Here are some places BronxMama has found that you can spot Santa with the kiddies.

Don’t forget to visit our Christmas Posting!

If you have a favorite spot to take pictures with Santa here in the Bronx, please leave a comment!

1. Parkchester Oval

The Santa House will be open for photos every Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. It will be open from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on December 10, 11, 17, 18, 22 and 23rd.

2.Fordham Road

Free presents for the first 250 kids!
Come to Bryan Park for prizes, giveaways, refreshments.

Also, enjoy performances from Precision Parties and Fordham University Gospel Choir.
Friday Dec 4th
Time: 7pm-9pm
Location: Bryan Park ((E. Fordham Rd. & Kingsbridge Rd)

For more information please call (718) 562- 2104, or visit www.fordhamroadbid.org

When: Thursday December 3rd at 6 pm

Where: Parkchester Oval

From bxnews.net

By Dan Gesslein

Parkchester residents can help the needy as they ring in the holiday season. Thursday is the annual tree lighting at the Oval and residents are urged to bring canned goods to help the local food pantries.

The community will hold its annual tree lighting at 6 p.m. on December 3rd at the Metropolitan Oval. Performing will be the Vivacity Dancers and Voices of Parkchester. Santa and Mrs Claus will be on hand to take pictures with good boys and girls by the tree. However, Santa does not open his house at the Oval for photos until Saturday, December 5. The Santa House will be open for photos every Saturday from 2 to 5 p.m. It will be open from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on December 10, 11, 17, 18, 22 and 23rd.

Residents are all urged to bring non-perishable food to the two collection bins at the Oval. The food collected will be distributed to the local food pantries helping needy families this holiday season. One bin will be on the side of the security booth and the other will be at the Santa House.

Parkchester residents’ generosity is well known. Every year residents collect food for the needy and four years ago they collected truck loads of food for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

For more information call (718) 320-6013.

Kids tickets: 10$

Adult: Click here

Even though this school year hasn’t even finished yet, parents of those starting school in the Fall of 2010 should have already started the process of finding the schools you are interested in for your child. Whether you are looking into public, private or charter schools, now is the time to tour the prospective schools and be ready for next years application. Below are some sites to help you in your search:

InsideSchools.org

A great site with reviews and lots of information that you are going to need!

Schools.NYC.gov

Provides information on the enrollment process, schools in your area, and more.

http://maps.nycboe.net/

Use this to find your zoning information

Free Personal Finance Course

When: 11-25-2009, 6:00PM – 8:00PM
Phone: 718-933-3101
Address: 2751 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY
Fee: FREE
Learn how to take control your finance and work towards long-term financial stability at Concourse House on Wednesdays, starting in November from 6:00 – 8:00 PM. The course will cover banking, goal setting, budgeting, debt management, credit and much more. All for free! Those that attend can also meet with a financial counselor for individual advice. You’ll also receive a copy of your credit report, your credit score and on completion of the 5 week course a certificate which can be used at any local credit union to open a savings account. Course is available in English or Spanish. Please RSVP to UNHP at 718-933-2539.

Turkey Giveaway

When: 11-24-2009, 3:00pm-6:00pm
Phone: 3472684503
Address: 833 St.Anns ave bronx,ny 10456
Fee: $0
AfterDark and Da Click Family are giving away 115 frozen turkeys to help families for this Thanksgiving Day..One turkey per household.

IMAGINATION ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL:

A Lincoln Center Institute School

Imagination. Rigor. Community. College Readiness.

WHAT:      Come learn about the South Bronx’s newest charter school:  Imagination Academy!

WHO: We’re interested in meeting with parents of current third graders because these students will be eligible to enroll in IACS’s first fifth grade class in September 20011.

WHERE: The New York Public Library: Hunt’s Point Branch, 877 Southern Boulevard (at Tiffany St.)

WHEN: Saturday, November 21, 2009

TIME: 12pm – 2pm

DIRECTIONS:

Via Train –

• 6 train to Longwood Ave.; walk north two blocks; or proceed to Hunt’s Point Ave. Station; walk south two blocks on Southern Blvd.

• 5 train to Simpson St.;walk south three blocks on Southern Blvd.
• 2 train to Simpson St.; walk south three blocks on Southern Blvd.

Via Bus –

• BX4 — to Simpson St.; walk south three blocks on Southern Blvd.
• BX5 — to Hunt’s Point Ave.; walk south three blocks on Southern Blvd.

• BX6 — to Southern Blvd.; walk south two blocks on Southern Blvd.
• BX19 — to Tiffany St.

Attention Parents of Current Third Graders:

Imagination Academy is coming to the South Bronx!

