Things to Do in New York in December: Christmas Guide

New York in December is one of the best places in the world to be. From late November on, the magic of Christmas takes over New York. It sounds like a cliché, but I mean it 😉.

On those days it takes no effort to picture Macaulay Culkin hugging the Pigeon Lady on the Gapstow Bridge in Central Park, or Will Ferrell in his elf suit scampering around Rockefeller Center.

It's one of the best times of year to visit the city, as long as you bundle up properly, because it gets seriously cold!

In a moment I'll walk you through the biggest New York events in December and the places you shouldn't miss:

What to Do in New York in December?

In December you definitely feel the New York winter, but it's manageable with a good coat and, above all, thanks to the warmth of the holiday atmosphere and the hot cider they sell at the Christmas markets.

If you're lucky you'll see it snow and get a white Christmas, though thanks to climate change nobody can promise snow anymore 😩.

Keep in mind that New York in December fills up with tourists, since it's high season. That's why it's important to book your hotel well in advance to find better deals (take a look at these centrally located hotels in very festive neighborhoods, perfect for this time of year).

On December 24 the stores are open, but on the 25th almost everything closes. Many New York museums and most attractions are closed on Christmas Day too.

Check the hours carefully before heading anywhere. Remember that in the guide to New York attractions I give you up-to-date details for visiting each place.

Here are the plans, events and activities to enjoy New York in December:

1. See the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

One of the first things to do in New York in December is head to that Manhattan icon: the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.

This huge spruce towers over the most famous ice skating rink in New York (and one of the priciest, so if you want to skate, check out other rinks).

From Rockefeller Center, walk up Fifth Avenue toward Central Park and soak in the lights and the holiday buzz.

2. Go Ice Skating in December in New York

By December, all the ice skating rinks in New York are open.

For New Yorkers it's one of the favorite activities of the season, and the rinks become the heart of the end-of-year festivities.

Even if you don't know how to skate, go anyway for the atmosphere. There are seats around the rinks and it's a treat to watch families teaching the little ones or couples practicing.

3. See the Rockettes Show at Radio City Music Hall

Since 1933, Radio City Music Hall has staged the Rockettes musical: the Christmas Spectacular.

It's a holiday show starring the famous New York Rockettes, a precision dance company that dates back to the 1930s.

It's a symbol of Christmas in New York, with performances all December long that sell out fast, so I'd recommend buying tickets to the show ahead of time. Note that they go on sale as early as June and several performances are already sold out.

4. Ask Santa Claus for Presents at Macy's

If you're traveling to New York with kids, or you just want to see Santa Claus, you have to visit Santaland at the flagship of the famous department store Macy's, Macy's Herald Square (151 W 34th Street).

The 8th floor of Macy's turns into a version of the North Pole, with a set that includes elves, reindeer, trains, Mrs. Claus and Santa Claus himself, waiting to hear your wishes.

Santaland opens the day after the Thanksgiving Day Parade and closes on December 24. The closer it gets to Christmas Day, the longer the lines. I'd recommend getting there very early.

Visiting Santaland at Macy's is free.

5. See Christmas Decorations and Lights in New York

If you want the full Christmas-in-New-York experience, you have to take in the lights and holiday decorations.

By late November in New York, most of the Christmas lights are already on. Walking down Fifth Avenue from Central Park toward Lower Manhattan feels like being an extra in a movie.

Every corner of New York gets decked out to welcome Santa, but there are a few spots you shouldn't miss:

🎄The holiday decorations at Rockefeller Center are the most famous in Manhattan. Besides the famous tree at Rockefeller Plaza, go see the tree on the roof of Radio City Music Hall.

❄️ In December 2024 a giant snowflake was installed on Fifth Avenue, between 58th and 59th Streets. It has 16,500 crystals, stands 30 feet tall and weighs 5,500 pounds. We'll see if it goes up again.

🌟 The Hudson Yards neighborhood lights up with more than two million lights, including the holiday decoration of the famous Vessel.

If you want to keep hunting down the best end-of-year light displays in New York, check out the article on what to do at Christmas in NYC.

6. Photograph the Holiday Window Displays at the Big Stores

Here are 4 classic Manhattan stores with fabulous Christmas window displays (listed north to south so you can visit them efficiently).

Bloomingdale's

📍Address: Lexington Avenue, near 59th Street.

Bergdorf Goodman

📍Address: Fifth Avenue between 57th and 58th Streets.

Saks Fifth Avenue

📍Address: Fifth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets.

Macy's

📍Address: Broadway at 34th Street.

7. Houses Decked Out in Lights in New York

If you have more time, you can visit Dyker Heights, a Brooklyn neighborhood famous for the way neighbors compete to cover their houses in Christmas lights and decorations, just like in the movies.

