New York in December feels like a film you want to live in: bright streets, ice rinks, shop windows reflecting fairy lights, and the sense that the holiday season has already begun. The city greets Christmas with jazz and the aroma of hot chocolate, and welcomes New Year’s Eve with the glow of Times Square lights.
To explore the main attractions without rushing or waiting in lines, use the New York CityPASS – it opens the doors to the best museums and observation decks, turning a stroll through the winter city into a real adventure.
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Visit the Santa Claus parades
Every December, New York seems swept up in a red-and-white wave – thousands of Santas take to the streets to cheerfully launch the festive season. The format varies: some places host small parades and charity events, but the highlight is SantaCon.
This grand Santa Claus celebration kicks off on 13 December 2025. You can join in more actively by renting a costume.
In mid-December, the city turns into one big party: hundreds of people put on hats, beards and costumes and gather in bars, cafés and squares across Manhattan. This unofficial holiday is cherished by New Yorkers for its absurdity and good-natured irony – here you might meet Santa on roller skates, an elf with a music box, or even a deer wrapped in garlands.
American Santas also help the police patrol the streets. Volunteers undergo an official registration procedure. However, some pickpockets – who «specialise» in women’s handbags – disguise themselves as Santa too. That’s why scenes with «bad» and «good» Santas don’t surprise anyone.
Visit the city’s main Christmas trees
Americans have a simple rule for their green beauties: the bigger the tree, the more important it is. As a result, there are dozens of main Christmas trees across the city!
Planning a Christmas tree tour? Here are the most spectacular ones:
- Rockefeller Centre – the city’s most famous Christmas tree. In 2025, it will be lit on 3 December and decorated with 50,000 LEDs
- Washington Square Park – a cosy tree beneath the arch, with an evening ceremony, live bands and a warm atmosphere
- Metropolitan Museum of Art – decorated inside and out with traditional compositions and nativity scenes in the museum’s spirit
- South Street Seaport – a Christmas tree on the East River pier creates a picturesque festive backdrop
- Lotte New York Palace – a luxurious hotel tree often featured in holiday guides
- Bloomberg Tower – a modern skyscraper with a city-style Christmas tree illuminated by the glassy reflections of nearby buildings
- New York Public Library – adorned with leaves and lights that blend beautifully with the surrounding shop windows
- Financial District – NYSE / Wall Street – the Stock Exchange tree often makes it into festive rankings
- Brookfield Place / Zuccotti Park – smaller but charming trees in lively plazas and shopping centres
Don’t forget to book your accommodation in advance!
Go ice skating in the urban jungle
In winter, ice skating in New York is part of the Christmas magic. The three best rinks are:
- Rockefeller Centre – under the famous tree, surrounded by lights and holiday cheer
- Wollman Rink (Central Park) – in the heart of the park, surrounded by snow and with views of the skyline
- Bryant Park Winter Village – a skating rink framed by a Christmas market with souvenirs, hot drinks and festive shop windows
Near Bryant Park, stalls sell gingerbread, hot chocolate and mulled wine – just like in a Christmas story.
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Take part in a global interactive show
On New Year’s Eve, New York lives for one event: the famous ball drop from the top of One Times Square – a countdown, cheers, and millions of viewers around the world. It’s the perfect moment to make a wish that all your troubles stay behind.
The crystal ball descends the flagpole as concerts, light effects and music unfold around it. Seconds before midnight, everything pauses – and then, as the ball reaches its lowest point, the air fills with fireworks, confetti and new hopes.
The ceremony draws about a million spectators and a billion more online. At that moment, the sky above Times Square lights up with colour.
Take a walk around Manhattan
New York in December feels like déjà vu – yellow taxis, steam rising from manhole covers, the smell of chestnuts and coffee, and above it all, Broadway, where the lights never fade.
Walk down the Great White Way – that stretch of Broadway between 42nd and 53rd Streets glowing with neon reflections. You don’t even need a theatre ticket to feel like the lead in a Christmas film. The window displays of Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Macy’s turn into moving stories – with figurines, snowflakes and humour that needs no translation.
A little further lies Times Square, where winter glows and music fills the air. This is where those dreaming of a perfect Manhattan moment want to be — a city always alive, where people hurry not from vanity but from the joy of living.
Then, leave the neon lights behind and head to New York’s quieter side – the harbour. There, where the city softens, start your walk with the TouringBee audio guide to Lower Manhattan. It will take you along Wall Street, to the Brooklyn Bridge and Battery Park — where the lights give way to the open air and the breath of the ocean.
Use the promo code PARIS10 to get a discount on all audio guides!
