Ronnie’s Awesome List – December 2012

Check Marinhood, The Ultimate Kids Events Round-Up In Marin And Beyond, for the most up to date information.

During this season of giving I am dedicating this months list to Charlotte Doyle, who organized a group of moms in just a few weeks to hold a Cookies for Kids’ Cancer Bake Sale which raised a whopping $7,417.92 to fund pediatric cancer research. Kuddos to the Town Centre in Corte Madera for letting Charlotte and her team sell their goodies. For anyone looking for an inspiring story on ways to get your kids to give back; you must read Charlotte's story in her own words. I couldn't put it better myself:

My heart is warm this morning, as I reflect on the at-times exhilarating and yet exhausting experience of organizing the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer Bake Sale. 

What started out as just a whim to have a small bake sale with my kids at the end of our driveway, soon turned into something much greater than ourselves.  I don’t know how it happened exactly, but I know one thing: all along the way I kept asking myself the question, “Is this worth it?”.  When my husband expressed his frustration that I had taken on this big project with my already-crazy schedule, I thought, “Is this worth it?”.  As I spent days preparing for the event, calling malls, gathering supplies, printing posters, and emailing mothers, I wondered, “Is this worth it?”.  And when I imagined all you mothers spending your precious time buying the ingredients, baking, and then cleaning up from the floury mess, I wondered “Is this really worth it?”.  Then, when my 3-year-old son accidentally dropped the 4 dozen eggs on our kitchen floor, “was this worth it” came to mind as I smiled and laughed to myself.  As I nervously checked my front door every five minutes on Friday for baked goods to arrive, I wondered yet again, if it was worth it.   At 11pm as I baked an extra 96 brownies to fill in the gaps, there was that nagging question again.  The next morning, sleep-deprived, I awoke and rushed off to pick up an extra 6 dozen cookies that one angel mother baked to fill in the gaps, and I had to wonder if for her this was worth it.  By the time I arrived at the mall, I was almost shaking from nervousness and exhaustion, not to mention bitter cold, and wondered again, “Is this really worth it?”.  At the end of eight hours of my being there, running around, organizing, delegating, I was ready to collapse and again wondering if it was indeed really worth it.  

As I drove home I thought long and hard about that ever-present question.  I wondered WHAT exactly would make it “worth it”.  The first thing that came to mind, of course, was how much money we raised.  I had not yet counted the wad of cash in my hipsack, so I really had no idea.  I wondered if $500 would make it worth it, or maybe the magic number was $800….hmm…how would I know?  As I pondered this a bit more, I decided that it wasn’t necessarily about the amount of money we raised, but that being “worth it” could be measured in different ways, like the effort that was expended.  In that case, it sure seemed like we had all done our part.  I know that I for one felt I’d given my all both mentally and physically.  That seemed worth it, I thought.  I also thought about the 30 mothers and their families who dedicated hours to baking and selling at the event…That seemed worth it.  After all that going around in my head, it suddenly hit me:  There was one thing that would reallymake it “worth it”, and it was this:  What if I had a child with cancer?  What if we were in a hospital room at night?  He was asleep, his little hand in mind as he fought for his life.  The pain in my heart would be so immensely deep.  And I thought that if somehow there were a medicine that he could take to help him live even one more day, and that medicine was in part funded by a group of caring mothers­ in Marin doing one little bake sale, then it was worth it.  “It was worth it!  It was most definitely worth it.”.

Thank you Charlotte! You are an inspiring mom!

Another classic holiday tale is It's a Wonderful Life playing at the Marin Theatre Company in Mill Valley. Set up as a 1940's radio broadcast, it is as charming then the Frank Cappa movie and presented in a very unique and inventive way with 5 terrific actors playing the different roles and sound effects. A must see for children 10+.

This time of the year makes "Ronnie's Awesome List" truly AWESOME. Check out all the incredible events for families and forward this FREE resource to all your friends. All events listed are subject to change without notice. Please confirm with event organizer.

Wishing you all a very magical holiday! See you in 2013.

