lights, festive music or a chance to bundle up and make memories together, this weekend offers plenty of opportunities to step into the magic of mid-December.

From charming outdoor markets to cheerful indoor activities perfect for escaping the chill, there’s something to delight every member of the family. So, grab your scarves, pour a cup of cocoa and take a look at what’s happening around Bergen—your next joyful holiday moment might be just around the corner.

Dec. 12

• Step into the shimmering elegance of the Gilded Age during a Candlelight Holiday Tour at The Hermitage in Ho-Ho-Kus. Each room in the historic mansion will be transformed to reflect a theme from the opulent era. Tickets with specific timeslots are $25 and can be purchased online. Can’t make it on this night? Tours are also available on Dec. 14.
• Learn to create festive décor at a Yule Log Workshop, happening at 6:30 p.m. at the Lorrimer Sanctuary in Franklin Lakes. Teens and adults can get their hands dirty and make a lovely log to bring home. The cost is $35 for New Jersey Audubon society members, and $40 for non-members.
• Listen to soothing sounds at Home for the Holidays, a concert presented by the New Jersey Wind Symphony at Ridgewood’s West Side Presbyterian Church. The NJWS will be joined by the New York Staff Band of the Salvation Army for the 8 p.m. performance. Purchase tickets online.

Dec. 12–14

• Enjoy classic holiday comedy Christmas Vacation at the Williams Center in Rutherford. Watch as the Griswold family’s plans for a big holiday turn into a big disaster. Multiple screenings are available throughout the weekend. General admission is $15.69; kids are $7.45. Tickets are available online.
• Grab some hot chocolate and take the family to Let It Glow, the holiday lantern spectacular at the Bergen County Zoo in Paramus. Enjoy more than 40 dazzling lantern scenes, s’mores, a fire pit, a train ride and more. The show opens at 4 p.m. each day, and tickets can be purchased online.
• Watch a unique take on a classic tale when Bergen County Players present SPIN: The Rumpelstiltskin Musical. The story takes place in a Nice Little Kingdom, where a boastful miller claims his daughter, Jane, can spin straw into gold! Of course, she can’t—until a curious magical creature named Rumpelstiltskin offers to help! Multiple showtimes are available, and tickets can be purchased online.
• Bergen County’s Winter Wonderland is underway at Van Saun Park in Paramus. Bring the entire family and enjoy outdoor skating, ice bumper cars, games, live music and food trucks as well as a beer and wine garden. General admission is $10, and kids under age 3 are free. Skating tickets and rentals must be purchased separately. Find more details and tickets, check out their website. Winter Wonderland will be open through Jan. 4.
• Demarest Farms in Hillsdale is hosting Orchard of Lights. Here, you can drive through 32 acres of holiday lights set to festive music from your radio. Don’t forget to grab some cocoa and see Santa before you leave! Select your time slot online. The display will be open through Dec. 24.

Dec. 13

• Start the morning with Jolly Old St. Nick at Stew Leonard’s Breakfast with Santa. Stop by from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and enjoy a buffet-style breakfast while celebrating with Santa and Wow the Cow. Admission is $21.99 for ages 12 and over, and $17.99 for kids ages 2 to 11. Tickets are available online.
• Don’t feel like baking? Take a stroll to Grace United Methodist Church in Wyckoff for its annual Christmas Cookie Walk. Starting at 10 a.m., visitors can select their favorite cookies from dozens of varieties (first come first served). Cookies are sold by weight, and all proceeds benefit the church.
• Soak up the sounds of the Orpheus Club Men’s Chorus during its annual holiday concert, Sacred, Swingin’ and Seasonally Jazzy. The performance, which takes place at 3 p.m. in the Cedar Hill Christian Reformed Church in Wyckoff, features special guests soprano Abby Brodnick and trumpet player Khalid Abdallah. Tickets are $20 online and $25 at the door.

Dec. 13–14

• Watch a live production of A Christmas Carol Musical at the Hermitage in Ho-Ho-Kus. The musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic will be staged at 7 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday. Visit the Hermitage’s website for tickets.
• Celebrate a historical holiday during a Colonial Christmas Concert at Historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge. Shows are at 5 and 6:45 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 and 4:45 p.m. on Sunday. Performances will feature Linda Russell & Companie, and light tavern fare will be available. Reserve your seats online.

Dec. 14

• Check off everyone on your shopping list at the Holiday Vendor Pop-Up & Craft Fair, happening from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at New Milford High School. More than 75 exhibitors will be on hand with an array of gift items for all. Admission is free.
• Enjoy fresh air and holiday vibes at the annual Tenafly Holiday Fair. Stop by Huyler Park from noon to 5 p.m. for more than 60 local vendors, food trucks, s’mores and hot chocolate, live music, games and activities for all ages. Admission is free.

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