Insider Tips on Christmas in NYC
Christmas in New York City is magical. The Rockefeller Tree, glamorous store window displays and holiday lights everywhere you look bring the most amazing city and landmarks in the world to a whole new level.
Christmas in NYC Events & Things to Do
- Special Christmas Holiday NYC Tours
- Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting
- Rockettes Radio City Christmas Spectacular
- New York City Holiday Lights Tours
- Cocoa & Carols Holiday Cruise
- Nutcracker Ballet
- Cirque du Soleil ‘Twas the Night Before
- The RIDE Holiday Bus Tour
- NY Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show
- Central Park Holiday Tree Lighting
- Bryant Park Holiday Tree Lighting
- Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square
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Special Christmas Holiday NYC Tours
All year round, New York City offers fabulous tours of all kinds, but there is nothing on the planet like New York City during the winter holidays, when the entire City just sparkles.
These special tours are offered on Christmas Eve and/or Day.
Special Holiday Tours Open on Christmas Eve and/or Day
- Christmas Lights in Dyker Heights Brooklyn (Open Dec 24, 25)
- See More: Christmas Day & Eve Dinner Cruises
More Holiday NYC Tours
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Holiday and Christmas Cruise Specials
NYC Insider Best Sellers every Holiday Season!!!! Classic Harbor cruises has some holiday treats just for YOU!!! Their upscale cruise line offers dozens of NYC Holiday Cruises, like Cocoa & Carols, Holiday Jazz, Holiday Brunch, Holiday Wine Tasting, New Year's and many more, all year round.
These cruises SELL OUT QUICKLY, so make sure to head over to: Classic Harbor Holiday Cruises to book your sail around Manhattan.
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Where to Stay in New York City in December
December is the perfect time to watch the world's most famous ball drop at midnight from your own New Year's Eve NYC Hotel, check into one of our hotels near Rockefeller Center (Rockettes at Radio City, Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, Ice Skating) or near Central Park for more iconic Ice Skating.
Best Hotels Near Rockefeller Center
Some of our top value picks near Rockefeller Center include:
- The Jewel facing Rockefeller Center - great value and location. My NY high school classmates stayed here for our reunion
- Radisson Hotel Midtown-Fifth Avenue - rebranded and reopened in August 2019, some suites & kitchens.
- 3 West Club - consistently receives excellent reviews, especially the location and value for the price.
- Radio City Apartments - a NYC Insider Guide Favorite
See the Insider Guide for dozens more Hotels Near Rockefeller Center. Rockefeller Center runs from 47th - 50th Streets, between 5th and 6th Aves. Download our free neighborhood maps at Midtown East Hotels and Midtown West Hotels
Best New Years Eve NYC Hotels
If watching the world's most famous ball drop at midnight from your own New Year's Eve NYC Hotel is on your bucket list, then don't miss your chance to reserve a special NYE package in NYC. Some of our favorites include:
- New York Marriott Marquis - rooms with Ball Drop views, multiple parties in hotel
- Casablanca Hotel Times Square - champagne on the rooftop close enough to "touch" the ball
- DoubleTree Suites by Hilton - special hotel access to Times Square all night and to watch ball drop
See More: Best New Years Eve NYC Hotels
Central Park NY Hotels
These are NYC Insider hand picked hotels that are not just "near" Central Park, as most NYC hotels claim to be...but on the Park itself, either Central Park South, Central Park West or Fifth Ave. Many other hotels are nearby, or within a few blocks, but these are the closest, and all offer Park views from select rooms.
Some of our top value picks near Central Park include:
See the Insider Guide for dozens more Central Park NY Hotels and download our free Central Park map at Central Park NY Guide
NYC Hotels Best Holiday Decorations
Ready to have your own private winter wonderland during your NYC stay? Holiday Trees, Twinkling Lights, Santa's Mailbox, Menorahs and more.
