What's On This Weekend: December 8-10

Listen carefully and you can hear children all over the Southwest Michigan region rejoicing over the first snowfall of the season, leaving trails of wet mittens and scarves behind them.

Whether you plan on spending the weekend frolicking in the new-fallen snow or staying cozy indoors, we've got a slew of festive happenings to peruse before you make your plans.

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

FRIDAY

• Read from favorite Christmas books and enjoy holiday singing and dancing at Tip Toes in Holland

• Take a well-deserved break while the kids partake in games, crafts and activities at the Watervliet District Library

• Watch as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer soars onto the stage for one night of festive fun at Miller Auditorium in Kalamazoo

• Sing along to classic holiday tunes and Disney Favorites during a special singalong in Muskegon

• Stop by Santa's quaint little house in downtown St Joe for photos and more

• Check out the magnificent illumination display in Battle Creek during the Festival of Lights (through Dec 16)

SATURDAY

• Visit Santa, tuck into a yummy breakfast, make a craft with one of Santa’s helpers, and play along with an interactive holiday band at the Fernwood Botanical Garden in Niles

• Make a Christmas gift for a loved one at Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum in South Haven

• Take a tour of the historic Bonine House in Cassopolis -- once part of the Underground Railroad -- and visit with Santa

• Listen to a variety of enchanting holiday melodies played by the Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra during a family-friendly concert at LMC in Benton Harbor

• Visit the picture perfect Santa house every weekend until Christmas in downtown St. Joseph

• Decorate delicious gingerbread men and sugar cookies for the holiday season at the Holland Cakery ' n' Sweets

• op on the festively bedecked train for a leisurely ride through Eden Springs Park at House of David in Benton Harbor (through Sunday)

• Don't miss the Plainwell Children’s Festival, with princess appearances, stories, music, an indoor farmers market and more

• Enjoy a family-friendly production of The Nutcracker ballet by Caledonia's Duncan Lake Middle School (through Sunday)

• Get your Christmas shopping done in the store while the kids watch their favorite holiday movies downstairs at Tip Toe in Holland

SUNDAY

• Visit with Santa, make crafts and explore the snowy trails of the Sarett Nature Center in Benton Harbor

• Feast on tasty brunch fare and meet Jolly Saint Nick at Plank's in St Joseph

• Sing along to well-known Christmas carols during a festive annual tradition in Berrien Springs

• Join the Whoville 5K walk/run and kids' fun run in Grand Rapids, featuring characters, a costume contest, hot cocoa and snowball fight

Check out all the winter festivities on the Southwest Michigan Kids calendar.