December in NYC brings indulgent moments, city sparkle, and meaningful traditions. Our curated edit offers quiet joys, festive outings, and cold-weather favorites.
The city dresses up, and so do we.
December arrives like a velvet curtain drop, twinkling lights, crisp air, and a collective exhale that says: we made it. Everything is more decadent now. Hot toddies in candlelit bars, coats that sweep the sidewalk, and storefronts that feel like theater sets.
It is a month of contrast. Stillness and celebration, solitude and sparkle. And here is what we are bookmarking as we wrap the year with a certain softness, a little shimmer, and deep-rooted style.
Table of Contents Show
☁️ December Weather Notes
Average Temps: Highs of 39–47°F [4–8°C], Lows of 30–37°F [-1–3°C]
December’s pace is gentler, quieter mornings, quicker nights. Layers become ritual: a wool coat that feels like armor, cashmere tucked into the sleeves, leather gloves that soften with time. Add a chunky scarf, perhaps a touch of faux fur, and you are dressed not just for warmth but for the atmosphere.
What matters most this month is ease. Wardrobe choices that carry you from coffee runs to cocktail hours without fuss. Think of it as dressing for a season that whispers, rather than shouts.
📍 Place We Are Visiting
The Rink at Rockefeller Center
📍 Location: 45 Rockefeller Plaza — Midtown, Manhattan
We know—it is iconic. And yes, it is worth it.
There is a small window in early December when the Rockefeller Center Tree glows quietly, before the crowds arrive with cameras and chaos. That is when we go. The rink feels like a snow globe come to life. Skaters circling under lights, steam rising from paper cups, and the unmistakable magic of winter in Midtown.
You do not have to skate. Watch from the sidelines with something warm in hand, pause near the Prometheus statue, and let yourself be exactly where you are.
💼 Thing We Are Buying
Large Flower Hair Clip in Pearl – Simone Rocha
A fresh take on the accessory we return to every winter. This time, Simone Rocha’s signature faux pearl barrette arrives as a larger floral statement. Delicate, sculptural blooms beaded into a classic slide.
More than just a hair clip, it’s an instant elevation. Whether it is holding back second-day waves, accenting a sleek bun, or clipped to a cashmere coat for no reason at all. This piece makes the everyday feel dressed.
It is a modern heirloom. And it still makes a holiday ponytail feel like a look.
📖 What We Are Reading
Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee and Walker Evans
A surprising pick for the season, but somehow—it fits.
In a month known for sparkle and escape, this book asks us to sit still and see. A blend of photography and prose, Agee and Evans document lives often overlooked with such piercing honesty that it feels like sacred work.
It is not cheerful, but it is human. For those who crave depth amid the glitter, this is the December read that stays with you long after the decorations come down.
🎧 What We Are Listening To
BKLS December Playlist: Velvet Evenings
Soundtrack your month with warm strings, jazz vocals, a few nostalgic holiday tracks, and music made for long walks under the lights.
The “Velvet Evenings” BKLS Playlist
Available on Spotify and Apple Music.
Track Highlights:
- “Let it Snow!Let it Snow! Let it Snow!” – Frank Sinatra
- “River” – Joni Mitchell
- “Night Lights” – Gerry Mulligan
- “December” – Norah Jones
- “I’ll Be Seeing You” – Billie Holiday
- “This Year’s Love” – David Gray
- “Snowfall” – Ahmad Jamal
- “A Winter’s Tale” – Queen
- “Silent Night” – Aretha Franklin
- “In a Sentimental Mood” – Duke Ellington & John Coltrane
🔗 [Listen on Spotify] | [Listen on Apple Music]
💄 Beauty Pick of the Month
Westman Atelier Lit Up Highlight Stick – Brûlée
December skin does not need glitter. It needs glow.
Gucci Westman’s “Brûlée” stick is our favorite kind of illusion. It reads like skin, but better. Swipe it across your cheekbones, press it into lids, and dab on collarbones for an effortless gleam. The result? You—but moonlit.
It’s the kind of product that requires no mirror and gives just enough radiance to whisper holiday glow without ever veering into sparkle overload.
🍽️ Where We Are Dining
Oiji Mi
📍 Location: 17 West 19th Street — Flatiron, Manhattan
Velvet booths. Gold accents. A hush that invites leaning in.
Oiji Mi is where winter softens. Each course of the five-part tasting menu is a love letter—layered, elegant, restrained in all the right places. The truffle mandu deserves your full attention. The soy-braised short rib arrives like a final stanza, rich and slow and meant to be remembered.
It is intimate, not exclusive. A little glossy, but not unkind. Go now, while the city glows and your appetite leans poetic.
🍷 What We Are Sipping
Hot Mulled Cider from Dante
📍 Location: 551 Hudson Street — West Village, Manhattan
There are few things more grounding than a good mulled cider.
At Dante, it is made with care, infused with warming spices, citrus, and just enough depth to carry you through a wintry afternoon. It is served warm and without rush. The kind of drink you cradle, not chug.
Tuck into the corner near the window. And if you are lucky, let the soft sounds of jazz from next door drift in.
🎵 Vibe of the Month
Silver hours. Slow evenings. A city aglow.
December is a mood more than a month. It is rituals over resolutions. Quiet dinners, long baths, linen napkins, old records, and short walks in cold air.
This is when the city slows into something tender and golden. A light in a brownstone window. A kiss on the corner. The last full breath of the year.
Dress in velvet. Light something pine-scented. And let the hush arrive.
🚊 Bookmark This
The Ultimate December Experience in New York City
You don’t need to do everything—but you do need something that feels seasonal and yours. Our NYC Holiday Guide curates just that.
Expect: charming markets, fireplace-side cocktails, immersive shows, and little luxuries that restore rather than overwhelm. This is your compass through the chaos, let it point you toward meaning, not just motion.
→ Explore the Guide
December in NYC
This city does not only sparkle in December, it softens.
There is a glamour to it, yes. But also a grounded grace. A kind of beautiful fatigue that comes from living the year fully. Wrap yourself in the season. Sip something warm. Let the lights blur a little. And make peace with what did not happen.
We will see you in January—with clear eyes, softer hearts, and a plan.
— The BKLS Team
🔗 Subscribe to The Local Edit
Curated guides, editorial picks, and a softer, smarter NYC experience—delivered weekly.
