Enjoy a Sparkling Christmas in
New York
This dazzling city is even more incredible in December!
Christmas is special, no matter where you spend it, but Christmas in New York is beyond comparison. This already bustling city turns into a wonderland of glittering lights, enticing holiday smells, and amazing music, dance, and theatrical productions.
Rockefeller Center
If you were to follow the tourists that visit New York City during the Christmas season, you'd find that a vast majority of them head towards Rockefeller Center. Of any location in New York, this is the one that truly knows how to Deck the Halls.
Christmas in New York wouldn't be complete without a visit to the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, erected for the first time in 1933. Traditionally, the tree is lighted shortly after the Thanksgiving holiday and remains lit until early January.
Thousands gather to pose in front of the tree, which overlooks the outdoor rink where locals and visitors test their ice skating skills. The stores that line the streets around Rockefeller Center also get into the holiday spirit with elaborate decorations and plenty of Christmas music.
Radio City Music Hall
Just around the corner from Rockefeller Center sits the famous Radio City Music Hall, home of the Rockettes. Radio City's Christmas Spectacular attracts visitors from throughout the world and weekend shows often sell out months in advance.
The theater itself is a New York landmark, strewn with gold leaf and red velvet, with spiral staircases and one of the largest pipe organs in the world. You'll be awed by the precision of the Rockettes, the country's most famous dancers and also a long-time tradition during Christmas in New York.
The Nutcracker
Productions of Tschaikovsky's Nutcracker ballet are a dime a dozen during the Christmas season, but none are quite so fine as George Balanchine's production at the New York City Ballet in Lincoln Center.
The sets in this production are magnificent (wait until you see the 1-ton Christmas tree!), the dancers are among the best in the world, and the venue is spectacular.
South Street Seaport
Regardless of the time of year, South Street Seaport is a delightful place to visit, but beginning at Thanksgiving, this waterfront district comes alive with millions of sparkling lights and the happy sounds of the season.
For about six weeks, choirs and other musical ensembles grace the stages of the seaport and stroll through the shopping areas, putting visitors in the holiday mood.
Concerts
There are literally hundreds of venues for holiday concerts spread throughout the city. Locals and long time visitors know that the music of the city is an integral part of Christmas in New York.
The choices are numerous. You might consider a trip to the awesome Riverside Church for a performance of the Messiah or a chance to attend the Winter Solstice Celebration at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Lincoln Center offers a myriad of fine holiday music concerts. Also, a number of the city's wonderful museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sponsor concerts as part of their holiday offerings.
December in New York
If you plan on visiting New York around the holidays, you'll need to plan far ahead. Tickets are sold out in the blink of an eye, hotels book quickly, and it's even tough to hail a cab.
If you don't like crowds, this is probably not the place for you. Christmas in New York means being willing to deal with large numbers of people, cold weather, and even some short tempers. But it's all worth it, as you view this spectacular city in its best Christmas finery.
Posted by Pat on Saturday, November 19, 2005