Here are our picks for great events and activities for children and families this weekend. Find more events for the whole week in Marin and beyond in our Family Events Calendar.

There's also holiday ice skating at numerous locations throughout the Bay Area, as well as opportunities to visit with Santa Claus at local shopping centers. Also, check out our North Bay Christmas Tree Farms and Lots article.

Friday, December 13

• San Francisco Ballet Nutcracker
  War Memorial Opera House
  Friday, Saturday & Sunday, 2 & 7 pm
  The first ballet company to bring the Nutcracker tradition to America, San Francisco Ballet’s awe-inspiring production is like no other. Set in San Francisco during the 1915 World’s Fair, Clara’s dreamlike journey is an ode to the City’s historical grandeur—all amidst colorful, larger than life scenery, over 200 dazzling costumed characters, and of course Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score performed live by the world-class San Francisco Ballet Orchestra. Performances of Nutcracker begin on December 11 and run through December 29. Tickets range in price from $25 to $325. For more info, call (415) 865-2000 or  visit their website.
• Zoo Lights Preview
  San Francisco Zoo
  Friday & Saturday, 4–6 pm
  As a warm up for the full-on fun of Zoo Lights, the zoo is extending hours for these special weekend nights in December. Come enjoy the San Francisco Zoo at night under magical holiday lights. Shop at the all-new Holiday Marketplace, see the reindeer romp, enjoy hot apple cider and cocoa at Cafe Playfield, and hum along to seasonal music as you play in the newly renovated Elinor Friend Playground. Adults $5, kids 14 and under $5, kids 3 and under: free. For more information, visit their website.

Saturday, December 14

• Breakfast with Santa
  Ross Valley Fire Station, San Anselmo
  Saturday, 8 am & 10 am
  Bring the family to the annual Breakfast with Santa event at the Ross Valley Fire Station. Breakfast with Santa is a fun family event and a great way to celebrate the holiday season. Two seatings: 8 and 10 am. Cost: Advance $5 kids under 12, $7 over 12; at the door: $7 kids under 12, $10 over 12. Location: 777 San Anselmo Avenue, San Anselmo. For more info, call (415) 258-4600 or visit their website.
• Holiday Celebration at the Farmers Market
  Marin County Mart, Larkspur Landing
  Saturday, 9 am–2 pm
  Santa and the Grinch will visit the farmers market from 9 am–2 pm! Other fun activities that day include writing Santa a letter, professional pictures with Santa, holiday cookie decorating, pony rides, and face painting. Festive holiday fare will include roasted chestnuts, hot mulled cider, smores, and hot cocoa. Enjoy all of this with live holiday music from Hall Middle School's ukelele band and chorus. Holiday Toy Drive Presented By, EcoMom Alliance of Marin. Donations benefit Marin City Community Services District & Homeward Bound of Marin. For more info, visit their website.
• Breakfast with Santa
  Belvedere-Tiburon Recreation
  Saturday, 9–10:30 am
  Music, crafts, tasty breakfast, and a visit with the Big Man! Photo opportunity with Santa, so bring your camera. Cost: $15 per person. Please call (415) 435-4355 for reservations. Reserve your seats in advance as space is limited and tickets will not be available at the door. Location: 450 San Rafael Avenue, Belvedere. For more info, visit their website.
• Flea Market and Holiday Crafts Booth
  Marinwood Farmer's Market, San Rafael
  Saturday, 9 am–1 pm
  Stop by the Marinwood on Saturday for fun garage sale stuff, craft booths and farmers market all in one! Collectibles, antiques, art, jewelry, clothing, books, and more. Location: 101 Marinwood Avenue, San Rafael. For more info, visit their facebook page.
• Bookmarks Annual Teddy Bear Tea
  Belvedere-Tiburon Library
  Saturday & Sunday, 9:30 am, 10:30 am & 11:30 am
  You and your favorite bear are welcome at the Teddy Bear Tea. Wear your holiday finest, and enjoy refreshments, music, stories and crafts. Proceeds will benefit the Children's Library. Tickets $25 per person. For children 2 and up. Location: 1501 Tiburon Boulevard, Tiburon. For more info, call (415) 789-2665 or visit their website.

One of my children's favorite decorated and lighted Christmas house is the Mize family's Mickey Mouse House (AKA "Mickey's Christmas House") in Marinwood. Visit it, and you'll see why it's so popular! The Mickey Mouse House, located at 417 Blackstone Drive (at Las Gallinas Avenue), looks to be just a regular lighted Christmas house at first glance.

Get out of your car and walk up the short driveway, though and you'll see why it's worth a visit for kids of all ages. Every evening from 6 to 10 pm, the two-car garage is opened to reveal two galleries of what has to be every Walt Disney toy, stuffed animal, decoration, and gimgrack ever produced, all artfully arranged in two spectacular holiday displays.

Marin is home to many communities that really go above and beyond the call of duty when getting into the holiday spirit, and of all the places in the county I think Marinwood, the neighborhood sandwiched between Novato and San Rafael, has the most decorated holiday houses per capita!

It's only natural then that one of our favorite Christmas houses happens to be located in Marinwood: the Nisja Bear's house, which has been delighting Marin and Bay Area families for over three decades. Every year there's something new to look at, and plenty of old favorites to visit again.