You'll see everything there, from elegantly decorated homes to others loaded up with lights, balloons and figures from Christmases past, present and future. Seriously, some houses are so over the top that the sheer kitsch alone makes the trip worth it 😉

8. Christmas Markets

Another December classic in New York is making the rounds of the Christmas markets.

You'll find lovely gifts to take home, you can sip warm cider, hear carols and soak up that movie-scene Christmas feeling.

9. Visit New York Toy Stores

Christmas is the ideal time to tour the city's most famous toy stores (especially if you're traveling to New York with kids).

The standout is FAO Schwarz, home of the piano from the movie Big (1988) starring Tom Hanks.

You won't be visiting the store from the movie since it closed, but another location reopened at Rockefeller Center, and they say it's the biggest toy store in New York.

While you're at Rockefeller Center, stop by the Lego Store (650 5th Avenue). Even if you're not traveling with kids, come on, everybody loves Legos!

10. The Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show

Another great holiday activity if you're traveling with kids is the holiday train show (the Holiday Train Show) at the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. This beautiful annual event opens the second week of November and runs through mid-January of the following year.

There are half a mile of toy train tracks winding past 200 scale models of New York landmarks, built entirely from leaves, twigs and seeds gathered in the garden.

It runs from the last week of November through mid-January, Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, at the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory inside the garden.

Tickets run up to $35 for adults and $15 for kids (weekdays are cheaper). Worth every penny.

11. New Year's in New York

If you're spending December 31 in New York, there's something for every taste.

Read what to do on New Year's Eve in New York.

12. After-holiday sales

December 26 and January 2 kick off the «after holiday» sale and clearance season. Read where to shop in NYC so you can map out your shopping route.

Any other day, you can shop at Woodbury Common Outlets, the mall just outside New York with year-round deals on top brands.

13. Basketball season

Basketball season in New York (the NBA) keeps rolling through December.

Buy your tickets online and in advance for New York Knicks games, because the cheapest seats sell out fast.

Another option is grabbing Brooklyn Nets tickets, New York's other NBA team.

Tickets start at $60.

14. Free Spanish-language tours of New York

I recommend taking the free Spanish-language tours in New York. They're short guided walking tours where it's customary to tip the guide based on how much you enjoyed the walk 😀.

You can do all of the free tours if you plan well! The key is booking your spot early, since they fill up fast:

🏙️ Free tour of Downtown Manhattan

🇮🇹 Free tour of Chinatown and Little Italy

🏢 Free tour of Manhattan's Village

🎨 Brooklyn graffiti tour

15. See a Broadway musical in New York in December

No trip to New York is complete without seeing a Broadway show, and you'll love the heated theaters on cold December days:

Here are a few musicals I recommend:

🤸🏼‍♀️ The Rockettes' Christmas Spectacular isn't on Broadway, but hey, it's Christmas!

🧙‍♀️ Wicked: find out what happened in the land of Oz before Dorothy arrived from Kansas.

👞🎶 At MJ the Musical you'll get to know Michael Jackson's life and musical legacy.

🔵 Blue Man Group: an off-Broadway show you have to see at least once

🦁 The Lion King: the record-breaking box office musical, perfect for the whole family

🎩🇺🇸 Hamilton: Lin-Manuel Miranda's famous musical told through hip-hop.

New York weather in December

Winter in New York officially begins on December 21, and you might get snow. The weather has shifted so much in recent years that it's worth checking the forecast a few days before your trip.

You'll need heavy clothing to stay warm and handle the icy wind: a waterproof jacket and shoes, scarves, gloves and a hat.

Average temperatures range from a high of 45°F to a low of 32°F.

The days are very short (it gets dark around 4:30 pm), but the streets light up with spectacular Christmas displays (you'll visit a genuine neighborhood decked out for Christmas on this tour).

Don't let the cold scare you off. December in New York is one of the most magical times of the year.

Best hotels to stay in New York in December

Take a look at this selection of hotels for Christmas in Manhattan. You'll feel like you're living inside one of your favorite movies filmed in New York 🧑‍🎄🎄.

If your budget doesn't stretch to the Plaza Hotel in Manhattan (like Kevin in Home Alone with his dad's credit card 😆), check out this list of the 5 most-booked budget hotels among the NewYorkando travel community 😉:

📍 West Side YMCA on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

📍 HI New York City Hostel, also on the Upper West Side.

📍 NY Moore Hostel, very well located in Brooklyn.

📍 Pod Times Square in the heart of Manhattan.

📍 Holiday Inn in Chelsea, one of NYC's landmark neighborhoods.

Not traveling to New York in December?

Check out the guide Best month to travel to New York. There I walk you through what happens in New York during each season.

If you can't travel in December, November in New York already has that holiday feeling in the air.

And is it worth traveling to NYC in January? It's one of the cheapest months in the city, with big deals and clearance sales, but keep in mind it's also one of the coldest months.

Merry Christmas!