Christmas in New York City is one of the best times to be here. Regardless of whether or not you celebrate or how you do so, there’s a cheer in the cooling air that’s accessible to everyone on the premises. Locals are happier, and more welcoming of tourists, despite the cold. The lights are brighter but also more tasteful than ever, what with the myriad window displays luring shoppers like moths to the flame. Whether you’ve come to the city expressly to experience the season, or you’ve found yourself here by coincidence and good fortune, there’s much to do and see.
Below, our New York City editors past and present have weighed in on a few of their favorite things to do during Christmas in New York. There are the obvious classics—Rockefeller Center, the Wollman Ice Rink in Central Park—that will require you to face throngs of fellow revelers. But other spots won’t be as busy thanks to the general clearing out of New Yorkers that happens during the holidays. You have better odds at the best restaurants with the most elusive tables, for example, this time of year, and the streets of usually-overrun neighborhoods like the West Village will quiet and thereby become all the more charming. Read on for the full mix.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Alex Erdekian.
