From illuminated avenues to winter performances and seasonal rituals, things to do in NYC December unfold across the city in moments both grand and quietly felt.
December in New York is a season of layered rituals. The city shifts into something slower and brighter at once. Store windows glow deeper into the night, rooftops become winter lodges in the sky, concert halls swell with nostalgia and sound, and whole neighborhoods reorganize themselves around light. The holidays here are not one experience but many: quiet, jubilant, absurd, reverent, playful, deeply cultural.
From alpine rooftops and candlelit spa concerts to underground theatre, gingerbread cityscapes, sustainable holiday markets, and late-night New Year’s Eve celebrations across every borough, December 2025 offers a citywide cadence of celebration that lives far beyond the postcard version of the season.
This is your BKLS-curated guide to what is truly worth stepping out for this December in New York City.
Table of Contents Show
Featured Experience
Holiday Lights & Iconic NYC Spectacle
Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show
📍 Location: 611 Fifth Avenue — Midtown East, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 4, 2026
Nighttime illumination continues across the city with the return of the legendary Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show. Each evening, Fifth Avenue glows beneath jewel-toned projections, celestial light effects, and a soundtrack that moves between seasonal classics and contemporary favorites. This year’s window displays honor the Rockettes’ centennial with meticulous, fashion-forward scenes and whimsical holiday storytelling woven through luxury design.
The unveiling drew crowds for a live performance by the Rockettes themselves, setting the tone for another luminous season. Inside the windows, expect towering ornaments, intricate details, and a celebration of movement, style, and New York tradition. The entire façade becomes a living holiday stage, one of the city’s most enduring December rituals.
Explore our full Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show Guide
Quiet Luxury Winter Experience
Candlelight Holiday Concerts at QC New York
📍 Location: 112 Andes Road — Governors Island, Manhattan | Dates: Saturdays, December 6, 2025 – January 3, 2026 | Times: 4:30 PM & 5:30 PM
QC New York elevates the holiday season with an immersive candlelit concert experience set inside its thermal spa overlooking the skyline. Guests drift through 98-degree heated outdoor pools glowing with thousands of flickering candles while live string quartets perform classical interpretations of pop, hip-hop, and rock favorites.
Each intimate performance welcomes a limited number of guests, creating a cocooned, hushed atmosphere that feels suspended from the rush of the city. The experience includes access to QC’s network of themed saunas, steam rooms, waterfalls, waterbeds, and glowing heated tunnels, turning one evening into a layered winter ritual. To close the experience, guests enjoy Winter Flavors: a complimentary tray of seasonal Italian treats with the purchase of two drinks.
Immersive Art & Technology
ARTECHOUSE NYC Holiday Special
📍 Location: 439 West 15th Street — Chelsea, Manhattan | Dates: December 15, 2025, through January 4, 2026
The ARTECHOUSE Holiday Special transforms the season into a fully immersive digital playground, where art, technology, and light converge. This limited engagement unites two audience favorites, Spectacular Factory and Tingle Bells, into one multisensory winter experience designed for guests of all ages.
Visitors move through vivid projection rooms filled with evolving visuals, responsive soundscapes, and interactive touch-based installations that shift with movement and rhythm. Traditional holiday imagery is reinterpreted through a contemporary lens, creating a playful yet cinematic escape that feels both futuristic and festive. It is a modern holiday tradition built on motion, color, and shared wonder.
Holiday Pop-Ups & Winter Installations
Roberta’s in Bushwick
📍 Location: 261 Moore Street — Bushwick, Brooklyn | Dates: December 2, 2025, through January 3, 2026
At Roberta’s in Bushwick, December begins with the return of its beloved Grinchy’s Holiday Pop-Up inside the Bushwick Tiki Bar. Twinkling lights, festive cocktails, and a playful seasonal menu from Chef Carlo Mirarchi transform the space into a mischievous winter hideaway. Guests can snack on Grinchy’s Pretzels, Bee-Sting Popcorn, and Christmas cookies while soaking in the glow of the bar’s holiday décor.
