Yes, Thanksgiving is less than a week away (where has November gone?), but we think you should skip the stress of planning the festivities and enjoy the weekend with your brood instead. Since holiday decor is already gracing the windows of stores and institutions around the city, make a checklist of the various spots and spend the afternoon peering at their lights and life-size panoramas; the weather is supposed to be perfect for a fall stroll. Our favorites so far are the brightly colored windows of Macy’s and the traditional arrangements at Bloomingdale’s.

If you’re looking for other no-cost activities, check out Super Sabado at El Museo del Barrio, which is hosting a bunch of family-friendly happenings and free admission to boot. Should you find yourself in Queens, stop by City Ice Pavilion’s Opening Weekend Celebration, which includes free ice time and skates (Sat 7–9:30pm, Sun noon–2pm) and a performance by NY’s Ice Theater. If you’d rather cozy up indoors, MoMA hosts an afternoon of animated shorts; after the flickfest, families can enjoy the museum without paying a dime. Check out all the free events here.

Saturday’s got a lot in store: For just $5, you can rock out with your kiddos at the Roulette Children’s Concert, which features kid-friendly renditions of jams from cool artists like Nick Cave. If you want to follow the holiday theme this weekend, the New York Botanical Garden launches its Holiday Train Show—a must see for city tykes. See more Saturday events here.

Looking for more fun on Sunday? Kids who don’t mind getting a little dirty will dig Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s Ickyfest. If your tots prefer to stay clear of snot and slime, pop into the Guggenheim for its Family Day, or enjoy some tunes with Elizabeth Mitchell at the 92YTribeca. Browse all Sunday events here.

Parents may know Mitchell from his stage performances in the original Ragtime and the most recent revival of Kiss Me, Kate (for which he snagged a Tony). If your kids haven’t yet been introduced to the Broadway star (and New York City dad), today’s the day to do it. Head over to Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Center, where Mitchell will read from Lights on Broadway: A Theatrical Tour from A to Z, a book about backstage for which he penned the foreword. After the reading, Mitchell will and kids from TADA! Youth Theater will treat the audience to a free mini concert.

Your family’s calendar is already filling up with holiday parties…time to start shopping for cute kiddie clothes. Starting this Sunday, both NYC Firefly boutiques are hosting sales, offering 20% off select holiday dresses and formal wear. Even if you’ve got clothes to last through Christmas 2010, we suggest popping in, as large toy sets will also be discounted. 224 Front St between Beekman St and Peck Slip, 646-416-6560; 240 Seventh Ave between 4th and 5th Sts, Park Slope, 718-965-3535, fireflychildrensboutique.com.

Holiday windows are already aglow around the city, with more displays appearing every day. Tonight’s lighting truly captures the spirit of the season: UNICEF is hosting a celebration that reminds New Yorkers to give to those in need. At 6:30pm, locals (and celebrity guest Lucy Liu!) are invited to gather outside of Louis Vuitton’s flagship store to watch the illumination of a giant snowflake. Afterward, youngsters from Broadway Kids Care will perform a musical number.

Seventh Generation, a company that produces green household products, is hosting this event meant to bring attention to our nation’s sub-par chemical regulatory laws. The hope is that if enough babies come out to crawl (toward a faux Capitol, natch) then our government will change how it monitors the toxins contained in cleaning products. If making a statement doesn’t grab you, an 11:15am performance by the always-entertaining Gustafer Yellowgold should do the trick.

This afternoon, the Radio City Rockettes will hop off stage and onto the streets, where they’ll hide out in a secret spot somewhere around town. (How in the world do you hide all those gams?) Fans are then invited on a scavenger hunt to uncover where the lovely ladies are secluded. Starting at 3:30pm, clues to their whereabouts will be revealed every ten minutes via the Rockettes’ Twitter account. Stay close to your TwitterBerry app as your wander around Gotham with your brood. Prizes—a bundle of tickets, perhaps?—will be awarded to the top three hunters.

We love surprises, and we love them even more when they include one of our favorite kiddie crooners, Dan Zanes. In celebration of the release of his seventh children’s album, 76 Trombones, Zanes performs a free concert at Babesta Cribz in Tribeca. Not only will you get to enjoy an after-school dance party with your tots, you can also purchase the album, which drops today. Better yet, enter to win a copy of 76 Trombones here!