Lincoln Center Institute (LCI), the arts and education arm of Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, is founding Imagination Academy Charter School: A Lincoln Center Institute School (IACS), a public middle and high school, opening in the South Bronx in 2011. IACS will launch with one hundred 5^th graders and grow into a full middle and high school (grades 5-12), adding one new fifth grade per year.

Imagination Academy Charter School Model

IACS is founded on the belief that imaginative learning in all subject areas improves students’ critical thinking skills and prepares them for college and careers in the 21^st century economy. Our educational model incorporates LCI’s 30 years of experience in teaching imaginative learning with best practices from high-performing small public schools throughout New York City.  In addition to a rigorous academic curriculum, IACS will offer:

• An extended school day and year
• Exceptional teachers and administrators
• Intimate classes with low teacher-student ratios
• A joyful and engaged learning environment
• Lincoln Center Institute Teaching Artists and world-class performances in dance, music and theater
• Interdisciplinary curriculum

Come Learn More About IACS on November 21^st

@ the New York Public Library: Hunt’s Point Branch

877 Southern Boulevard (at Tiffany St.): 12pm to 2pm.

Feel free to contact us by e-mail at rdrexler@lincolncenter.org or by phone at 212.875.5341 if you have any questions or would like more information about IACS. We hope to see you soon!

We all know how quickly the holidays go by, so BronxMama is already starting to add Christmas events. Keep checking back, since more will be added!

To see the events:

Holiday Lights

A Christmas staple in the Bronx, the Garabedian House aka The Christmas House is decked out each year in every Christmas figurines, with everything from religious figures to Hollywood characters.

Christmas Fair

*Saturday Dec. 5th: St. Peter’s Episcopal Church will be hosting a Christmas Fair December 5th. There will be activities for kids and crafts. Admission is free and it’s only $2 for the crafts workshop. Kids can participate in the workshop while moms shop, eat and socialize!

2500 Westchester Avenue 10 AM to 3 PM (followed by a free concert of classical and South American music, featuring Josh McGuire on guitar.
PLEASE PLAN TO STAY FOR THIS SPECIAL EVENT!)

718-931-9270

St. Nicholas Day Celebration

**Saturday Dec. 5th: Learn how the Van Cortlandt family called upon their Dutch heritage to celebrate Saint Nicholas Day. Take a family-oriented tour of Van Cortlandt House, meet the guest of honor, and enjoy a cup of hot mulled cider and cookies around a roaring campfire. Free with regular Van Cortlandt House admission.

Van Cortlandt House Museum (246 Street & Broadway)
Bronx

11 AM-3PM

*Near the Bronx: Santa’s Breakfast and Vendors Fair

When: 12-05-2009, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Phone: 914-476-7949
Address: 278 Saw Mill River Road
Fee: $0
Come celebrate the Season with Santa and his Vendors. Photos with Santa as well as great holiday finds.

Nature Photography Series: Black and White Photography

**FOR BRONXMAMAS/PAPAS and the older ones.Sunday Dec 6th:Winter scenery can often seem a bit drab, but it’s a great time to explore light and shadow with some black and white photography.  Bring your camera as we follow in the footsteps of Adams, Stieglitz, and other legendary photographers.

Pelham Bay Park at 11 AM

FREE (718) 885-3467

WHOOO Said That?

**Sunday Dec. 6th: Winter is the best time to see wild owls in New York City. Don’t miss this opportunity.

Pelham Bay Park at 1 PM

(718) 885-3467
Bronx

FREE

Hand Painted Wood Ornaments

* Tuesday Dec. 8th: Create holiday “Wood Ornaments”, using different small wood shapes, acrylic paints, craft string, and wood beads. Presentation by Patricia Blount.

Recommended for children ages 7-12. Pre-registration is required, Space is limited to 20 participants.

Time: 4pm-5:30pm

Location: NYPL Westchester Square Branch
521 Glebe Avenue

For more information please call 718-863-0436 or 718 409-1265.

Textured Greeting Cards

*Tuesday Dec. 15th: Create a set (4-6) of your very own unique greeting cards, using specialize textured paper, glue, water color paint, Q-tips and added decorative stickers. Free.

Time: 4pm-5:30pm

Location: NYPL Westchester Square Branch
521 Glebe Avenue

For more information please call 718-863-0436 or 718 409-1265.

Holiday Eco-Crafts

**Saturday Dec. 19th: Bring the kids and your creativity!  We’ll stay warm and cozy in the nature center and do some fun, holiday-inspired crafts.

Van Cortlandt Park Nature Center at 1 PM

(718) 548-0912

FREE

Christmastide in the Colonies

$10 adults, $5 children

Seal-shore Safari

**Sunday Dec. 20th: Discover the many different creatures that live close to the shore, including seals! Dress warmly.

Pelham Bay Park at 9 AM

(718) 885-3467

Textured Greeting Cards

*Tuesday Dec. 22nd: Create a set (4-6) of your very own unique greeting cards, using specialize textured paper, glue, water color paint, Q-tips and added decorative stickers. Free.