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA

• 12/1  Cheesecake Factory, 9am - 10am, The Village at Corte Madera
• 12/1  Sausalito Yacht Club
• 12/2 Margaret Todd Senior Center, 9:30am-12pm, Novato
• 12/8  Corte Madera Community Center, 8am -10:30am
• 12/8  Applebee's, Northgte, San Rafael
• 12/8  Tam Valley Community Center, 9am & 11am, Mill Valley
• 12/8  San Anselmo, 7-10am, Ross Valley Fire Station
• 12/14 Santa Claus is coming to town, 5-8pm, Stinson Beach Community Center
• 12/15 Belvedere Community Center, 9am - 10:30am

CHRISTMAS CAROL

• A Christmas Carol The Musical, Novato Theatre Company, November 24 - December 15
• A Christmas Carol, 7:30pm, Drake Little Theater, 1327 Sir Francis Drake, San Anselmo, December 20-23
• A Christmas Carol, ACT, San Francisco, November 30 - December 24

CHRISTMAS HOUSES

• Rombeiro’s Christmas House, 34 Devonshire Dr., Novato
• Bear House, 383 Quietwood Drive, Marinwood
• Mickey Mouse Christmas House, 417 Blackstone Drive, Marinwood
• Stitham House, 285 Adobestone Court in Marinwood
• West End Nursery, San Rafael

HANUKKAH

• 12/8  Bill Graham Menorah Day, Union Square
• 12/8 Light the Menorah, Ghirardelli Square
• 12/9  Menorah Lighting and Chanukah Festivities, 5pm, Village at Corte Madera
• 12/9  Festival of Lights, 9:30am - 2:30pm, Hanukkah party, Osher Marin JCC
• 12/12 Young Family Hanukkah Celebration, 5pm-6pm, Congregation Kol Shofar, Free and open to all. Contact skupor@kolshofar.org for more info.

HOLIDAY TEA

• 11/30-12/24 Teddy Bear Tea, 10am & 1pm, Ritz Carlton, San Francisco
• 12/1-23 Christmas Tea & Holiday Prince & Princess Tea, 11:00am, 1:30pm & 4:00pm, Secret Garden Tea House, Golden Gate Park
• 12/2 Holiday Tea, Elks Lodge, San Rafael, 472-1852
• 12/4, 8, 11, 15,18 & 22, Palace Santa Claus Tea, Palace Hotel, San Francisco
• 12/7-8, 14-15, 20-22 Children's Magical Tea, 12:30pm - 2pm, Mark Hopkins
• 12/8-9 Teddy Bear Tea, Seatings at 9:30am, 10:30am and 11:30am, Belvedere Tiburon Library
• 12/8 Teddy Bear Tea à la française, 10:30-12pm, Un Thé au Petit Jardin, Red Hill Church, San Anselmo
• 12/15-16 Magic Toy Box Tea Party, 12pm & 3pm, Falkirk Center, San Rafael

ICE SKATING

• Marin on Ice, thru January 5th, Northgate Mall, San Rafael
• Holiday Ice Rink at Embarcadero Center
• San Francisco Zoo
• Snoopy’s Home Ice
• Yerba Buena Ice Skating
• Union Square Holiday Ice Rink

KWANZAA

• 12/15 The Songs of Kwanzaa with Q.B. Williams, 2-4pm, Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD)
• 12/26 Kwanzaa Celebration, 9am - 4pm, E. W. Wainwright and The African Roots of Jazz 11am - 12pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum

MUSIC CONCERTS

• 12/1 Holiday Sing-Along, Holiday Faire, San Geronimo Valley Community Center
• 12/1 Kindie Christmas with The Hipwaders, 11am - 12pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum
• 12/1 Hall Middle school musical performance, Village at Corte Madera
• 12/1 N9 Singers, 1-3pm, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae
• 12/1-2 Holiday Concerts by Candlelight, 4pm, Church of Saint Raphael, San Rafael
• 12/2 Deck the Halls, San Francisco Symphony
• 12/7-8 Mayflower Chorus: Winter Tales, 8pm, Marin Civic Center
• 12/8 Pacific Chamber Symphony, 1-3pm, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae
• 12/8 Sing You a Merry Christmas, Grace Cathedral, San Francisco
• 12/9 Christmas Concert, 4pm, St. Stephen's Church, Belvedere
• 12/11 Winter Holidays Concerts and Sing-Along with Dream Circle, 9:30am & 11am, Family Concert, Showcase Theater, Marin Civic Center in San Rafael
• 12/15 Dream Circle Holiday Concert with Tim Cain, Judy Nee (Miss Kitty), Cindy Cohen and Christopher Smith, 11:30am & 1pm, Ages 1 & up. Bay Area Discovery Museum
• 12/15 N9 Singers, 1-3pm, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae
• 12/16 Singers Marin presents: ‘Tis the Season… Silver Bells, Dreidels and more, 4pm, Marin Civic Center
• 12/22 Pacific Chamber Symphony, 1-3pm, Bon Air Shopping Center, Greenbrae
• 12/22 The Snowman, San Francisco Symphony
• 12/22-24 'Twas the Night, San Francisco Symphony