- Lotte New York Palace - “Beautifully decorated for the holiday season” (photo)
- The NoMad Hotel - "calm oasis in midtown NYC with perfect lighting, comfortable velvet seating and a festive Christmas tree"
- Club Wyndham Midtown 45 - The "Elf" Suite inspired by the classic holiday film is like “Sleeping inside a Christmas card”
See More: NYC Hotels Best Holiday Decorations
New York City Christmas Eve & Day Dinner Cruise
- Christmas Eve Brunch Cruise (12pm – 2:30pm) – Enjoy Christmas Eve with bottomless mimosas and sights of New York’s most popular attractions from the water on this brunch cruise. Along with a delicious brunch buffet of savory items and desserts, you can relax to the sound of jazz music played by a live band. During your cruise, keep your eyes peeled for the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, the Woolworth Building, and the Empire State Building.
- Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise by World Yacht (7-9 pm) – Enjoy an elegant, plated four-course meal at a private table aboard an elegant yacht with panoramic windows and an outdoor observation deck. Stroll along the outdoor decks to take in the New York scenery and revel in three hours of good food, music, cocktails and memories with family and friends.
- Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise with Santa – (5:30-8:30pm) Hornblower Santa’s Christmas Eve Dinner Cruise, offers families the perfect opportunity to spend time with St. Nick before he has to rush off to deliver gifts to children the world over. (All Ages).
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Christmas in New York City Open 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)
- 9-11 Memorial (7:30am – 9pm) and 9-11 Memorial Museum (9am – 9pm)
- Madame Tussauds Wax Museum (365 days)
- New York City Bus Tours
- Times Square – Hershey’s Store, M&M Store, Hard Rock Cafe, most stores and most restaurants.
- Central Park – Zoo, Carousel, Wollman Ice Skating Rink
See Also : Christmas in New York City – Closed Attractions
Which is the BEST New York City Discount Pass?
Christmas in New York City is a great time to visit the 9-11 Memorial and Museum, Empire State Building, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, take a New York City Bus Tour and much more! The New York City Pass Discounts are a GREAT way to save if you plan on seeing a lot of attractions in a short time!
Save with a New York City Attractions Pass
Want to find the BEST NYC Attractions Pass for your trip? Compare All NYC Passes - Download our FREE side by side Comparison Chart.
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Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting 2021
Our best guess is that will be Wednesday, December 1, 2021, as it is almost always the Wednesday after Thanksgiving.
Dec 1, 2021 - early January (pending confirmation)
2020: Dec 3, 2020 - Jan 2, 2021
Ceremony, 7-9 pm
The Rockefeller Christmas Tree Lighting is a highlight of every winter in NYC. The unlit tree arrives in November, and after Black Friday and Thanksgiving, the department stores open their famous window holiday displays.But, it is the week after Thanksgiving that represents the true start of Holiday Season in NYC for many New Yorkers.
Check the full NYC Insider Guide to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting and this December 1st, Exclusive Insider’s Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting Gala (only book for Dec 1, no other dates).
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Christmas Shows in New York City
Christmas is a great day to find excellent tickets for a Broadway or Off Broadway show in New York City! 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 Shows:
- Rockettes – 12/24 @ 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm & 12/25 @ 2pm, 5pm, 8pm, 10pm
- Nutcracker Ballet – 12/24 @ 1pm & 5pm
Christmas Shows in New York City Schedule
Christmas Eve Shows in NYC
Christmas Day Shows in NYC
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Christmas Spectacular Starring the Rockettes 2021
On Sale Now: November 5, 2021 - January 2, 2022
Daily @ 11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm (some variations)
- Great Tickets: Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes
- Insider Guide: Rockettes and Radio City Music Hall Guide
With up to 5 shows per day on weekends, the Rockettes are a tradition during the NYC Holiday Season for more than 75 years. Don’t miss the signature eye-high kicks, precision choreography and exciting, show-stopping numbers – including one with Santa.
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Christmas Basketball!
December 25, 2021, 12:00pm @ MSG
Watching the Knicks at MSG on Christmas Day (or sometimes Christmas Eve) is a really fun NY Tradition! The game always has a great crowd, awesome food choices and some holiday fun for those who participate!
More Info:
- NY Knicks vs Atlanta Hawks 12/25 @ 12pm
- New York Knicks Schedule and Guide
- Madison Square Garden Guide
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NYC Store Holiday Window Displays
Mid-November through Dec/Jan
NYC’s famous and smaller store windows during the holidays are a must-see! Most stores reveal their displays in mid-November, the week before Thanksgiving and some of the best windows are Barney’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany & Co., but there are plenty more all around the city.