Time: 4pm-5:30pm

Location: NYPL Westchester Square Branch
521 Glebe Avenue

For more information please call 718-863-0436 or 718 409-1265.

Home Gardening Demonstrations: New York Botanical Garden

**Saturday Dec. 26th: Enjoy home gardening demonstrations Saturdays and Sundays at 1:30 p.m. in the Home Gardening Center or the Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden.

Bronx River Parkway (Exit 7W) and Fordham Road at 1:30 PM
Bronx

Owl Prowl

**Sunday Dec. 27th: Winter is the best time to see wild owls in New York City.  Don’t miss this opportunity.

Pelham Bay Park at 11 AM

(718) 885-3467

FREE

Kwanzaa

*Tuesday Dec. 29th: The students will be taught the history of Kwanzaa, seven principles, their meanings and how to properly prepare a Kwanzaa setting. The goal is to have the students completely run the celebration.

Time: 6pm-8pm

Location: Owen Dolen Recreational Center
2551 Westchester Ave, Bronx, NY

For more information please call 718 822-4282 or 718-409-409-1265.

CHRISTMAS AT THE BOTANICAL GARDEN

Holiday Train Show
November 21, 2009–January 10, 2010
Enid A. Haupt Conservatory

The holiday season is full of family traditions, and the Holiday Train Show is one of the most eagerly awaited.

Wrapped in the glow of twinkling lights, model trains and trolleys zip along over bridges and on winding tracks past scaled replicas of New York landmarks made by award-winning designer Paul Busse. Orange slices, cinnamon sticks, poppy pods, pine cones, and other plant parts are used to create the more than 140 architectural reproductions in the Garden’s collection.

Highlights

• Stars of the show: Steam engines and streetcars, whimsical ladybugs and modern freight trains traverse under waterfalls, around mountains, and through tunnels.
• Annual favorites: Empire State Building, Little Red Lighthouse, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, and more return to thrill visitors of all ages.

New This Year

• The original Pennsylvania Station (1910–1964), this year’s blockbuster addition
• Brooks Brothers flagship store, located at 346 Madison Avenue

Family Fun

• Gingerbread Adventures: Hands-on activities for kids, including decorating gingersnap cookies; discovering the earthly treasures of cinnamon, ginger, and cloves; and creating a field notebook in the Everett Children’s Adventure GardenNovember 21, 2009 – January 10, 2010
• The Little Engine That Could™: Puppet theater presentations in the Arthur and Janet Ross Lecture HallFriday, November 27: 2 & 3 p.m.
  Saturdays and Sundays from November 28 through
  December 20: 2 & 3 p.m.
  Daily from December 26 through January 1, 2010: 1, 2, and 3 p.m.
• Thomas the Tank Engine™: An opportunity to meet and take pictures with the popular Thomas on the Garden grounds.Saturday, January 2 – Sunday, January 10, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Check at the Garden’s Gates for show times of specific activities.

Holiday Hours

Holiday Pricing
Adults $20
Seniors/Students $18
Children $10

Holiday Week (December 26 – January 3)
Adults $25
Seniors/Students $22
Children $15

Advance timed tickets are strongly advised.

Click here for more information.

Gingerbread Adventures
11/21/2009 – 1/10/2010: Times vary; click “More” for details.
Location: In the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden

Step into Gingerbread Town, a fun and whimsical backdrop where gingerbread people are hard at work and play, delivering mail, making music, and generally amusing visitors. Pop inside the larger-than-life model of a Gingerbread House decorated with frosting and festooned with candy and treats.

Smell, touch, and taste the spices and other plant parts that make up a classic gingerbread recipe. Discover where cinnamon and ginger come from. Grind spices, plant wheat seeds to take home, eat gingersnap cookies, and record it all in a festively decorated field notebook.

Holiday Tree Lighting and Sing-Along
11/21/2009: 4–5:15 p.m.
Location: In the Leon Levy Visitor Center

Join in the Garden’s official start to the winter holiday season: the lighting of magnificent conifers and a sing-along of carols from many traditions with the Westchester Chordsmen. It’s an afternoon of holiday cheer that the whole family will enjoy.

The Little Engine That Could™ Puppet Show
11/27/2009: 2 & 3 p.m.
Location: In the Arthur and Janet Ross Lecture Hall

The whole family will enjoy this holiday performance at the Garden, presented by Ralph Lee, New York City’s puppet master. Trains and fun literally go hand in hand as a classic story comes to life through puppets of old-fashioned steam engines, each with its own eccentric personality. Kids will love cheering on The Little Engine That Could™ as it tries to make it over the mountain.

THERE ARE MORE DATES FOR THIS EVENT. CHECK OUT NYBG.ORG