NEW YEARS

• 12/31 Happy New Year, Charlie Brown! 10am, Celebrate the New Year with hands-on crafts for kids, a balloon drop, and root beer toast! Schultz Museum
• 12/31 Noon Year's Eve, 9am - noon, Bay Area Discovery Museum.

NUTCRACKER

• Berkeley Ballet Theater’s The Nutcracker, December 7-9, 14-16
• Children’s Fairyland, The Nutcracker Prince puppet show, 11am, 2pm, 4pm, Oakland Ballet performs The Nutcracker, 2:30pm.
• Dance-Along Nutcracker, December 8-9
• Dance with Sherry Studio’s Tapcracker, 2pm & 5:30pm, Marin Civic Center December 15
• Hard Nut, a retro-modern take on the Nutcracker, Zellerbach Hall, Berkeley
• Marin Ballet, Nutcracker, 1pm & 5pm, Candy Cane Party at 3 p.m., Marin Civic Center, December 8-9
• Marin Dance Theatre: Sophie and the Enchanted Toyshop, 1pm and 5pm, Marin Civic Center, December 15
• Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, Wells Fargo Center for the Arts, Santa Rosa
• Nutcracker Puppet Show by “The Puppet Company”, 4pm, Belvedere Tiburon Library December 13
• Nutcracker Sweets, December 1-23, Fort Mason, San Francisco
• San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker, December 7-28
• Smuin Ballet Nutcracker, November 25 - December 24
• Stapleton Ballet’s Nutcracker, 1pm & 5pm, Marin Civic Center, December 1-2
• The Nutcracker Prince, puppet show, 2pm, 4pm & 6pm, Children's Fairyland

