The Most Festive Christmas Things To Do in NYC
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and you’ve got lots of Christmas things to do in NYC! To get the most out of your merriment, we’ve got a ho-ho-whole lot of ideas for you! We made a list, we checked it twice, and we rounded up the most fun Christmas things to do in NYC!
Ice Skating
Whether you’re Kristi Yamaguchi or a total beginner, strapping on some skates and taking a spin around a rink is one of the most classic Christmas things to do in NYC. With plenty of rinks to choose from all over town, the view - and the vibe - is up to you! Will you go for the classic skate at Rockefeller Center, beneath America’s Christmas Tree? Or the more spacious Central Park Wollman Rink? Bryant Park’s Winter Village is the budget-friendly option: skating is free (check here for times and info about skate rental). For a spin around the ice with a side of skyline views, check out Roebling Rink in Brooklyn Bridge Park!
Christmas Markets
One of my favorite Christmas things to do in NYC is visit the Winter Village at Bryant Park. I find the best, most unique gifts at the Holiday Shops, and some of my favorite food vendors at the food stalls! The Union Square Holiday Market was named the Best Holiday Market in America in 2023, and at least once a year, I find that “they’re gonna flip out when they open this” gift made by one of the creative artisans. At the southwest corner of Central Park is the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, a newer addition to the NYC holiday market scene. While you’re snapping pics of the annual Macy’s holiday window display, swing by the Macy’s Holiday Square! Too chilly for outdoor markets? Swing by Grand Central Terminal for their Holiday Fair, located in Vanderbilt Hall - just a short walk away from the Holiday train display inside the Transit Museum outpost inside the GCT (another holiday must-see of mine!)
Christmas Bars
‘Tis the season to eat, drink, and be merry! While you’re ticking Christmas things to do in NYC off your list, make time to gather with friends and raise a glass at one of NYC’s opulently and festively adorned bars! Lillie’s Victorian Establishment (Union Square location) goes baubles-to-the-wall in Victorian style to capture the Dickensian holiday spirit! Be sure to book in advance for Jingle Jangle at The Dead Rabbit (FiDi), a three-story kitschy vintage Christmas experience! Rolf’s German Restaurant (Gramercy) has established itself as the most festive restaurant in NYC, not only will you want to book ahead, you’ll wanna take lots of pictures! Nobody paints the town red like Pete’s Tavern (NoMad), with their vibrant glowing lights display above the bar. Any of these spots will help you put the “spirit” in “holiday spirit”!
The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular
What could be more New York, and what could be more Christmassy, than the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall? The first Christmas Spectacular hit the Radio City Music Hall stage in 1933, and almost a hundred years later, the show continues to grow in spectacularity! If that’s not a word, it needs to be one, because none other can describe this show. Though it’s changed through the years, the beloved “Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” marches on, as does the “Living Nativity” - yes, the one that features live animals on stage!
New York Cultural Institutions Celebrate the Holidays
Every year, I visit the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Christmas Tree and Neopolitan Baroque Crèche, adorned with antique angels. It’s a favorite of mine every year, along with a mandatory visit to the American Museum of Natural History to see that year’s Origami Tree, festooned with over 1,000 folded paper creatures following the annual theme (for 2025, it’s “New Beginnings”). Lightscape at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden returns once again, to light up the night with wonder and awe. For those who want a calmer, more nostalgic holiday activity, The New York Botanic Garden annual Holiday Train Show even offers sensory-friendly mornings for quiet enjoyment of the model train exhibit with less overwhelm.
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
Finally, my absolute favorite holiday tradition - and my personal Number One Must-Do of all the Christmas things to do in NYC - the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights! The neighborhood’s tradition of decorating every available inch of their homes with lights, inflatables, and projections was started over 30 years ago by Lucy Spata, resident of 84th Street. For me, it just isn’t Christmas unless I’ve bundled up and made the trek out to Dyker Heights. For those with a sweet tooth looking to start the tradition, you can borrow mine: first, stop in at Tasty Pastry Shoppe on your walk over from the D train for a cup of hot chocolate and a box of cookies to munch as you peruse the neighborhood (don’t sleep on those pecan sandies)! Then, on your way BACK to the D train, go BACK to Tasty Pastry Shoppe for treats to last the ride home!
Rockefeller Center & Fifth Avenue Windows
Kevin McCallister knows what’s up: the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is the true meaning of Christmas in NYC. Erik Pauze is the man behind the magic: he starts scouting Norway Spruces years in advance to see if they could fit the bill for America’s Christmas tree. After the holiday season, after it has appeared in thousands of tree-selfies from locals and visitors alike, the tree is donated to Habitat for Humanity and its lumber is used to build homes for those in need. As if we needed another reason to love the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree! My hot tip is to visit the tree by taking a stroll down Fifth Avenue, past the annual stunning window displays and decorations up and down the commercial center.
So don ye now your festive (and warm) apparel and check out some of these Christmas things to do in NYC! From the food, to the festivities, to the fun, guaranteed to make even the Grinchiest heart grow three times in size!
