New York is the most important economic center of the United States and one of the most attractive places for tourists from all over the world. New York has so many institutions, as well as cultural attractions and museums, that one of Lonely Planet’s best city guides, detailing all the iconic sites, runs to 448 pages. That said, any resident of the city will tell you that this guide is not exhaustive.
If you have found yourself or are planning to find yourself in New York City in the winter and see how Christmas and New Year’s Eve are celebrated here, this article will help you understand what to expect.
Christmas in New York
Christmas is the main holiday in America, which locals usually spend with their families. But while on Thanksgiving Day in late November it is customary to fly across the country to your parents’ house and gather with relatives, children and grandchildren around the same table, Christmas is celebrated in a closer circle: with your wife or husband and children.
“Christmas is very important for Americans to spend at home with loved ones. New Yorkers are no exception. You can still go to visit friends, but in general it’s still a family holiday. The city starts preparing for it as soon as Thanksgiving ends.”
New York starts preparing for Christmas at the end of November – the city looks beautiful both during the day and at night with lights. Store windows, squares and houses are decorated with garlands, Christmas trees, stars and snowflakes, and the atmosphere becomes simply magical – combined with the brutal architecture of the city, they create a sense of the coming miracle. You can’t help but get into this mood. And when snow falls on Christmas Eve, New York turns into a city from a winter fairy tale.
Think of famous American movies – “Home Alone”, “Bad Santa”, “Miracle on 34th Street”, “Elf”, “The Family Man” or “A New Christmas Tale”. Egor confirmed that the movie accurately conveys the Christmas atmosphere of New York.
The most original stores and boutiques on Fifth Avenue glow with an abundance of decorations and garlands. The Arc de Triomphe in Washington Square is illuminated, and a Christmas tree is placed under it.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree is inaugurated. In Bryant Park and Union Square fairs are organized – all these are the main points of attraction and pre-holiday preparations. If you arrive in the city a few days before Christmas, be sure to walk around these places.
For a fun outdoor activity, visit the ice rink at Rockefeller Center or Bryant Park – the latter is cheaper and less crowded. Go to the fair at St. Patrick’s Cathedral at the intersection with Fiftieth Street across from Rockefeller Center, where you’ll not only find handmade souvenirs and jewelry, but also theatrical performances and choral songs.
If you’re in town for Christmas, go to a restaurant – there’s one on every corner for every taste and wallet. I recommend trying the local seafood – it comes from Maine on the Canadian border, and it’s easy to find fresh lobster, lobster, and shrimp caught in the Atlantic Ocean.
Connoisseurs also recommend quiet and cozy restaurants in Soho, Tribeca or Greenwich Village – here you will see low-rise buildings of old New York, cast-iron staircases, cobblestone sidewalks and mansions of the XIX century. Although you need to book a table in advance, there are over two hundred restaurants in Greenwich Village alone, so you won’t be left without a festive dinner.
Here you’ll find Michelin-starred establishments or those mentioned in the guidebook, such as Mary’s Fish Camp, DOMODOMO, Vestry, Kosaka. You can try American seafood cuisine at Jeffrey’s Grocery, Catch NYC, The Clam, and Flex Mussels, for example.
Once you’ve eaten, take a stroll down Christopher Street, checking out every jazz club in sight until you find the perfect one to spend the rest of the evening. Then head to the Hudson Riverfront, where locals will be setting off fireworks by nightfall.
And here are some curious facts that Egor shared: the main Christmas tree in New York – in Rockefeller Center – was brought from Siberia several times by a special plane. And also in Manhattan on December 26, you can see people throwing away Christmas trees.
New Year’s Eve in New York
New Year’s Eve in New York is a minor holiday, with only one day off, and everyone goes to work on January 2.
Although many of the decorations in the city still remain after Christmas, New Year’s Eve no longer has that atmosphere of magic and wonder, no Santa Claus. On New Year’s Eve, it is customary to just hang out with friends.
Some Christmas decorations for New Year’s Eve are still around town, but in general things quickly return to business as usual after Christmas.
If you celebrate New Year’s Eve in New York, go to a mass event, such as Times Square. It is worth mentioning that locals usually avoid going here, because it is one of the most touristy places in the world: numerous guests of the city crowd around with cameras, enthusiastically checking everything out, and obstructing the way.