New this year, the Bushwick location introduces a Christmas tree lot and a Gingerbread House Challenge, adding a hands-on element to the experience. Beyond Bushwick, the holiday spirit extends to Roberta’s Domino Park and Penn Plaza locations, both sparkling with seasonal lights and surprise visits from Santa—turning one neighborhood favorite into a borough-wide celebration.
Walk-ins welcome | Seasonal menu available nightly.
Magic Hour Rooftop unveils Mountain Lodge
📍 Location: 485 Seventh Avenue, 18th Floor — Midtown West, Manhattan | Date: From Monday, December 1, 2025, through March 2026
Winter arrives high above Midtown as Magic Hour transforms its west terrace into Mountain Lodge, a seasonal alpine escape created in collaboration with Geo Events. Warm wood accents, snowy detailing, and playful winter design elements reshape the rooftop into a ski-town-in-the-sky, layered with seasonal cocktails, curated bites, and sweeping skyline views.
Known as NYC’s largest all-season rooftop, Magic Hour pairs this winter installation with a lively DJ set under the open sky, blending lodge-style coziness with the city’s signature energy for a festive evening above the streets.
The Elf Bar Holiday Pop-Up at The Continental Sports Lounge
📍 Location: 82 Beaver Street — Financial District, Manhattan | Dates: December 4–24, 2025
In the heart of the Financial District, The Elf Bar returns as a full holiday pop-up experience, transforming The Continental Sports Lounge into a twinkling winter playground. Guests wander through glowing installations, sip themed holiday cocktails, and encounter mischievous elves woven into the atmosphere for playful, photo-ready moments throughout the space.
Designed for friends, coworkers, couples, and anyone leaning into December festivities, The Elf Bar delivers a lively, theatrical holiday escape that feels equal parts cozy and spirited. An easy after-work detour or a festive nightcap stop downtown.
Edge at Hudson Yards × Museum of Ice Cream — Pinkmas
📍 Location: Edge at Hudson Yards, 30 Hudson Yards, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 5, 2026
Pink takes over the skyline as the Museum of Ice Cream brings its beloved Pinkmas celebration to Edge for the first time, transforming the sky deck into a high-altitude holiday playground. Guests step into a warm, all-weather ice cream dreamland where festive fun meets sweeping winter views stretching across the city.
Inside, visitors wander through vibrant pink installations, interactive rooms filled with evolving visuals. Life-size ice cream pints, and a whimsical hanging banana jungle, all framed by Edge’s dramatic glass walls and skyline backdrop. Indulgent treats, playful photo moments, and immersive design turn the experience into a modern, candy-colored take on the holiday season.
Light, Reflection & Seasonal Stillness
Green-Wood Cemetery — Sunday in the Cemetery
📍 Location: 500 25th Street, Brooklyn | Date: December 7, 2025 | Time: 10 AM – 6 PM
Each winter, Green-Wood opens its gates for Sunday in the Cemetery, a free, day-long gathering dedicated to grief, remembrance, and reflection. The program brings together end-of-life experts, artists, and caregivers for talks, workshops, and quiet moments of contemplation spread throughout the grounds.
Guests are invited to drop in for individual sessions or spend the afternoon moving through the full slate of thoughtful programming at their own pace. It is one of the rare December experiences in New York that prioritizes stillness, offering space for connection, memory, and gentle care.
Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show
📍 Location: 611 Fifth Avenue — Midtown East, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 4, 2026
Nighttime illumination continues across the city with the return of the legendary Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show. Each evening, Fifth Avenue glows beneath jewel-toned projections, celestial light effects, and a soundtrack that moves between seasonal classics and contemporary favorites. This year’s window displays honor the Rockettes’ centennial with meticulous, fashion-forward scenes woven through whimsical holiday storytelling.
The unveiling included a live performance by the Rockettes themselves, lending extra New York magic to the moment. Inside the displays, visitors find towering ornaments, intricate fashion details, and a celebration of movement, design, and tradition. Presented in partnership with Mastercard, the show transforms the iconic façade into one of the city’s most enduring December rituals.