We make it a point to visit the Bear's House a few times every season, since it's always fun to see and there's so much going on there that sometimes you need multiple viewings just to take it all in. The children, natually, can never get enough, and they've been coming here since they were babies.

For those of you who haven't yet seen the Bear House, it's definitely worth the trip from anywhere in Marin, or anywhere in the Bay Area for that matter. (We're lucky that's it's relatively close to our house.)

On Saturday and Sunday, December 14 and 15, Falkirk Cultural Center in San Rafael welcomes kids ages 3 and up, their favorite teddy bears or other toys, and even a parent or grandparent to a holiday treat to remember! The Magic Toy Box Tea is a magical holiday tour de force in the elegant Queen Anne Victorian Falkirk Mansion. Homemade tea sandwiches and sweets are served, along with tea, hot chocolate, and other beverages.

The Magic Toy Box Tea features life-sized toys, antique tea settings, a raffle, and plenty of photo opportunities for your kids and their bears and friends (so make sure you bring your camera). The Magic Toy Box Tea is hosted by the Cultural Affairs Service League.

This extremely popular event is by reservation only and always sells our early! Make reservations for December 14 or 16 by calling 1(800) 838-3006 or online here. There are two seatings each day, at noon and 3 pm. The cost is $25 for adults and $22 for children, or $45 for an adult-and-child ticket.

These buttery Scandinavian cookies are a different take on the traditional sugar cookie, and are great for holiday baking or any time, really. Plus, they're really easy to make, so they're a fun recipe to make with the kids.

This recipe calls for ground cardomom, which is used in a lot of Scandinavian baked good. If you don't happen to have any on hand, substitute half the amount of ground cloves. They taste great either way.

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 egg

The 1982 animated film The Snowman is one of our favorite holiday classics, and it's even more magical when accompanied by a live orchestra and choir. It's a great way to introduce kids to the symphony, too. This season, The Snowman is part of the San Francisco Symphony's special All is Bright Christmas matinee concert featuring the Pacific Boychoir, directed by Kevin Fox.

The first half of the All is Bright program will feature orchestral holiday favorites and sing-alongs with the Boychoir and soloists. Highlights include A Christmas Festival Overture and Sleigh Ride by Leroy Anderson, Carol of the Bells, Do You Hear What I Hear?, and more.

The second half of the program includes the 26-minute animated film The Snowman accompanied by the orchestra. All concert-goers will receive a complimentary glowing concert favor from the Symphony. Performances take place on Friday, December 20 and Saturday, December 21 at 2 pm.

Maria wants to act grown up and help her mother knead the masa for the traditional tamales for her Mexican-American family's Christmas feast. Poet and author Gary Soto's Too Many Tamales! (32 pages, Putnam Juvenile, 1996) tells the story of a Christmas Maria won't soon forget with charm and warmth, helped by the vivid illustrations of Ed Martinez.

Maria will feel really grown up if she wears her mother's sparkling diamond ring. Needless to say, mom's ring is at the center of why the book is titled Too Many Tamales!. We won't give anything away, but everything ends just fine as Aunt Rosa declares to a relieved Maria that the second batch of tamales always tastes better than the first!

Too Many Tamales is a fitting addition to your holiday read-aloud repertoire. It's got suspense, a happy ending, and joyful celebration of family and a delicious Mexican holiday tradition. Our kids love the story, and they're bugging us to make tamales this Christmas. I just hope my daughter doesn't try to wear my ring while she's mixing the masa…

While we love the skiing and winter fun at Lake Tahoe, we know that not everyone's a skiier, and sometimes families just want to go up and play in the snow. While many of the Tahoe ski resorts like Northstar, Squaw Valley, and Heavenly have tubing parks, ice skating, and other winter non-skiing activities for the family, there are plenty of places in the Sierras where you can get your snow play fix without the ski resort hustle and bustle (and price tag).

Most of these snow play sites are within a few hours' drive from Marin and the San Francisco Bay Area. While some have tubes and sleds to rent, others, most notably the California State Sno-Parks, offer little more than a place to park your car so you can go play in the snow. For a list of Lake Tahoe ski resorts that offer both skiiing and snow play activities, read our article here.

Snow Play Resorts

While not as numerous as ski resorts, you'll find a few snow play resorts throughout the Sierras. These places usually boast a lodge or clubhouse, dining, restrooms, and other activities. You'll probably have to rent a tube or sled while you're there, as many of these facilities don't allow outside equipment. Most open around mid-December, although opening dates are dependent on weather and snowfall. Make sure you call or check their website before you go.

Marin Mommies presents this week's guest recipe from Nicole Cibellis, Marin mom and author of the blog A Family that Eats Together, where she shares meal plans and recipes that will please foodies and children alike. Here's Nicole's meal plan for this week.

There is just something about the fall season that calls for warm and comforting mushroom risotto. The woodsy mushrooms with the creamy rice and tang of Marsala wine are mesmerizing for either a vegetarian main course or simple side. Using short grain brown rice is a fast way to make traditionally white risotto healthier. What's even better about this dish is that it is great way to introduce mushrooms to your kids. They taste so good they will ask for seconds.

Servings: 3–4 as a side dish, 2 as a main course
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 Portobello mushrooms or 12 Crimini mushrooms, stems removed and finely chopped
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped