Top 10 Things To Do in NYC For The Christmas Holiday

Other posts by MudslideMama

Christmas in New York. Isn’t it romantic? The city is (hopefully) covered with a blanket of snow, the ice skating rinks are open, and Xmas lights twinkle everywhere to add to the festive mood. I didn’t appreciate the season in NYC until I moved across the country – isn’t that always the way? – but now I look back with fond memories at the wonderful activities and things to see and do in New York City during the Christmas holidays. Here, in no particular order, are the top 10 things to do in the city for the winter holiday season.

Top 10 Things To Do in NYC for the Christmas Holiday

1. For the first time ever, this year UNICEF will have a lighting ceremony for their Snowflake on 5th Avenue. An Evening at the UNICEF Snowflake will run Fridays from November 19 to January 16, at 6 p.m. This will become an annual event. Travelers spending their Christmas holiday in New York City can join in with other tourists and New Yorkers for hot chocolate and cookies (snowflake shaped, of course!) while listening to live music.

2. Every day after Thanksgiving and up until Christmas, Santa Claus is at Macy’s in Herald Square. Anyone who’s seen that old movie, Miracle on 34th Street knows that Santa indeed lives at Macy’s. The lines may be long, but he’s considered the best Santa in NYC.

3. Stroll around 5th Avenue, and admire the famous, elaborately designed window displays. Department stores like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Macy’s, Barneys, and Bloomingdale’s participate in this visual fun.

4. Everyone can afford tickets to see Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. It’s performed by the New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center, and tickets range from a mere $10 to a splurge-worthy $215. This show is only around during the Xmas holiday season, and is iconic of Christmas in the city. Cute little children scurry and dance, the toy soldiers march, and a huge one-ton Christmas tree make for a wonderful show.

5. While we’re on the topic of traditional winter holiday shows in New York, the world famous Radio City Rockettes have been performing their Radio City Christmas Spectacular for over 75 years (with different actual Rockettes, needless to say). This year, The Rockettes kick in unison until December 30, and tickets range from $40 to $250. Anyone visiting NYC in the winter should consider trying to budget in seeing Christmas Spectacular.

6. Cirque du Soleil returns to the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden, to perform their amazing acrobatic feats in otherworldly settings. The show Wintuk, a winter story about a boy’s search for snow, will be playing through January 4 on the New Year. Tickets range from $40 to $220.

7. The Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle has its annual “Under the Stars” light show, and (fake) snow falling in its entranceway. This show and experience is every weekend evening until January 2; good thing, too, since there isn’t always real snow in NYC for Christmas.

8. The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is the biggest in the city, and the annual tree lighting is nationally broadcast. The lighting is always at the beginning of December – this year it’s December 3 – and it stays lit through the first week of January.

9. Why not treat yourself and your family to a touch of class during your Christmas holiday in NYC? The Four Seasons Hotel New York has a 24-foot tall tree – one of, if not the city’s largest indoor Xmas trees – right in the hotel’s Grand Lobby. Every day until December 28, visitors can enjoy a Holiday High Tea with a great view of the festive, majestic tree done up in Christmas glory. This rather sophisticated experience is $55 for adults and $30 for kids, from 3PM to 5PM. The price is hefty, I know. But dressing up for the High Tea and making a big, formal deal out of the activity is a memorable experience for those “Eloise at the Plaza” fans.

10. Those ticket prices are a bit steep, even for the budget of a Christmas vacation in New York City. The ice skating rink at Rockefeller Center is cheap (skate rentals are less than $20), and very child-friendly. In fact, there are so many kids skating – and falling – at the Rink at Rockefeller Center, that it might irk someone who really wants to get some unobstructed skating in. The Rink is smaller than it looks on TV, and crowded. Wollman in Central Park is a bit less touristy, without loud music, and in a bucolic (for NYC) setting. There are also ice skating rinks at Chelsea Piers and Bryant Park.

There are many terrific things to do in NYC for the Christmas holiday, some classy and pricey, some cheap and even free. No matter which of these Top 10 things you choose to do, a winter vacation in New York City makes for memories to last a lifetime. Don’t forget to stop by Rockefeller Center to admire the Xmas Tree!

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December 2, 2008 | Filed Under Budget Travel, Destinations, Family Travel, Girlfriend Getaways, Mama Interviews, Travel Gear, Travel News 

Comments

26 Responses to “Top 10 Things To Do in NYC For The Christmas Holiday”

  1. MetroCard says:
    December 2, 2008 at

    Very informative. I’d like to add some extra information about the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I work for New York City Transit and we’re partnering with the Christmas Spectacular to offer a MetroCard Deal. From now to December 30, your MetroCard saves you $10 on select performances to the show. There are three ways to get the discount. Visit radiocitychristmas.com and enter the code “NYCT.” Call ticketmaster and mention code “NYCT. Or, show your MetroCard at the Radio City or Madison Square Garden box office or any ticketmaster outlet when you purchase your tickets. Hope this helps you budget your trip. Enjoy NYC!

  2. MountainMama says:
    December 2, 2008 at

    I can vouch for the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Saw it w/ my mom and my 8-year-old last week. Phenomenal precision dancing from the Rockettes. Fun high-tech displays (3D glasses; they didn’t have that when I went as a kid 30 years ago!) and even ice skaters on real ice on stage. I loved the flashback timeline photos. Amazing history, beautiful theatre. Wish we’d had time for Cirque du Soleil’s Wintuk – I love their acrobatics.

  3. Best Affordable Hotel in New York City: Affinia 50 says:
    December 3, 2008 at

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  4. MudslideMama says:
    December 3, 2008 at

    Tonight – December 3, at 8:00 PM EST, the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center will be lit! I’m listening to Al Roker talk about it right now on a morning show.

  5. Kim says:
    December 3, 2008 at

    Before we left for NYC for a week, I read “A Cricket in Times Square” by George Selden to the kids. I didn’t know how perfect a book it was to read to them until we arrived and it felt like we went through the Times Square station (where the story takes place) almost daily. It provided a conversation point over and over again imagining which newspaper stand the cricket lived at and searching for the characters as we walked through the station. It provided a much needed distraction as we scrambled from one subway to another.

  6. santa baby movie says:
    December 4, 2008 at

    The

  7. Jill Florio says:
    December 5, 2008 at

    It’s been quite a while since I’ve had an Xmas in NY. I do remember that the lights, the setting, the spirit is more christmassy than any other place I have been.

  8. 10 Cose da Fare a New York nel Periodo di Natale says:
    December 13, 2008 at

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  9. Heather S says:
    December 17, 2008 at

    I think the Radio City Spectacular would be great to see.

  10. Carnival of Cities for 17 Dec 2008 | Family Travel Guide says:
    December 17, 2008 at

    [...] York City, New York, USA Jennifer Miner presents Top 10 Things to Do in NYC for the Christmas Holiday posted at the Traveling [...]

  11. steph says:
    December 19, 2008 at

    is there any chance of getting a night tour to see the lights in nyc on christmas day?

  12. MudslideMama says:
    December 19, 2008 at

    Hi Steph,

    I’ve never done this, so I can’t speak from experience, but the New York Party Shuttle seems to have night tours that at least come close to your request. Here is their website: http://www.newyorkpartyshuttle.com/christmas-lights-in-new-york-city/

    Hope you have a great NYC Christmas!

  13. Ernest Wong says:
    December 28, 2008 at

    I had tried the high tea at the Four Seasons and it was worth it!

  14. Nechama Drillick says:
    January 6, 2009 at

    LoVer East Side offers some fabulous tours of the Lower East Side for adults and kids alike.If you think you’ve seen everything there is to see in the city,think again.
    They are offering a cheapie $9 tour on Jan. 18.

    Check them out at this link:
    https://www.zerve.com/Timeline/LESTour/rating

  15. AJG says:
    January 10, 2009 at

    As a longtime resident of the “Big Apple” there is almost an unlimited number of special things to do at Christmas (although it has already passed — this can be done next year).

    Among my favorites is to view the beautifully and often theatrically arranged windows at the major department stores — including especially Bergdorf’s, Saks, and the lovely little portals at Tiffany’s.

    Another “must” if possible is to catch the “Nutcracker” performance at Lincoln Center. It is not only a beautifully composed piece of music but an equally lovely ballet — and to add to the Christmas spirit the audience is mostly filled with children who delight at the Christmas story and characters.

    In addition to the above, of course their are the carriage rides in the snow thru Central Park, ice skating at Rockefeller Center (and viewing the tree — impossible to miss), visiting beautifully adorned churches irrespective of your denomination, high tea at the Plaza, and too many other activities and “must dos” to mention here.

    Imagination is the only limitation during Christmas in New York…

  16. Guam-Hotel.Net » Blog Archive » Is This The Worst Hotel in New York City? says:
    February 4, 2009 at

    [...] is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, and for good reasons; the winter holidays, fast-paced culture, Broadway, and museums both famous and funky. A lot of Americans can trace their [...]

  17. Alexandra says:
    February 16, 2009 at

    I’m thinking of going to New York for christmas in 2010, good informative information!

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    March 5, 2009 at

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  19. Kat says:
    May 30, 2009 at

    Thankyou for all the info. I will be heading over from Western Australia, for one main reason…… to have a cold christmas (unlike my traditional very hot christmas), and ice skate on christmas day :)

  20. Kat says:
    May 30, 2009 at

    Thankyou for all the info. I will be heading over from Western Australia, this christmas, 2009, for one main reason…… to have a cold christmas (unlike my traditional very hot christmas), and ice skate on christmas day :)

  21. Sean says:
    September 23, 2009 at

    Thanks for the very informative information, heading over to N.Y. from DUBLIN Ireland for christmas really lookin foward to the experience and cant wait to soak up the Christmas atmosphere of New York…..

  22. Isabel says:
    October 1, 2009 at

    Christmas in NY is magical and hectic, and I love it! Living close I make it into the city often, but Christmas in New York—the shopping, the crowded streets the smell of chestnuts, it is wonderful and exhausting! If your in NY and you need some quite time I suggest Central Park. It’s truly is a MAN-MADE wonder! There is a huge skating rink open day & nite & a zoo near the Plaza Hotel, a castle, trails, a carosel, walking tours and just plain old people watching. I love Central Park!

  23. tina says:
    October 26, 2009 at

    I liked the Top of the Rock at Rockafeller Center. It’s clean and shiny Swaravski crystal. Beautiful view of the city.

  24. Noel says:
    October 30, 2009 at

    I am planning on going to new york for christmas in 2010, what is a good hotel to stay at?

  25. Jeannie says:
    October 31, 2009 at

    We would like to spend Christmas eve and christmas day in NY. In that limited time what do you suggest we do to make our Christmas a special one?

  26. susan casadei says:
    November 6, 2009 at

    Our family is staying at the Afinia Manhattan in December, 2009. Any infor regarding events for children and teens and great traditional places to eat would be helpful. Thanks.

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