Christmas in New York City

Christmas in New York City - Attractions

Many New York City Tourist Attractions are open 365 days per year, although some with limited hours.

Christmas Day may be a great day to try and see some of the more popular attractions as many people will be celebrating the holiday.

Christmas in New York City - Open Attractions
Empire State Building (365 days)
Top of the Rock and most of Rockefeller Center (365 days)
Ground Zero Memorial - 9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (365 days)
CitySights New York City Bus Tours
Times Square - Hershey's Store, M&M Store, Hard Rock Cafe and more.
Central Park - Zoo, Carousel, Wollman Ice Skating Rink
CSI: The Experience! at Discovery Center

Christmas in New York City - Closed Attractions
Statue of Liberty (Open Thanksgiving)
New York Botanical Garden Train Show (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Guggenheim Museum (closed Thursdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day)
Metropolitan Museum of Art (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Jan 1st)
Museum of Modern Art (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
American Museum of Natural History (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)

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Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting

Rockefeller Tree 2009
© Photo by Michelle A. DeBerry

80th Annual Tree Lighting
Tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Ceremony, 7-9 pm

The tree arrives in November, Black Friday and Thanksgiving just passed, the department stores just opened their famous window holiday displays...the week after Thanksgiving represents the true start of Holiday Season in NYC for many New Yorkers.

Read the full NYC Insider Guide to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Christmas Eve New York City Bateaux Dinner Cruise

Check out this upscale and sophisticated all-glass-enclosed European-style Bateaux dining cruise with fine dining and wine, live jazz, stunning views of New York’s skyline and two outdoor strolling decks. Their gourmet 3 course meals include entrée choices of Steak, Salmon, Chicken, Pasta, Pork, Vegetarian. More Info: New York City Bateaux Dinner Cruise

Basic 3-hour dining cruise with 3-course gourmet dinner starts at $178 pp.

Romance on the River Upgrade includes a table for 2, a half-dozen roses, a bottle of champagne and two souvenir champagne flutes. From $235 pp.

First Class Upgrade includes a private first class table, amuse bouche (palate teaser) and a premium open bar. From $246 pp.

Closed Christmas Day. More Info: New York City Bateaux Dinner Cruise or direct at www.bateauxnewyork.com

Rockettes Radio City Vacation

Christmas Vacations

Christmas Dinner Staycation

NYC Holiday Lights Tour

Twilight
Cruise

Harbor Lights Night Cruise

NY Lights
Night Tour

Christmas Holiday Walking Tour in NYC

November 23 - December 30, 2012 -
Thursday through Sunday at 5:30pm.
75 Minutes, Tickets from $20.

On this tour, you'll learn all about the history of Christmas in NYC, our famous lighted trees and Christmas music written in New York. See Holiday displays and store windows, holiday markets, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Saks Fifth Avenue, Cartier’s and, of course, the famous Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Tickets from $20.

More Info: Christmas Holiday Walking Tour in NYC

On this 75-minute tour the noted Christmas Historian Sibyl McCormac Groff, who coined the word Gothamtide, will explain how Christmas became the most important holiday towards the end of the 19th century due to New Yorkers such as Washington Irving, John Pintard, Clement Clark Moore and Thomas Nast. Christmas Holiday Walking Tour in NYC Highlights Include:

• Development of the Christmas tree, lights, cards, gifts and entertainment
• Holiday markets around the town
• History of the lighted trees in the midst of Park Avenue and in front of the Seagrams building
• Holiday displays in and on hotels, department stores and boutiques
• Christmas music written in New York
• Strolling past St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Saks Fifth Avenue and Cartier’s
• The famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center (lit the first week of December)
• More Info: Christmas Holiday Walking Tour in NYC

Ground Zero Memorial on Christmas Day

NYC Freedom Tour by Land and Sea

See the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and the National September 11 Memorial by land and sea on this half-day tour. This comprehensive small-group tour is fully guided and includes transportation by climate-controlled shuttle bus, numerous walking tours, two boat cruises and guaranteed tickets to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum (when open).

More Ground Zero Memorial and Tours

Christmas Dinner in New York City

Turkey Dinner

Some restaurants are open on Christmas in New York City, though not nearly as many as on Thanksgiving. Open restaurants post their Christmas Menus and begin accepting online reservations on OpenTable in late October or early November.

Many restaurants in Little Italy and Chinatown are open as well, though some may not serve traditional Christmas Dinner. More NYC Christmas Dinners.

Half Price Tickets on Christmas Day in New York City

Christmas Half Price Tickets:

- Madame Tussauds New York
- New York Water Taxi Statue by Night Cruise
- The 39 Steps: Alfred Hitchcock's Play
- Ripley's Believe It or Not! Times Square
- Comic Strip Live's Saturday Night Laughs

Stay tuned for more Christmas discounts and also check StubDog for more half price tickets

New York Knicks Basketball vs. Boston Celtics

Catch the home game opener against the Boston Celtics on Christmas Day! The NY Knicks are better than they've been in a long time, thanks to our stars Amar'e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony. Tickets start at just $13, with lots of discount options, and their games are the easiest sporting event in NYC to attend. Madison Square Garden, the World's Most Famous Arena, is right in Penn Station, accessible by almost any subway and just two blocks from the Empire State Building. Go NYC style with cheap seats, fast paced sports action, hot dogs and beer and check out the New York Knicks Tickets, Schedule and Directions today!

Christmas in New York City - All Shows

Broadway and other NYC shows are hit or miss on Christmas. In prior years, some Broadway Shows have performed, the Rockettes always have multiple shows and other shows are open around the city.

Christmas in New York City - Open Shows
Billy Elliot(7pm)
Chicago (8pm)
Follies (3pm)
Godspell (3pm and 8pm)
Jersey Boys (7pm)
Mamma Mia! (7pm)
Memphis (7pm)
Million Dollar Quartet (7pm)
Phantom of the Opera (7pm)
Priscilla Queen of the Desert (7:30pm)
Rock of Ages (7pm)
Sister Act (5pm)

Radio City Christmas Spectacular, with the Rockettes
Big Apple Circus (12:30 and 4:30 pm Performances)

Note: Most Shows are Open Christmas Eve Day 12/24/11 for matinée shows.

Christmas in New York City - Closed Shows

Mary Poppins, Addams Family, Wicked, Lion King, Book of Mormon, Spiderman Turn Off the Dark, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Anything Goes, Rock of Ages, Relatively Speaking, Other Desert Cities
Full Christmas Week Broadway Calendar
The Nutcracker Ballet at Lincoln Center (2011 update in progress)

Check back soon for more information or follow NYC Insider Guide:

Christmas in New York City - Ice Skating

For tourists and locals alike, ice skating at Central Park, Rockefeller Center and Bryant Park is a classic New York winter experience.

We also have several other Ice Skating Rinks around the city and into the boroughs.

Here are the details for Ice Skating in New York City, including rates and dates plus NYC Insider Tips for discounts and coupons.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at Bryant Park

November 29, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012

The 2011 Citi Pond at Bryant Park tree lighting features Grammy Award–winning singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. Joining McLachlan are performances from hit Broadways Musicals, breathtaking routines from Olympic Skaters, awe-inspiring synchronized skating routines and more! The 50-foot tree has more than 3,000 ornaments and tens of thousands of lights. Don't forget to browse through the amazing Bryant Park Holiday gift fair and take a spin on their FREE Ice Rink. More Info: Bryant Park Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with Sarah McLachlan.

More Christmas in New York City Events Coming Soon

Christmas in New York

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