On New Year’s Eve, tens of thousands of people come to Times Square to watch the countdown board together, to see off the last seconds of the old year. At midnight, a large glowing ball of light – an apple, the symbol of New York City – descends down the spire of one of the skyscrapers. Then the fireworks begin, everyone screams – in general, the impressions are bright. It is worth visiting here on New Year’s Eve at least once in your life, so that you can remember it later.
On New Year’s Eve in New York, you can attend a show on Broadway – during this time they put on “The Nutcracker” and “Cinderella” with the best actors. There are about 40 theaters on Broadway ranging from classical to experimental. Find a production to suit your taste, but don’t forget that tickets must be purchased in advance.
On New Year’s Eve in New York you can go to Radio City Music Hall, where the most famous holiday show Radio City Christmas takes place, it has been organized since 1933. In this production there are sometimes up to 140 actors on stage at the same time in unusual brightly colored costumes.
Fifth Avenue, which runs along Central Park, is also worth a walk, and the park itself is also one of the centers of attraction on the holiday. At midnight, fireworks are set off on the Bow Bridge in the middle of the park, which can be seen almost everywhere in the park.
After watching the fireworks and welcoming the New Year, you can go to one of the so-called New Year’s Eve Afterparties – parties after midnight. You should buy tickets for them in advance – better a month or two in advance, so don’t miss the moment. But tickets are cheaper than for regular parties, and you can make new friends all night long at the American restaurant Margaritaville or the PHD Terrace bar near Central Park.
Finally, one extravagant option is to celebrate New Year’s Eve on a ship. You can enjoy the view of the Statue of Liberty illuminated by numerous fireworks, look at the outline of the city from the water, drink, snack and dance. Most cruises depart at 9 p.m. and end after midnight. That being said, cruises are not only good for providing you with stunning views of festive New York City, but they are also suitable for all ages.
New York City weather in winter
In winter, the humidity at zero degrees Celsius makes it feel much lower. It’s also very windy – and that can make it colder, too. The wind and draughts are helped by the layout of the city – all the streets in Manhattan divide it into even squares,” says Yegor Piskunov.
However, until mid-December, you can still walk around in a shirt and a light jacket or blazer. But by Christmas – Catholics celebrate it on December 25 – there is usually a little snow, and it makes the city very beautiful.
If you look at the average temperature in New York by month, in December it is +3 ° C, January is the coldest winter month, +0.3 ° C, but in February the temperature starts to rise again – on average to +1.8 ° C.
Snow is usually scarce in New York City in the winter, but once a season a snow cyclone comes through.
Then there is so much rainfall that it paralyzes the infrastructure. Departures at airports can be canceled, and traffic on the streets is severely impeded.
For example, in January 2016, Cyclone Jonas hit the city – then the height of snowdrifts at John F. Kennedy Airport reached 76 cm! For a city where there is almost no snow and, consequently, no snow removal equipment, this is really a lot.
But such moments are a real holiday for the locals: both adults and children run through the streets and play snowballs, just like in Hollywood movies, and many even go snowboarding.
Travel Tips
1. The weather in New York City feels colder in winter because of the humidity and wind. For example, 0 degrees Celsius can feel much colder. Be prepared to dress warmly and appropriately for the weather.
2. A once-in-a-season snow cyclone can come to New York City. Then airports may be closed and traffic on the streets will be difficult. But you can experience the atmosphere of general cheerfulness and joy due to the large amount of snow.
3. Christmas in America is celebrated with your family. If you are a tourist and your family is far away, go to a restaurant to try local seafood, take a walk in Greenwich Village or Soho, go to the Hudson Riverfront to watch the locals set off fireworks. Although Christmas is supposed to be a quiet and cozy time, the many jazz bars and other entertainment venues are still open, so you won’t be bored.
4. But New Year’s Eve should be loud and fun – stroll down Fifth Avenue, Central Park, attend parties, Broadway shows or take a New Year’s Eve boat cruise are all great ways to celebrate. And if you’re a fan of the most iconic places, head to Times Square to count down the last seconds of the old year with thousands of other people in the world’s premier tourist square.
5. The main thing to remember if you plan to spend Christmas and New Year’s Eve in New York: everything should be booked in advance, preferably a couple of months in advance, starting from a table in a restaurant for Christmas dinner and ending with a New Year’s Eve after-party after midnight in one of the city’s establishments.
