Our Fun Holiday Activities

Christmas Tree Cutting at Rockwood Farm

Relaxing at our favorite hotel

The Best Western Waterbury-Stowe Inn offers guests the perfect balance between activity and comfort. Escape to the Best Western Waterbury-Stowe for the panoramic mountain vistas and a wide array of vacation options while visiting Vermont. Hotel guests will be close to any activity including skiing, golfing, or touring the many local attractions.

Choose a suite with a fireplace or a guest room with mountain views. The hotel offers its very own Vermont Covered Bridge, the perfect photo for guests visiting Waterbury. Hotel amenities include meeting rooms, banquet facilities, a fitness center and a year-round activity center featuring an indoor heated pool, sauna and hot tub. Kid travelers especially enjoy the arcade video games, table tennis, billiards and swing set.

The Best Western Waterbury-Stowe is located just ½ mile from the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory and 10 miles from Stowe, Vermont-the ski capital of the east. The local area offers year-round activities including hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, golfing, antiquing, skiing, snowmobiling, snowshoeing and more.

Westfield tree lighting ceremony

It was the 6th annual dickens day celebration on the green and Mayor Michael Boulanger flipped the switch on the holiday lights for the city.

For some Westfield families, Tuesday tree lighting ceremony is a tradition.

Jennifer Marsh from Westfield says, This is about our fifth year coming out doing this we do it every year the kids love it it's a tradition for us.

People attending Tuesday's event were treated to hot chocolate, mulled cider and holiday cookies.

Jim Henson's Emmet Otter at the Goodspeed Opera House

As Christmas approaches the world of Frogtown Hollow, Emmet Otter and his Ma can only dream of buying each other gifts. So when a Christmas Eve talent contest is announced, both secretly enter, hoping to win the prize money. In a heartwarming twist on "The Gift of the Magi," Emmet and Ma risk all they have and end up with the greatest grand prize of all. Based on director Jim Henson's television feature, this new theatrical adaptation features a lovable mix of actors and puppet characters from The Jim Henson Company and a toe-tapping score. It's a classic holiday musical for all ages!

Santa Special at the Essex Steam Train

All aboard the Santa Special for a one-of-a-kind holiday experience! Enjoy the spirit of the season as you relax with family and friends aboard festive rail cars adorned with vintage decorations. Bring your camera for that special moment. Santa promises to visit each child to review his or her Christmas list. Mrs. Claus, Rudolph and Christmas Penquin will be on board to spread holiday cheer. Plus, each child will receive a small holiday gift from Santa's Elves!

Bright Nights

Billed as New England's single most popular holiday destination, "Bright Nights at Forest Park" is entering its 15th season.

Located in the Forest Park area of downtown Springfield, Western Massachusetts, it's a wonderland of marvelous displays such as Never, Never Land, and Noah's Ark and the giant American Flag.

Other highlights include: Seuss Land, Victorian Village, the amazing Leaping Frog display, North Pole Village, and more than a dozen other special displays to start your Christmas cheer.

This year the city of Springfield is catching the spirit of Bright Nights festivities, and you'll find more light displays throughout the city to add to your fun.

TMBG Family Show at the Calvin in Northampton, MA

We woke up to a winter wonderland this morning. Of course, Syna wanted to go out immediately in the morning. So we did! The snow was the perfect consistency for a snowman, and we built one right off the bat.

However, the heavy snow is not ideal for shoveling. But we actually got it all done - before it iced over! That's a first.

Syna got the snowball maker going. It makes perfectly spherical snowballs easily - a snow day must.

I filled the bird feeder and spread some seed under some low hanging branches. The birds came right away for some sustenance. Hey, make some Bird Seed Ornaments for the season.

It started getting a bit wet, so we all came in to the house. I love our home in the winter. With the fireplace, Christmas tree and windows to enjoy the winter scenes it's the coziest place to be snowbound.

While looking out the window behind our couch in the family room, Syna exclaimed, "Look at that snowman looking in the window; he's watching us like a crow."

Oh, and a snow day pleasure: the plow just came by and packed a huge pile of snow at the end of our cleared driveway. Grrrr...

Baking cookies


Sitting by the fire


Watching a meteor shower

Many thanks for
SquidAngel blessings from