By Patricia Hall, FairfaxFamilyFun.com Feliz Navidad! Yes, it’s already January, but the Christmas season is not quite over yet. As I mentioned in another post about the “12 Days of Christmas,” these days begin, not end, on December 25, and the Christmas season for many doesn’t wrap up until the day of the Epiphany. The Feast of the Epiphany, very simply explained, celebrates the visit of the Magi or “the Three Wise Men” to Baby Jesus. The traditional date for the feast is January 6.  But it’s the night of January 5th that gets many kids excited:  it is then when the Three ..read more

By Patricia Hall, abilify package insert Each year around this time, I hear the familiar lament from various people: the debate on when to take down the trees. After all, some say, Christmas is now over. But that is simply not true. The “12 Days of Christmas” begin, not end, on December 25.  The “12 days” generally refers to the time between Christmas Day and the day of the Epiphany. But surprisingly many people, even some Christians, don’t seem to realize this. Christmas, thus, just began, and will end on January 5, the day of the Epiphany, or 10 milligram ambien.&nbs ..read more

Northern Virginia Christmas Tree Farms  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… but it’s not complete without the tree! For some families, setting up the tree begins with taking an artificial pine out of a storage box. But people who love the fresh scent of natural pine, the holidays entail the search for that “perfect” tree.  A trip to a Christmas tree farm is a tradition for some families, and we in Northern Virginia have good options nearby. Most Northern Virginia Christmas Tree Farms are in the western suburbs. The ones we list below, more than a dozen, are all within an hou ..read more

By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday… the days immediately following Thanksgiving have, in recent decades, almost all (hey, Sunday is still available!) been given some sort of marketing moniker. Of these, the ones you can feel best about likely are Small Business Saturday, when consumers are encouraged to support local and small enterprises, and Giving Tuesday, which is about supporting non-profits and community groups. Giving Tuesday may be easier to support in 2020 — this is a year in which we have seen how important first ..read more

Color-changing arch at Winter Walk of Lights By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun Shine brightly! The year 2020 has been “unusual,” to put it mildly, and with dark winter days and so much uncertainty upon us, it’s more important than ever to find good cheer, enjoy happy moments, and shine brightly no matter what… and Christmas is not cancelled! While some Christmas events were already cancelled well before December, the good news is that most of the Northern Virginia holiday light shows are, in fact, taking place. In fact, these light shows may prove more popular than ever as they present a ..read more

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!  Even in this crazy year, we still have many reasons to give thanks! In an effort to live with “an attitude of gratitude,” instead of thinking of all the things have been cancelled, put off, restricted, or otherwise diminished, here are some ways to celebrate the holiday with some joy: Help others in need:  Britepaths is a great resource for giving back to families in Fairfax County that could benefit from our kindness! Put your time to good use:  Check with Volunteer Fairfax for ways that you (and even your kids) could contribute to the comm ..read more

Originally published in 2015; updated for 2020 2020 UPDATE The Fantasy Pumpkins display is ON!!! Once again, this free, amazing display will be ready for all to enjoy! This year you can expect to see designs such as The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Paw Patrol, Black Panther, and even an Eddie Van Halen tribute. Get a sneak peek at some of the designs (or just enjoy them virtually) on the official website. If visiting in person, keep in mind the following important info: Pumpkins will be spaced six to eight feet apart to help people maintain social distancing. Masks will be required o ..read more

Halloween in 2020 is quite different, that’s for sure. Few could have imagined earlier this year we would not at this point be back to normal life, and the future remains uncertain. But while some people continue to greatly restrict their activities, others are ready to enjoy the handful of area events available for families to enjoy with safety protocols in place. Here are some of the Halloween activities for the kids in the Northern Virginia area in this crazy pandemic year. Saturday, October 31, 2020 Cox Farms Self-Driven Hayrides, Centreville, all day Take the legendary Cox Farms hayride ..read more

By Patricia Hall, Fairfax Family Fun Most of the year 2020 has been more of a “trick” than a “treat,” and as people continue to limit their activities because of the ongoing COVID situation, it looked like Halloween would be the next holiday to get scrapped. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Halloween is actually one of the most adaptable holidays, since it’s all about creativity and flexibility. And of all the Halloween activities, trick-or-treating can be one of the most fun ones to modify this year. Here are some creative, safe ways to trick-or-treat this year. First, there’s always the ..read more

Updated in 2020 with additional links (initial publish date 9-21-2017) Fall is a wonderful time to take a quick family road trip. The season comes after the summer crowds have gone, but before the hectic Christmas and holiday road travel arrives. The cool but not cold temperatures, the beautiful colors of the tree lines, and the leaves crunching below your feet make this a wonderful time to get some fresh air with the family and enjoy fall foliage. Avid “leaf-peepers” may wish they were in places such as Vermont to witness the changing of the season, but you don’t need to travel to New England ..read more