OTHER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

• 12/1 Holiday Tree Harvest & Habitat Restoration, 10am – 1pm, Roy’s Redwoods Preserve and Maurice Thorner Preserves
• 12/1 Jingle and Jog, 9am, Strawberry Village, Mill Valley
• 12/1 Cookies & Sprinkles, 12pm-5pm, Crate & Barrel, Corte Madera
• 12/1 Holiday Crafts Day, 10am-3pm, Randall Museum
• 12/1 Holiday Crafts Family Farm Day, 10am - 2pm, Slide Ranch
• 12/1 Holiday Cookie Decorating, 2pm - 4 pm, Panera Bread, Northgate Mall, RSVP 472-3212
• 12/1 Holiday Boxcar Signing, 10am-12, 2-4pm, The Walt Disney Museum
• 12/1-12/19 Letters to the North Pole, Mill Valley
• 12/1-12/31 Zoolights, Oakland Zoo
• 12/2, 8, 9 15 & 16 Children’s Fairyland, Children's Theatre Holiday Program, 12:30pm & 3pm
• 12/4 The Elf On The Shelf Author Appearance, 11am-4pm, Chanda Bell will be at Pottery Barn Kids, Village at Corte Madera
• 12/5 Storytime With Author Brandi Dougherty! "The Littlest Elf", Barnes & Noble, Corte Madera
• 12/5 Paul Revere and The Raiders Holiday Party and Tree Lighting Ceremony, Village at Corte Madera
• 12/7 The Polar Express: Special Holiday Bedtime Storytime, 7pm, Barnes & Noble, Corte Madera
• 12/7 Presidio Holiday Tree Lighting, 5:50pm
• 12/8 Santa is Coming, 2-4pm, music, treats, activities and more, Whole Foods, Miller Ave, Mill Valley
• 12/8 Pixie Park Holiday Bake Sale and Photos with Santa, Marin Art & Garden Center
• 12/8 Christmas at Sea and Old Time Maritime Christmas, Hyde Street Pier, San Francisco
• 12/8 Crafty Saturdays: Gingerbread Houses, 12-3pm, We'll provide the supplies, you bring your creativity! Great for families and children ages 4+, Novato Library
• 12/12 Frosty's Magic Hat with Tony Borders, 4pm, Larkspur Library
• 12/14 Children’s Fairyland, "One Wacky Winter" puppet show spoof of, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." 5:30pm - 6pm, Festival of Lights Parade, 6:15pm, Children's Fairyland
• 12/14-23 Fairy Winterland, Children's Fairyland
• 12/15 Frosting the Conservatory, 11am-3pm, Conservatory of Flowers
• 12/15 Crafty Saturdays: Present Wrapping, 12-3pm, We'll provide the supplies, you bring your creativity! Great for families and children ages 4+, Novato Library
• 12/15 Jingle Bell Run/Walk, Marin Fairgrounds, San Rafael
• 12/15-16 Gingerbread Doghouses, 10am, ages 1–5, Schultz Museum
• 12/16 Holiday Craft and Wreath Making, 10am-12pm, 435-9212, Paradise Park, Tiburon
• 12/16 Children’s Fairyland, The DC Dancers, 4pm, Puppet Show: Holiday Treats, 5:30pm - 6pm
• 12/17 & 12/21 Children’s Fairyland, Snow Queen performs "Tales from Winter Wonderland," 5:30pm - 6pm
• 12/19 Gingerbread Person Party, 2:30 - 4:30 pm, Mill Valley Library
• 12/20 Children’s Fairyland, Snowflake the Elf, 5:30pm - 6pm
• 12/22 Crafty Saturdays: Orange Pomanders, 12-3pm, We'll provide the supplies, you bring your creativity! Great for families and children ages 4+, Novato Library
• 12/22 Holiday Memories, 2-23:30pm, Two cinematic classics told through the eyes of childhood. The Sweater, by Sheldon Cohen, recalls a boy's passion for hockey and the perils of wearing the wrong sweater. Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales narrated by Thomas himself, offers an intimate glimpse of another era in this rarely screened 16mm print. Exploratorium
• 12/22 Children’s Fairyland, The Tap-Dancing Christmas Trees 5:30pm - 6pm
• 12/23 Children’s Fairyland, A Time to Be Jolly, 5:30pm - 6pm.

PARADES, FESTIVALS & FAIRS

• 12/1 Winter Faire, 10am - 4pm, Greenwood School, Mill Valley
• 12/1 Saint Hilary School Winter Boutique, 10:00am – 3:00pm,  free admission, shop at over 20 local vendors while your kids watch Daffy Dave, 11:00am-12:00pm, 765 Hilary Drive, Tiburon
• 12/1 Calistoga Lighted Tractor Parade
• 12/1 Dickens Christmas Fair
• 12/1 Holiday Party, 3-6pm, Victorian-style face painting, stilt walkers, an accordionist with accompanying ballerina, and more, Paxton Gate
• 12/1 Union Street Holiday Event, 3pm-7pm
• 12/1-2 Christmas at Ardenwood, Freemont
• 12/2 Mill Valley Winterfest, 11am - 5pm, Downtown Mill Valley
• 12/2 Snow Day in the Gourmet Ghetto, Berkeley
• 12/7 Victorian Holiday Party, 7pm, Falkirk Center, San Rafael
• 12/8 Lighted Yacht Parade and Fireworks, 6pm, Sausalito Yacht Club
• 12/8 Parol Lantern Festival, 5pm, Yerba Buena Gardens
• 12/8 Snowstorm in Tam Valley, 9am, Tam Valley Community Center, Mill Valley
• 12/8 Winter Holiday Celebration, Homestead Valley, Mill Valley
• 12/16 Holiday Event, 2pm -5pm, wreath making, caroling, and Santa! Women’s Club, Fairfax
• 12/16 Holiday Event, Meet Mr. & Mrs. Claus 3pm, music with Tim at 4pm, Rancho Nicasio

THEATRE FOR FAMILIES

• Cinderella, African-American Shakespeare Company, 762 Fulton Street, San Francisco, December 8 - 23
• It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley, November 23 – December 16
• The Lion King, Orpheum Theatre, November 1 - January 13
• Pinkalicious, Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse, Berkeley, December 2, 8, 9, 15 & 16
• Sleeping Beauty, Fort Mason Center Building C – San Francisco, December 2 - 23
• Tales of Olympus, 2 & 5pm, Bay Area Children's Theatre, December 8 - 22
• Velveteen Rabbit, Yerba Buena Theatre, November 23 – December 9

