Fun (and some FREE) Family Events in Northern Virginia Dec 5th and 6th! This list compiled by Haymarket Realty Group

Online, December 3, 2009 (Newswire.com) - Saturday December 5, 2009

Lake Anne Welcomes the Holidays
11am-1pm
Tree lighting at 6pm
Lake Anne Village Center presents holiday fun by the lake, with craft making for kids, a petting zoo, entertainment, and vendors on the plaza - and Santa arrives by barge at noon. Later in the days, enjoy the Lake Anne tree lighting, caroling, and the plaza, balconies, and boats-afloat all aglow for the holiday season.

Michaels Stores
Santa's Workshop
10am- 1pm
Make and Take Crafts for kids
Free family event. Each child can make a great gift for loved ones and friends.

Sarah Palin book signing tour
Sarah Palin will be at BJ's Wholesale club in Fair Lakes
13053 Fair Lakes Shopping Center
11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Home Depot Stores
9am-noon
Kids FREE Workshop
Kids will build a free small pull wagon. Website states for 5-12 years old.

Fairfax Corner
Free gift wrapping at Santa's Corner
Saturdays, 12pm-4pmSundays, 12pm-4pm
11895 Grand Commons Avenue (next to Lucy)Fairfax, VA 22030

Reston Town Center
11am
Santa Paws Photo Event

Reston Town Center
12pm-4pm
Horse Drawn Carriage Rides

Reston Town Center
4pm-8pm
94.7 Fresh FM will be here to collect donations of gently-worn coats, blankets and scarves for the Salvation Army to help the homeless and least privileged that are hit extremely hard by the cold weather. The Salvation Army and their partner, Bergmann Cleaners, will then clean the items and distribute them to those in need.

Lakeshore Learning Store
7009A Manchester Blvd.
Alexandria, VA 22310
11am - 3pm
Preschool kids aged 3 and up can brighten up your holiday decor by makingw a colorful "candle" made from cool collage materials!

Aladdin's Lamp 19th Anniversary Celebration
Arlington VA
Saturday at 11am, storyteller and guitarist Miss Marlena reads books that celebrate winter, followed by a holiday sing-along with the Lamplighters at 12:30pm and then a parent-child workshop on anger management at 2:30pm.

Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse
Family Friendly Movies (non smoking)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
2pm movie , doors open at 1:30pm
tickets $5.50
Plus family menu specials

Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts
The Lyceum
Alexandria VA
The exhibition features a collection of Girl Scout uniforms from the 1910s, 1930s, and 1960s; Brownie objects from as early as 1937; and a display of cookie fundraising materials, including a vintage tin, box, and sales poster. Extensive camping and hiking exhibits are highlighted by a tent and official Girl Scout gear including a canteen, collapsible cup, pocket knife, compass flashlight, and even a "sit-upon," the small padded mat Scouts made themselves. Exploration of Alexandria's Girl Scout history, drawn from records, photos and oral history, reaches back to the 1930s when the first troop was formed at the St. Agnes School, followed a few years later by one for African American girls through Hopkins House.

Hooray for Books
1555 King Street
Alexandria, VA
1pm-3pm
Meet Author Matthew Toone.
Matthew Toone has the answer to having more family time and more family fun. Matt's been collecting and creating games for years, and from 1:00-3:00 p.m. will share his new book, "Great Games: 175 Games and Activities for Families, Groups and Children".

Bull Run Festival of Lights
5:30pm-10pm
$20 a car
The annual two and half mile, drive-through holiday light show - with over 80,000 lights - also features a holiday village on weekends offering food, entertainment, and seasonal activities.

Middleburg Hunt Christmas Parade
Hounds will meet at the Red Fox Inn for a stirrup cup at one of our most popular meets. Hounds and field then parade down Main Street prior to hunting.
10:00:00 AM

Haymarket's Annual Holiday Party
The lighting of the Tree will take place at dusk
Old Town Hall Building - 15000 Washington Street
Saturday, December 5th 4:00pm - 7:00pm

World Market - VA Gateway/Gainesville/Linton Hall Rd.
World of Wine" free wine tasting
1-5pm

Cork & Fork - VA Gateway/Gainesville/Linton Hall Rd.
Free Beer & Wine Tasting at Cork & Fork
1-5pm

National Christmas Tree (DC)
The tree is lit daily from dusk-11pm; the trains run daily from 11am-11pm.

National Air and Space Museum (DC)
One World, One Sky: Big Birds Adventure
6th Street and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
10:30am
One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. (20 min.) FREE Admission Please note: tickets available free at Planetarium box office. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 202-633-4629 or 1-877-932-4629 (toll free), however $2.00 per ticket fee applies for phone orders.

National Zoo
Zoolights
6pm-8:30pm
Cost: Members $5; Non-members $8; Children (under 2) free
The zoo shines with thousands of environmentally friendly lights and animated exhibits featuring many of the zoo's most popular animals. Visitors can participate in a variety of activities, such as making crafts and bird feeders, roasting marshmallows, watching ice sculpting demonstrations, and listening to choral groups and storytellers.

Borders (Fairfax , Manassas, Sterling, Springfield, Bailey's, Woodbridge and Tysons)
11am
Grinchfest
Celebrate the season with classic holiday stories including How the Grinch Stole Christmas and others. Make a fun holiday craft and share your holiday wishes with us. Fun for the whole family. NOTE: this is NOT a costume character event.

