Visit New York City in December to experience its winter splendor. Starting in late November, the Big Apple dons a new look for the holidays with free or thrifty special displays, lights, shows and activities. View the world's largest menorah in Manhattan's Grand Army Plaza. Even dormant city park fountains get into the mood with displays of winter plants such as yew trees, juniper, holly, winter berries, white birch, spruce and boxwood laden with lights.
Holiday Store Window Displays
Take a walking tour of the famous department stores dressed for the season. Along Fifth Avenue, several are known for lavish window displays, including Lord & Taylor, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue. Other exceptional displays include Barneys New York, Bloomingdale's and Macy's. Step inside to escape the winter chill while seeing more decorations, or stop for a hot beverage.
Lincoln Center
See Lincoln Center with a guided tour you can book from home. The complex is especially festive in December, making the behind-the-scenes tour a delightful venture. Check to see if Target Free Thursdays is in progress. These are free public performances held each Thursday evening. Same-day discounted tickets are on sale for the Metropolitan Opera, Alice Tully Hall, Avery Fisher Hall and Lincoln Center theater performances.
Grand Central Terminal's Kaleidoscope Light Show & Holiday Train Show
Turn your attention to the astrological ceiling of the main concourse for a free state-of-the-art, holiday-themed laser light show every half hour from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Take a stroll through the holiday gift fair kiosks between showings. There are six different shows. Visit the New York Transit Museum Gallery Annex while at Grand Central to see the holiday train show, featuring trains in a New York City setting. Vintage model trains by Lionel, American Flyer and Louis Marx & Co. date from the 1920s.
Grand Illumination Carols & Candles
Sing carols, enjoy mulled cider and cookies with candles in each window at the Conference House's Grand Illumination in early December. Conference House, operated by the city's parks and recreation department, also holds an annual Colonial Christmas event with Father Christmas, period music, decorations and children's activities.
Ice Skating Rinks
Join New Yorkers and visitors alike ice skating at Rockefeller Center, a magical place in December. Skate below the huge Christmas tree and other lighted trees and the ever-watchful gold Prometheus statue. As of 2010, if you bring your own skates, you can skate free at The Pond at Bryant Park. Afterward, browse the artisan holiday boutiques sprinkled throughout the park. Romantic Central Park has two rinks in winter; Wollman Rink on the east side and Lasker Pool & Rink, a swimming pool converted in winter to an ice rink.
New Year's Eve Emerald Nuts Midnight Run
Do something wild and crazy for New Year's Eve. Participate in the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, a four-mile trek through Central Park amid costumed bystanders and runners, fireworks and chilly temperatures. You do not need to be a serious runner to participate. If you are a trained runner, remember this a run, not a race. Register early as the sponsor, the New York Road Runners, limits the number of participants.
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