“How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?”—Dr. Seuss

Indeed, it’s the darkest time of year, when the sun sets at 4:30 p.m. and the cold freezes the earth below your feet. Fortunately, it’s also a magical time for family fun and community gatherings. There are multiple holiday-themed shopping opportunities, including one that raises money to help Ukraine. And how about a round of mini golf?

Here are eight things to do in Newton this weekend.

Friday, Dec. 5

At 10 a.m., Mayor Ruthanne Fuller is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Cooper Center for Active Living at 345 Walnut St., Newtonville.

From 4 to 7 p,m., City Hall is going to be turned into an 18-hole mini golf course for Mayor Ruthanne Fuller’s Mini Golf Hole-In-Fun, to benefit the Holiday Gift Drive sponsored by The Village Bank in collaboration with Newton’s Department of Health and Human Services and the Newton Rotary. Families, individuals, friends, groups of up to ten are invited to play. Cost of admission is a new and unwrapped gift for children ages newborn to 10. Guests are also encouraged to donate non-perishable food items. And if you can’t make it Friday, don’t worry. The mini golf event will be all day Saturday and Sunday, too.

Saturday, Dec. 6

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Decorate gingerbread cookies at the Scandinavian Cultural Center at 206 Waltham St. $5 per cookie.

From 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.: Listen to brass holiday music at Second Church in Newton, 60 Highland St.

From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton, at 1326 Washington St., will host its Annual Holiday Fair, featuring decorated wreaths, handmade gifts, jewelry, toys, homemade baked goods, books, a quilt raffle and more.

Sunday, Dec. 7

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Visit the Celebrate Newton Holiday Craft Fair at Newton South High School, organized by Newton Cultural Alliance, featuring handmade clothing, jewelry, ceramics, woodwork and more. There will be more than 50 exhibitors offering handcrafted works and other gift ideas. Admission is $7.

From 2 to 5 p.m., West Newton Cinema will show a screening of the film Hamnet, a historical drama directed by the Academy Award-winning writer/director Chloé Zhao and based on the novel by Maggie O’Farrell. Following the film, there will be a panel discussion about the film and about Shakespeare’s influence on the arts, featuring Dr. Stephen Greenblatt, John Cogan University Professor of Humanities at Harvard University.

From 2 to 6 p.m., Boston-based nonprofit Ukraine Forward will hold an exhibition and sale of Ukrainian fine arts and handicrafts at the New Art Center, 61 Washington Park, Newton. Artwork includes paintings and graphic art as well as ceramic, wood, and textile objects by artisans in Ukraine and the diaspora. All proceeds will go towards the purchase of battlefield robot rescuers and evacuation vehicles for Ukraine’s frontline defenders.

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You can find more events or submit your own on our Events Page.

And the city has an ongoing list of arts-related events on the Newton Arts Calendar.