TRAIN RIDES

• Holiday Lights Train, Santa Cruz
• Santa Train, Napa
• Train of Lights, Niles Canyon Railway
• The Holiday Train, Oak Meadow Park, Los Gatos
• Zoolights, Oakland Zoo

TREE LIGHTING

• 12/1 Holiday Lighting Ceremony, 5pm - 6:30pm, San Anselmo
• 12/1 Holiday Lighting Ceremony, Downtown Novato
• 12/5 Heartland Hospice Tree Lighting Ceremony, Northgate Mall

WILDLIFE VIEWING

• Dolphins can be seen along the shore feasting on schooling fish.
• Salmon spawning peak in December in the Lagunitas Watershed.
• Steelhead trout spawn between December through February.
• Whales are viewable from the shore between December through April at the Point Reyes Light House and Chimney Rock.
• Elephant Seals are birthing at Año Nuevo State Reserve. Go to the Elephant Seal Guided Walking Tours that are available during Breeding Season (early December - March). Pregnant female elephant seals begin arriving in December. The first pup of the season is usually born around Christmas, and pupping peaks in January. Two-ton bulls also return to claim their breeding territories at this time. Another great viewing spot closer to home is at Elephant Seal Overlook near Chimney Rock.
• Monarch Butterflies are clustered by the 1000′s in the tree groves at Monarch Grove Butterfly Sanctuary, Pacific Grove and Natural Bridges, Santa Cruz.
• Tule Elk herds can be found in several locations at Tomales Point.

Banana slugs, newts, salamanders and frogs are bountiful. California quail, brown creepers, woodpeckers, owls and flickers. No advance planning needed and it's FREE! Rain or shine hike to a waterfall, observe the subtle colors of lichens and mushrooms, look up and see the beautiful redwoods, inhale the fresh crisp air and keep an eye out for the animals that also call the Bay Area home.

DECEMBER EVENTS

12/1

• Boomtown: Barbary Coast, Conservatory of Flowers, November 16, 2012 - April 14, 201
• Build a Picture Frame, 9am-12pm, Home Depot, San Rafael
• Children’s Fairyland, storyteller John Weaver, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland
• Crafty Saturdays: Decorate the Children's Room! 12-3pm, We'll provide the supplies, you bring your creativity! Great for families and children ages 4+, Novato Library
• Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10:30am, Crown Point Press at 50, deYoung Museum.
• Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 12:30pm, Art on the Edge: Paintings and Their Frames, Legion of Honor
• Exploring Baltimore Canyon, 10am, WildCare
• Family Gala, The Snowy Day at Night, Contemporary Jewish Museum
• Fungus Fair, 10am-5pm, Lawrence Hall of Science
• Girls on the Run, Golden Gate Park
• Gravity Car Hike, 9am - 1pm, Muir Woods Visitor Center
• Restoration Work Day, 9:30am-12:30pm, Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
• Seasonal Paper Craft Workshop, 2-3pm, ages 8+, Larkspur Library
• Shabbat Family Experience, 10:30am-11:30am with Musician Jonathan Bayer, Free and open to all, Kol Shofar, Tiburon

12/2

• A Woodland Winter, 9:30 am-Noon, Muir Woods Visitor Center
• Breakfast with Enzo, 10am & 11am, Mill Valley Golf Course
• Children’s Fairyland, Children's Theatre Holiday Program, 12:30pm & 3pm, storyteller John Weaver, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland.
• Children’s Storytime and Family Walk, 10:30 AM, Featured book, "Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane", San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park
• EarthCapades Environmental Vaudeville, 1 pm - 2 pm, Berkeley JCC Theater
• Fungus Fair, 10am-5pm, Lawrence Hall of Science
• The Bubble Lady, 1pm - 2pm, Marin JCC, San Rafael
• The Keith Show, 11 am - Noon, Comedy Juggling and Acrobatics, Randall Museum Theatre

12/3

• Museum Mondays for Little Ones, 10am, ages 1–5, Schultz Museum.