Barnes and Noble (Tysons)
10:30am
Storytime, Special Event, Children's Event
Calling all junior conductors! You're invited to a Polar Express storytime party in our children's department. Take a magical ride to the North Pole with a reading of Chris Van Allsburg's beloved holiday tale, The Polar Express. All aboard!

Barnes and Noble (Clarendon)
10:00am
Elf on a Shelf: A Christmas tradition for the entire family. This cleverly rhymed children's book explains that Santa knows who is naughty and/or nice.

Barnes and Noble (Reston)
11am
Snowmen at Night by Caralyn Buehner(illustrated by Mark Buehner) is a wonderful story for a winter night. Take a look at Snowmen at Christmas too, a great addition to the favorite Christmas stories.

Barnes and Noble (Springfield)
2pm
Storytime with books about Snowmen

Fairfax City Christmas Tree Lighting
5pm-6pm
Kitty Pozer Park
Caroling and bell ringing with the Jubil-Aires and Good News Ringers

Fairfax City 2009 Festival of Lights
Lunch with Santa
Seatings 11:30am, 12:15 and 1pm Old Town Hall
$5 a child (ages 12 and under)
Children will get Chick Fila nuggets, cookies and juice

64th Annual Manassas Christmas Parade
10am

Warrenton Christmas Parade
10am
Special holiday parade includes high school bands, Boy and Girl Scouts, precschool and school groups (some march, some crate a float), fire trucks, antique vehicles, color guards, horses and Santa.

Whole Foods (Fair Lakes)
1:00pm-3:00pm
Annual Christmas Food Tasting for December!
Travel the store and sample all things good, from Produce all the way to Bakery! The Order Table will be open for your convenience beginning on Saturday.

Whole Foods (Tysons)
Eve of Elegance
4pm-6pm
Shop and shmooze .We will have a full spread for you to enjoy and sample of our December Holiday faves from Panetone, to Brie, to wine and so much more!

Whole Foods (Springfield)
1pm-3pm
Join us for a store-wide sampling of our holiday favorites. From our festive appetizers to our decadent desserts, we promise to put you in the holiday mood!

Torpedo Factory Arts Center
1pm-4pm
Families can get inspired by the colors and patterns of pottery excavated in Alexandria and make a memorable holiday keepsake, decorating and taking home dough ornaments which are shaped like artifacts from the museum's own collection. No reservations are required.

Scottish Christmas Walk
101 Callahan Drive
Alexandria, VA
11am
Over 100 Scottish clans, pipe and drum bands, Scottish dancers, re-enactment groups, Scottie dog groups, dignitaries, and of course, Santa Claus, march down the cobblestone streets of Old Town on Saturday. The parade begins at the corner of Wilkes and South Saint Asaph Streets and ends at King and Royal Streets. Get a bit a shopping done too. The Christmas Marketplace on Friday features unique, holiday gifts, plus heather, wreaths, garlands, flatwoods, paperwhites, and much more.

Torpedo Factory Arts Center
Alexandria
4pm Festivities, 6pm Boat Parade
Dozens of brightly lit boats stretch along the Potomac River during this colorful parade. Festivities begin at 4pm on the Alexandria Marina docks (behind the Torpedo Factory) with a holiday review featuring local school groups, a visit from Santa - and his four-legged friend, and more. The parade begins at 5pm in the Washington Channel (between East Potomac Park and the Southwest Waterfront) and gets to the Alexandria Marina by 6pm. [Photo credit: Alexandria Convention and Visitors Association.

Sunday December 6, 2009

Fairfax Corner
6th Annual Pet photos with Santa
On the plaza 2-4pm
Proceeds benefite Homeless Animal Rescue Team

Aladdin's Lamp Children's Bookstore, Arlington
1:30pm
Fairy Party with Author Bobbie Hinman. Ages 3 - 7. Bobbie Hinman is back with songs, crafts and a reading of her book "The Belly-Button Fairy." Registration: 703-241-8281.

Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse
Family Friendly Movies (non smoking)
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
12pm movie , doors open at 11:30am
tickets $5.50
Plus family menu specials

National Air and Space Museum (DC)
One World, One Sky: Big Birds Adventure
6th Street and Independence Avenue, SW
Washington, DC
10:30am
One World, One Sky: Big Bird's Adventure follows Sesame Street's Big Bird and Elmo as they explore the night sky with Hu Hu Zhu, a Muppet from Zhima Jie, the Chinese co-production of Sesame Street. (20 min.) FREE Admission Please note: tickets available free at Planetarium box office. Tickets may be ordered by phone at 202-633-4629 or 1-877-932-4629 (toll free), however $2.00 per ticket fee applies for phone orders.

KinderHause Toys
Arlington VA
3pm-4:30pm
Santa drops by to meet children and pose for pictures. Parents, bring your cameras!

Wolf Trap Holiday Sing A long
4pm (gates open at 3pm)
The Wolf Trap Holiday Sing-A-Long is an annual musical celebration of the season with Christmas carols and Hanukkah songs performed by the United States Marine Band. Bring candles and bells to add to the festivities. Voluntary donations of new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots are being collected at the gate.

Hooray For Books
King Street Alexandria
1pm-2pm
Come celebrate "Fancy Nancy's Splendiferous Christmas" by making our own fancy Christmas tree craft project: tree-toppers that will transform your Christmas tree into a fancy fir! Space is limited, so please reserve your spot at 703-548-4092