The Rockville Centre Public Library has posted its December 2026 calendar, and it is filled with holiday programs for every age: paper crafts, a rugelach baking class, a stained glass painting night, a STEM show timed to a school half day, take-home kits and two family sing-alongs. Most programs are free, nearly all require registration, and sign-ups for the first ones open this week.

Crafts and cards for adults

The season starts on Tuesday, December 1, with Cricut Holiday Card sessions in the library's Buschel DLC, from 10 a.m. to noon that day and again on Wednesday, December 2. These run by appointment only, with no walk-ins, and booking opens Tuesday, November 17.

On Thursday, December 3, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m., Long Island artist Michelle Pappas of Through the Looking Glass leads a Cardinal Suncatcher Craft in the Small Room. Each participant paints a winter design onto a piece of glass the artist has stenciled in advance. Registration opens at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 19.

Maria Conte runs a Greeting Card Workshop on Monday, December 7, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. in the Helen Kraus Room. The project is an iris folding card, and registrants pick a Christmas or Hanukkah design when they sign up. Bring scissors, tape and a pencil; the library supplies everything else. Registration opens at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 23.

Marcia Olsen teaches Scherenschnitte, the traditional art of cut paper, on Wednesday, December 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the Small Room. Participants choose between two holiday designs, children on a sled or a holiday tree. Registration opens at 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 25.

A nostalgia hour and a baking class

On Tuesday, December 1, from 2 to 4 p.m., Larry Wolff presents Memories of a 1960's Christmas in the Helen Kraus Room. The program revisits Christmas television specials from that decade, with seasonal music, memorabilia, autographs and a book display alongside. Registration is required, and seats were still open as of this weekend.

The Let's Make Rugelach! class meets on Tuesday, December 22, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Each person works with two disks of chilled homemade dough, and the class includes all ingredients, recipes and a tasting of freshly baked rugelach. Bring a rolling pin, a cookie sheet and an apron. There is a $10 materials fee, and registration opens at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, December 8.

Take-home kits

Two adult kits are on the list. The Macrame Gnome kit, for Friday, December 4, contains everything needed to make a small winter decoration at home. Rockville Centre cardholders can register starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 20, and registration opens to everyone at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 27.

The Take and Make Spice: Ground Ginger kit is limited to 24 and can be picked up at the Reference Desk starting at 9 a.m. on Friday, December 18. Cardholder registration begins at 9 a.m. on Friday, December 4.

Teens in grades 5 through 12 can pick up a no-bake Oreo truffles kit in the Children's Room between 9 a.m. on Thursday, December 3, and 9 p.m. on Monday, December 7. Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Thursday, November 19.

For kids and families

Rockville Centre schools have a half day on Friday, December 4, and the library fills the afternoon with Fire and Ice with Mad Science of Long Island from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Helen Kraus Room. The show uses dry ice experiments and ends with a large fog cascade. It is aimed at grades K through 5, siblings are welcome, and everyone attending, adults included, needs a ticket. Registration opens at 9 a.m. on Friday, November 20.

Reprise Music leads two Holiday Sing-a-Long family programs in the Helen Kraus Room: Thursday, December 17, from 6 to 6:45 p.m., and Wednesday, December 23, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.. Registration opens two weeks ahead of each, at 9 a.m. on December 3 and December 9, and counts children only.

Also on Friday, December 18, Li'l Foodies (ages 5 to 8) meets from 4 to 4:30 p.m. to read a short book and sample a food that appears in it. Teens in grades 6 through 12 can earn service time at Community Service: Toy Cleaning on Thursday, December 17, from 7 to 8 p.m. Children in grade 3 and under need an adult in the building at all times.

How to sign up

All registration runs through the library's online calendar at rvcpl.libcal.com. The Rockville Centre Public Library is at 221 N. Village Ave., Rockville Centre, NY 11570, and can be reached at 516-766-6257. The library is closed on Thursday, November 26, and on December 24 and 25.

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