12/4

• Birds at Rush Creek, 10am – 2pm, Rush Creek Open Space
• Toddler Treks, Reindeer, 11am-12pm, California Academy of Science
• Tyke Workshop, Star Light, Star Bright, Chabot Space and Science Museum

12/5

• A Birthday Celebration for Walt, 10am to 8pm, admission to the museum is FREE, The Walt Disney Family Museum, San Francisco
• Keeping Babies, Children & Teens Healthy: The Practice of Pediatrics, Hannah de los Santos M.D. of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, 7:30 - 8:30, Terra Linda High School in San Rafael
• Winter Craft Series: Create a Card, 2:30 - 4:30 pm, Mill Valley Library
• TEEN Jewelry Making Workshop for Teens and Tweens, 4-5:30pm, San Anselmo Library

12/7

• Shabbat Together, music, dance and circle story time for infants through three years old, Kol Shofar, Tiburon

12/8, Hanukkah

• Afternoon Art, Learn the magic of color chemistry as you create your own color wheel, Randall Museum
• Bird Banding Demonstration, 8:30-10:00am, Minimum age, 7, Richardson Bay Audubon Center & Sanctuary
• Charlotte Cheng, A Moment in Time, Book Passage, Corte Madera
• Children’s Fairyland, storyteller Kirk Waller, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland
• Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 10:30am, Holiday Art, deYoung Museum
• Doing and Viewing Art, ages 4-12, 12:30pm, Holiday Art, Legion of Honor
• "Double Fun" Greeting Cards: A Workshop crafting greeting cards using recycled materials, 3pm - 4pm, San Anselmo Library
• Drop-In Science, The physics behind BUBBLES! Randall Museum
• Family Dance Workshops with San Francisco Ballet, 10–11am, deYoung
• Let's Move on Crissy Field! 10 am-Noon
• Multicultural Sing-along with Jose-Luis Orozco, 11am - 12pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum.
• Peter and the Wolf, San Francisco Youth Symphony, Narrated by Olivia Dukakis
• Read to a Dog, Mill Valley Library
• Winter Celebration: Family Nighthike & Campfire, 5:30pm - 8pm, NatureBridge, Sausalito
• Winter Planting Festival, 8am – 12pm, Hal Brown Park
• TEEN All Day Craft Club, 6th-12th Graders, 10am – 4:30pm, Novato Library

12/9

• Breakfast with Enzo, 10am & 11am, Mill Valley Golf Course
• Children’s Fairyland, storyteller Kirk Waller, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland
• Family Gallery Tours and Preschool Gallery Hour, Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Home for the Holidays Open House, 10am-5pm, Marine Mammal Center
• Kayak Sturgeon Fishing Derby, 7:30am - 2pm, 446-4424 or email jslack@marincounty.org, McNears Beach, San Rafael
• Preschool Gallery Hour with Octopretzel, 10-11:30am, Contemporary Jewish Museum
• R.E.A.D. with Bumps, 2-4pm, San Rafael Library
• Sneak Peek, Clowning Around, Grades 6-8, Berkeley Rep
• Unique Derique and his hilarious Juggling and Physical Comedy, 11 am - Noon, Randall Museum Theatre

12/10

• Museum Mondays for Little Ones, 10am, ages 1–5, Schultz Museum.

12/11

• Tyke Workshop, Opposites Attract, Chabot Space and Science Museum
• Tomales High School musical performance, The Village at Corte Madera

12/12

• Share a Book: Read to a Dog, 3pm, Belvedere Tiburon Library
• Winter Craft Series: Make a Gift, 2:30 - 4:30 pm, Mill Valley Library

12/14

• Nature for Kids: Indian Tree, 10am – 1pm, Indian Tree Open Space
• Shabbat Together, music, dance and circle story time for infants through three years old, Kol Shofar, Tiburon

12/15

• Afternoon Art, make marbled paper greeting cards, Randall Museum
• Jan Klyce, Andrew's Wish, Book Passage, Corte Madera
• Barbershop Chorus musical performance, The Village at Corte Madera
• Christmas at Point Bonita, 10:30am-12:30pm
• Drop-In Science, Get hands-on in EXTRACTING HONEY from our own combs and even take some home to enjoy! Randall Museum
• Le Jazz Hot, 11am, Herbst Theatre
• Music for Families, San Francisco Symphony
• New Interactive Children's Fairy Tale exhibit opens, Once Upon a Time, Exploring the World of Fairy Tales, Opens, Bay Area Discovery Museum
• Neil Cummins musical performance, Village at Corte Madera
• Presidio Bird Life, 9:30 am-Noon, RSVP 561-4323
• Rebecah Freeling – Puppet Show for Preschoolers, 11am, Book Passage, Corte Madera