Treat yourself to a gourmet tour
Typical festive dishes in New York’s restaurants and homes include roasted turkey, roast beef, ham, mashed potatoes, and an array of sauces — especially cranberry. Popular vegetables are turnips, Brussels sprouts and carrots, often made into traditional appetisers. For dessert, expect puddings, apple and pumpkin pies, and fruit muffins.
Among winter drinks, connoisseurs especially appreciate a creamy cocktail made with whipped eggs and spices – every restaurant and bar gives it a personal twist.
Even pizza and hot dogs get a festive makeover with seasonal packaging designed by professionals.
For fine dining and views, restaurants overlooking Times Square are a great choice. New Year’s Eve parties begin three hours before midnight and last until morning.
Red Velvet cake is as beloved at Christmas as apple or pumpkin pie. It was invented during the Great Depression in the 1930s, when resourceful bakers added beetroot pulp to the dough – creating the vivid treat known today.
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Think of shopping as part of the holiday
Shopping in New York becomes its own celebration. Malls and stores offer branded goods at tempting prices, and almost all have a Santa with a team of elves. The best places to shop are:
- Bryant Park Winter Village – a lively Christmas market from late October to early January with designer crafts and gourmet treats
- Columbus Circle Holiday Market – from early December until Christmas Eve, this market at the edge of Central Park offers food and charming gifts
- Union Square Holiday Market – one of the city’s largest fairs with artisans, jewellery and artwork
- Grand Central Holiday Fair – inside the iconic terminal, a market of local crafts and festive decorations
If you’re not planning big purchases, simply stroll along Fifth Avenue between 34th and 59th Streets. In December, it transforms into a festive promenade: the facades of major stores like Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and Macy’s become animated shows, each telling a unique story — from classic fairy tales to futuristic light art.
See the best of New York’s stages
There’s no better way to spend a December evening than under the theatre lights.
- The Radio City Christmas Spectacular remains the ultimate holiday symbol. The legendary Rockettes have danced here for nearly a century, and in 2025 they’ll celebrate an anniversary. Their precision, sparkling costumes and timeless numbers like «Parade of the Wooden Soldiers» keep audiences enchanted
- Another classic is The Nutcracker at Lincoln Centre – Tchaikovsky’s music, falling snowflakes, and families filling the stalls create a truly festive mood
- Fans of musicals can enjoy Elf The Musical, the story of a man raised among elves. Running from November through early January, it continues to charm audiences year after year
- Beyond Manhattan, the St. George Theatre on Staten Island offers an alternative to the busy centre with Christmas concerts such as Jane Lynch: A Swingin’ Little Christmas and Rock’n Holiday Spectacular – cosy, warm, and local in spirit
And if your soul longs for music and glamour, Broadway’s holiday shows deliver it all – from jazz to cabaret. Tickets sell fast, so plan early: December performances often end with confetti, snow and champagne finales.
Taste real whisky
For those who enjoy refined drinks and slow conversation, New York hosts WhiskyFest New York at the Marriott Marquis in November 2025. The festival features premium whiskies, tequilas and other spirits, offering tastings, talks with distillers and rare editions.
Guests receive a branded glass, a programme of master classes and access to exclusive bottlings. It’s the perfect prelude to the holiday season – December’s bars and restaurants then follow suit with themed cocktails inspired by the festival.
Admire the city from above
There are two unforgettable ways to see festive New York from above.
Helicopter tours are expensive, especially in December, when garlands and fireworks light the city. But the view – Times Square, bridges, the Statue of Liberty – is incomparable.
If you prefer solid ground, visit one of the city’s observatories:
- Top of the Rock — an open-air deck at Rockefeller Centre with views of Central Park and the Empire State Building
- Empire State Building — the classic icon, perfect for day or night visits
- One World Observatory — the highest in the Western Hemisphere, with panoramic harbour views
- SUMMIT One Vanderbilt — a dazzling glass deck with mirrored rooms and the illusion of floating in the clouds
Each deck offers a unique angle: from some, the city looks like a toy; from others, it stretches endlessly. Or celebrate on the water with the Circle Line New Year’s Eve cruise, where fireworks shimmer in reflection.
Circle Line New Year's Eve Cruise with FireworksNew York in December shines as if it’s celebrating life itself. Snowy streets, the scent of coffee, crowds by the windows, and the thrill of expectation all blend together. Christmas in New York is film music and strangers’ smiles; New Year’s Eve is fireworks over the river and the quiet belief that everything will turn out just right. The city doesn’t let you stand still – it calls you to walk, look, dream, and feel part of its vast, festive light.
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