Explore our full Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Light Show Guide
Bergdorf Goodman Holiday Windows: The Bergdorf Soirée
📍 Location: 754 Fifth Avenue — Midtown West, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 5, 2026
Just a few blocks north of Saks, Bergdorf Goodman opened the holiday season with the debut of its 2025 window presentation, The Bergdorf Soirée. The unveiling transformed the Upper Fifth Avenue stretch into a glittering continuation of the night’s festivities, where fashion, fantasy, and performance converged on the sidewalk.
The reveal was marked by live music from the High and Mighty Brass Band, a Santa meet-and-greet for families gathered curbside, and an official countdown led by Bergdorf’s longtime fashion director, Linda Fargo. When the windows illuminated, the avenue felt momentarily unified, each storefront echoing the next in light and anticipation.
This year’s tableaux leaned into Bergdorf’s signature blend of theatricality and couture, presenting scenes that felt celebratory without tipping into excess. Velvet textures, metallic shimmer, and fashion-forward silhouettes unfolded across the glass, offering a distinct counterpoint to the spectacle unfolding farther downtown at Saks. Together, the two displays turned Fifth Avenue into a continuous winter corridor of craft, performance, and seasonal ritual.
Beyond Fifth Avenue, the city’s winter light rituals continue to unfold in quieter corners. At Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Lightscape transforms familiar pathways into a softly illuminated evening walk woven with color, sound, and seasonal stillness. Farther north, the Bronx Zoo reimagines its grounds after dark with Holiday Lights, where animal lanterns, projection art, and glowing trails invite visitors into a different tempo of winter.
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights: https://brooklynslifestyle.com/bronx-zoo-holiday-lights/
Brooklyn Botanic Garden Lightscape: https://brooklynslifestyle.com/lightscape-brooklyn-botanic-garden/
Lighting of the Largest Hanukkah Menorahs
📍 Location: Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn | Dates: December 14–22, 2025
Each night of Hanukkah, public menorahs are lit in open-air gatherings that center community, tradition, and shared celebration. Gatherings feature live music, traditional treats such as hot latkes, and gifts for children, creating an atmosphere that is both reverent and joyful.
The ceremonies welcome people of all backgrounds and ages, offering a visible and meaningful moment of light during the winter season. Against the backdrop of city streets and winter skies, the menorah lighting becomes a steady nightly ritual rooted in warmth and unity.
American Museum of Natural History — The Origami Holiday Tree
📍 Location: 200 Central Park West — Central Park, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 15, 2026
An annual New York City tradition, the Origami Holiday Tree rises once again inside the American Museum of Natural History as a shimmering centerpiece of the season. The 13-foot tree is adorned with more than 1,000 hand-folded origami creations by artists from around the world.
This year’s theme, New Beginnings, celebrates life that emerged after the asteroid impact that ended the age of dinosaurs, depicting early mammals, birds, insects, and extinct reptiles through intricate paper design. Produced in partnership with OrigamiUSA, the installation offers a whimsical, educational winter moment. It adds a playful layer to the Museum’s seasonal programming without overpowering it. The display complements major exhibitions, including Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs and Stegosaurus Apex.
Museum admission required for viewing
Theatre, Dance & Performance
EPIC Players — BUM BUM [or, this farce has Autism]
📍 Location: HERE Arts Center, 145 Sixth Avenue, Manhattan | Dates: December 4–14, 2025
EPIC Players presents the world premiere of BUM BUM [or, this farce has Autism], a sharp, genre-bending comedy by award-winning Autistic playwright Dave Osmundsen. Set amid the chaos of a live telethon, the play follows three Autistic performers as they defy sanitized expectations and deliver bold, unfiltered routines that challenge media tropes and cultural stereotypes.
Blending farce, satire, and social commentary, the production centers neurodivergent voices with humor, authenticity, and fearless insight. And create one of the season’s most compelling and conversation-sparking theatrical experiences.
Broadway Under the Stars
📍 Location: The Shops at Columbus Circle, 10 Columbus Circle, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan | Dates: Every Thursday, December 4–18, 2025 | Time: 5 PM
Broadway Under the Stars brings live musical theatre into a glowing indoor holiday setting at Columbus Circle. Cast members from current Broadway productions take the stage for free, intimate performances that place New York’s theatre talent directly into the rhythm of the season.
Set beneath twinkling lights and illuminated star décor, the performances unfold amid holiday shopping and winter foot traffic, creating an easy, festive pause in the middle of a December evening. It is a rare chance to experience Broadway energy without a ticketed seat inside a theatre.
Cirque du Soleil — ‘Twas the Night Before…
📍 Location: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza — Midtown West, Manhattan | Dates: December 4–28, 2025
‘Twas the Night Before… marks Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever Christmas production, inspired by the beloved poem A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore. The story follows a jaded young girl who rediscovers the wonder of the season through breathtaking acrobatics, theatrical spectacle, and dream-like choreography.
Drawing on the classic verses that generations have cherished, the show reimagines the holiday tale through Cirque’s signature blend of gravity-defying performance, rich visual design, and emotional storytelling, turning Madison Square Garden into a winter fantasy stage.
Calpulli Mexican Dance Company — Navidad
📍 Location: Flushing Town Hall Theater, 137-35 Northern Boulevard — Flushing, Queens | Date: December 13, 2025 | Time: 2 PM
Navidad tells the story of a young person navigating the holiday traditions of New York City through the lens of Mexican immigrant heritage. Aztec-inspired movement blends seamlessly with Christmas carols, mariachi melodies, Tchaikovsky’s classical themes, and elements of folk dance and ballet.
As the youngster dreams of merging two cultural worlds, a tempting figure challenges them to choose between identities, setting the stage for a heartfelt, visually rich decision. Developed at Thalia Spanish Theatre and now restored for Flushing Town Hall, Navidad has toured nationally, appearing at venues including the Apollo Theater and Queens Theatre.
Music Anchors of the Season
December’s soundtrack moves easily between arena-scale pop, goosebump-inducing harmonies, and candlelit classical moments—proof that New York’s holiday season is as rich in sound as it is in light.
Pentatonix — Christmas in the City Tour
📍 Location: UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont | Date: December 7, 2025
Holiday harmonies arrive with Pentatonix as the Grammy-winning a cappella group brings its Christmas in the City tour to the New York area. Known for flawless vocal layering, cinematic arrangements, and modern reimaginings of holiday classics, Pentatonix delivers a concert experience that feels both grand and emotionally intimate.
Expect a full evening of festive soundscapes, powerhouse vocals, and the kind of musical precision that has made the group a global holiday staple.
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball
📍 Location: Madison Square Garden, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza — Midtown West, Manhattan | Date: December 12, 2025 | Time: 7 PM
iHeartRadio Jingle Ball returns as one of New York’s most enduring holiday music traditions. Bringing a star-studded lineup of top artists spanning pop, hip-hop, R&B, and crossover chart favorites. Part of a national tour that defines December’s concert calendar, the NYC stop reliably delivers surprise collaborations, high-energy performances, and a crowd that knows every lyric.
For longtime fans, it is a yearly ritual. For first-timers, it is a high-volume introduction to the season’s musical pulse.
SantaCon NYC
📍 Location: Broadway & West 39th Street, Manhattan | Date: December 13, 2025 | Time: 10 AM – 8 PM
SantaCon is New York’s most chaotic holiday tradition, a full-day, citywide pub crawl where thousands of participants dress in Santa suits and festive costumes to take over the streets. Equal parts absurd, charitable, and wildly energetic, the event unfolds across multiple neighborhoods with spontaneous gatherings, bar stops, and sing-along moments throughout the day.
Organized under a playful but purposeful “Santa Code,” participants are encouraged to respect the city, support local charities, and spread cheer rather than trouble. It is loud, messy, joyful, and unmistakably New York. A once-a-year ritual that blurs spectacle and community.