12/16

• Beginning Birding, 9:30-11:30 am, RSVP 331-1540
• Breakfast with Enzo, 10am & 11am, Mill Valley Golf Course
• Children’s Fairyland, Blake Maxam, "The Wizard of Ahhhs," 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland.
• Children’s Storytime and Family Walk, 10:30 AM, Featured book, "Chipmunk at Hollow Tree Lane", San Francisco Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park

12/17

• Museum Mondays for Little Ones, 10am, ages 1–5, Schultz Museum.

12/18

• 'Aladdin' by the Fratello Marionettes, 3:30pm, Sausalito Library
• Brandeis Hillel musical performance, Village at Corte Madera
• Children’s Fairyland, The Nutcracker Prince. 11am, 2pm, 4pm, Magic Dan, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland.
• Tyke Workshop, The Power of Air, Chabot Space and Science Museum

12/19

• Children’s Fairyland, Owen Baker Flynn, juggler and fire eater, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland.

12/20

• Neil Cummins musical performance in center court, Village at Corte Madera
• Toddler Treks, Reindeer, 11am-12pm, California Academy of Science

12/21 Winter Solstice

• Shabbat Together, music, dance and circle story time for infants through three years old, Kol Shofar, Tiburon
• Winter Fest, Marinwood Community Center
• Winter Solstice, 12-5pm, Muir Woods

12/22

• Afternoon Art, Make your own simple dancing marionette puppet, Randall Museum
• Drop-In Science, Learn about CRYSTAL FORMATION and make your own crystal covered snowflake decoration. Randall Museum
• TEEN Choose your Apocalypse Party, 6th-12th graders, 2 – 3:30pm, Novato Library

12/23

• Children’s Fairyland, Buki the Clown, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland
• Family Gallery Tours, Experience the world of color and collage in this interactive tour of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats designed for families with children up to age nine. Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Junior Rangers: Cascade Canyon - Focus on Creeks and Fish, 10am – 12pm, Cascade Canyon Open Space

12/24, Christmas Eve (www.noradsanta.org)

12/25

• Community Day, Free admission, Contemporary Jewish Museum

12/26 Kwanzaa & Boxing Day

• Winter Break Game & Puzzle Day, 2:30-4:00pm, Mill Valley Library

12/27

• Family Gallery Tours, Experience the world of color and collage in this interactive tour of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats designed for families with children up to age nine. Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Learn to Skate, 12pm-2pm, 446-4423 or email ACraig@marincounty.org
• Winter Break Movie, Brave, 2:30-4:15pm, Mill Valley Library
• TEEN Henna Art: a Workshop for Teens, grades 6-12, 3 – 4:30pm, Novato Library

12/28

• Family Gallery Tours, Experience the world of color and collage in this interactive tour of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats designed for families with children up to age nine. Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Muir Woods after Hours, 5-6:30pm
• Winter Break Movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, 2:30-4:30pm, Mill Valley Library

12/29

• Bubble Celebration with The Bubble Lady, 11am - 12pm, Bay Area Discovery Museum.
• Children’s Fairyland, Jacquelyn Lynaugh as Mother Goose, 1:30pm & 2:30pm. Oakland.
• Junior Rangers: Camino Alto - Invasive Plants and Natural Habitats, 10am – 12pm, Camino Alto Open Space
• Mochitsuki Workshops, 3:00 – 6:30 p.m., Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California.
• Rebecah Freeling – Puppet Show for Preschoolers, 11am, Book Passage, Corte Madera
• Stafford Full Moon Hike and S'Mores Fest! 6pm - 8pm 897-0618 or email kschroeder@marincounty.org

12/30

• Family Gallery Tours, Experience the world of color and collage in this interactive tour of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats designed for families with children up to age nine. Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Salmon of San Geronimo Valley, 9am – 12pm

12/31 New Years Eve

• Family Gallery Tours, Experience the world of color and collage in this interactive tour of The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats designed for families with children up to age nine. Contemporary Jewish Museum.
• Winter Break Movie, Happy Feet Two, 2:30-4:15pm, Mill Valley Library