You can check this great list of NYC themed holiday windows, explore them with a guided Holiday Lights Tours or check out this New York Holiday Markets and Christmas Lights Tour
Holiday Markets in NYC
Explore the top holiday markets in NYC, sip hot cocoa, ice skate and shop your way through our fantastic holiday bazaars, featuring unique artisan gifts for the whole family. We review Grand Central Holiday Market, Union Square Holiday Market, Shops at Winter Village Bryant Park, flea markets, Holiday Markets Shopping Tours and more.
Cross off your holiday shopping list with our full season Guide to Holiday Markets in NYC
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Macy’s Santaland NYC
November 29 – December 24, 2019 (7am-9pm, hours vary)
Online Reservations Open November 25th
Macy’s 34th Street, 8th Floor
Santa kicks off the holiday season the day after the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and gladly welcomes your children for a photo opp through Christmas Eve. Santaland is home to a 13,000-square-foot Christmas Village, which is like an amusement park ride or tour – there’s no quick way through it and you’ll have to go with the crowds. However, new in 2019, offers a Santa Express Lane Pass on weekends. You’ll still be waiting a while, but it’s a local and tourist favorite during the holiday season.
More Info: Macy’s Santaland
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Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square
December 2, 2021
Winter’s Eve kicks off with a neighborhood tree lighting ceremony and features free entertainment, food tastings, in-store activities and shopping around and about this colorful and vibrant neighborhood.
Stores, restaurants, cultural organizations and public spaces in the district will be buzzing with activities for both children and adults. At the same time, sidewalks along Broadway from Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle to 68th Street will be alive with performers, street musicians, jugglers, stilt-walkers and more, making for a festive fun-filled stroll through the streets of this dynamic Upper West Side neighborhood. More on Annual Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square.
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Bryant Park Christmas Tree Lighting
December 5, 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm
Winter Village at Bryant Park will kick off the holiday season with a live countdown and ceremonious lighting of its iconic Holiday Tree.
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. 2019 Details to be announced soon.
2018 Info: This free-to-the-public Tree Lighting Skate-tacular narrated by Tony Award winning, Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated actress, Jane Krakowski (30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), will feature a stellar line up of live performances from Olympic and World Champion skaters including Johnny Weir, Kimmie Meissner, Meryl Davis, Charlie White and Jeff Buttle, followed by ice skating for all.
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Central Park Holiday Lighting
December 5, 2019
Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, inside the Park at 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues
5:30 – 6:30 – Photos with Santa
6:00 – 6:30 – Caroling and Lighting Ceremony
Celebrate the season at Central Park’s 23rd Annual Holiday Lighting. Meet Santa and friends, watch a live ice carving demonstration, sing carols on the Plaza, and warm up with hot cocoa and cookies. The event concludes with lighting a flotilla of trees on the Harlem Meer.
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Christmas Holiday Tours Dyker Heights Brooklyn
There are dozens of walking and bus tours that highlight the festive homes of Dyker Heights, the Italian-American section of Brooklyn made famous in the PBS documentary “Dyker Lights” and seen on TLC’s “Crazy Christmas Lights.” You’ll also visit the festive homes in the Bay Ridge and Bensonhurst sections of Brooklyn.
More Info: Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour
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Christmas Dinner in New York City
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 for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 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.
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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 outer boroughs.
Here are the details for Ice Skating in New York City, including rates and dates plus NYC Insider Tips for discounts and coupons.
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Christmas in New York City Photos
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More Christmas in New York City Events Coming Soon
Christmas in New York
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 Thanksgiving, and Christmas )
- Metropolitan Museum of Art (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Jan 1st)
- Museum of Modern Art (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
- Whitney Museum (Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day)
- American Museum of Natural History (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
- Ground Zero Museum Workshop (closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
- Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)
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I am looking for places to listen to Christmas Carols on Monday December 23.
Hi Audrey:
I’m unfamiliar with the Christmas Carol scene outside of the Cocoa and Carols Holiday Cruises listed on this page. https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/christmas-in-new-york-city
If you’d like customized travel planning, where we can research exactly what you want to do on your specific dates, please check our services.
https://www.nycinsiderguide.com/new-york-travel-planning