Tickets required for participation
Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings at Sony Hall
📍 Location: 235 West 46th Street — Midtown West, Manhattan | Date: December 21, 2025
For something quieter and glow-filled, Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings offers a serene holiday escape in the intimate setting of Sony Hall. A live string ensemble performs beloved Christmas classics beneath hundreds of softly flickering candles, creating a cinematic, slow-tempo interpretation of the season’s most familiar melodies.
It is a beautiful setting for a refined holiday date night, a calm evening with friends, or anyone looking to slow December’s pace and linger for a moment.
Jonas Brothers — Living the Dream Tour
📍 Location: Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Avenue — Prospect Heights, Brooklyn | Date: December 22, 2025
The Jonas Brothers bring their Living the Dream Tour to Brooklyn, marking a celebratory return that spans two decades of chart-defining pop. The setlist draws from every era of their career. From early anthems to present-day favorites, paired with a high-energy production that leans into nostalgia without feeling stuck in it.
For longtime fans and newer listeners alike, the Barclays Center show lands as a full-scale December pop event with multi-generational appeal and arena-level spectacle.
Family-Centered December Experiences
American Museum of Natural History — A Night at the Museum: The Overnight Experience
📍 Location: 200 Central Park West — Upper West Side, Manhattan | Dates: December 3 & 10, 2025
For children who dream of sleeping among dinosaurs and stars, A Night at the Museum transforms the American Museum of Natural History into an overnight world of discovery. After the galleries close to the public, families explore the museum by flashlight, wander through insect and diorama halls, and take part in hands-on science activities inside the Gilder Center.
The evening unfolds with live storytelling, karaoke, and behind-the-scenes moments that turn the museum into a living playground of curiosity. Each overnight includes snacks, breakfast, special keepsakes, and an optional digital display beneath the iconic Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. It is one of December’s most memorable after-dark adventures for young explorers.
Tickets required for entry; advance purchase is strongly recommended
Passport to Santa at Columbus Circle
📍 Location: 10 Columbus Circle, 4th Floor — Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan | Dates: Through December 31, 2025
At Columbus Circle, Passport to Santa reimagines the traditional holiday visit as an interactive, full-scale journey through the North Pole. Each child becomes an official holiday traveler. Collecting passport stamps along the way as they sign the Naughty or Nice List with Mrs. Claus, build toys in Santa’s Workshop, train with Rudolph, and compete in Candy Cane challenges.
The experience continues through Nutcracker Kingdom, arts & crafts stations, wish-writing with the Christmas Angel, and culminates in a personal visit with Santa himself. Completed passports unlock access to Santa’s Christmas Carnival, filled with obstacle courses, bounce houses, and festive games designed entirely for young adventurers.
Holiday Book Readings with Miss Harlem Shake at Harlem Shake
📍 Locations: 100 West 124th Street — Harlem, Manhattan | 119 5th Avenue at Sterling Place — Park Slope, Brooklyn | Dates: December 12 & 13, 2025 | Time: 3 PM – 6 PM
Neighborhood holiday magic arrives with Miss Harlem Shake, as Harlem Shake hosts festive book readings for children ages three and up. Each Storytime is followed by a lively pop-up dance performance from Hip Hop Dance Theater, choreographed by Harlem’s own Tati B., weaving movement into the afternoon’s storytelling.
Families are also invited to help assemble the Harlem: 1000-Piece Puzzle by acclaimed designer Shelia Bridges, celebrating the neighborhood’s history through collective play. To close the experience on a sweet note, children and parents alike can enjoy Harlem Shake’s signature holiday milkshake, Lenox Sleigh Bells, featuring white chocolate, whipped cream, and rum fruitcake flavoring.
Free with walk-up availability while space lasts
FLIP Circus in McCarren Park
📍 Location: McCarren Park, 776 Lorimer Street — Williamsburg, Brooklyn | Dates: Through December 14, 2025
Flip Circus brings a classic big-top feeling to McCarren Park with a show built for families. Thrilling acrobatics, lively comedy, and storytelling designed to keep both kids and adults engaged. The intimate tent makes every seat feel close to the action, whether it is high-flying stunts or crowd-pleasing acts that invite you to laugh along.
It’s an easy December outing for families looking for something festive beyond lights and shopping. A chance to sit together and experience a full-scale circus performance right in Brooklyn.
Holiday Train Nights
📍 Location: New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, New York | Dates: Selected nights through January 2026
After dark, the New York Botanical Garden’s beloved Holiday Train Show transforms into an illuminated nighttime experience filled with motion, music, and winter atmosphere. Guests arrive to a twinkling Haupt Conservatory where model trains race through miniature landmarks beneath thousands of lights, paired with live holiday performances and glowing conservatory pathways.
Adults can warm up with seasonal cocktails and mocktails, while the return of the Bar Car at the Hudson Garden Grill Patio adds a festive après-garden ritual to the evening. With photo opportunities at every turn and a gift shop stocked for holiday browsing, the experience feels equal parts nostalgic and elevated.
Greg’s Trees Makes Its Brooklyn Debut
📍 Locations: McCarren Park, Domino Park, JJ Byrne Playground, Greenwood Park Beer Garden, Hank’s Bar [Brooklyn] + Murray Playground [Long Island City] | Dates: Throughout December 2025
Greg’s Trees, a long-loved New York City tradition, expands into Brooklyn with new tree lots that feel more like holiday villages than simple stands. Each location is dressed with hand-painted character cutouts, twinkling lights, and Instagram-ready décor, turning the tree-picking ritual into a full family outing.
Beyond choosing the tree, families can join wreath-making, seasonal crafts, and other kid-friendly activities woven into the spaces. This year, Greg’s Trees also appears in Merchants of Joy, a new documentary debuting on Amazon Prime, adding a little extra lore to an already nostalgic New York ritual.
Free to visit; trees and activities available for purchase
Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off
📍 Location: Museum of the City of New York, 1220 Fifth Avenue — East Harlem, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 19, 2026
At the Museum of the City of New York, Gingerbread NYC turns the city into a miniature, frosted skyline. Professional and amateur bakers from all five boroughs create elaborate gingerbread structures inspired by local landmarks and neighborhood icons. Brownstones, bridges, bodegas, ballparks, and more, each one crafted entirely from edible materials.
Families can wander the gallery together, picking favorites while kids spot familiar places in gingerbread form. This year’s theme, “Iconic New York,” makes it a playful way to talk about neighborhoods, architecture, and local pride, all through sugar and spice.
Museum admission required for viewing
Christmas Carousel at Greeley Square
📍 Location: Greeley Square, 33rd Street and Broadway — Midtown West, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 6, 2026 | Hours: 10 AM – 10 PM
In Midtown, the Christmas Carousel at 33rd and Broadway offers a simple, sparkling pleasure: a double-decker ride spinning beneath the city’s holiday lights. The carousel makes its New York City debut this season, giving families an easy, kid-focused moment of wonder just steps from Herald Square and Macy’s Holiday Square shops.
Riders are treated to 360-degree views of decorated storefronts, overhead lights, and Broadway foot traffic as music fills the square. It is an easy stop to pair with shopping, window-viewing, or a hot chocolate walk.
Tickets required to ride; walk-up access available while open
Titanic: Echoes From the Past
📍 Location: Eclipso, 555 West 57th Street, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan | Dates: Through January 31, 2026
This immersive, narrative-driven exhibition invites visitors into the depths of the Atlantic to rediscover the Titanic through a cinematic blend of history, technology, and emotional storytelling. Guests move through reconstructed environments that place them inside the ship’s final voyage. The experience captures both the grandeur and the tragedy through groundbreaking projection and sound design.
Using advanced reconstruction technology, the experience allows visitors to explore the wreck site 3,800 meters below sea level and step into pivotal moments from the Titanic’s maiden journey. It is part historical archive, part sensory journey, designed to leave a lasting impression long after the final room.
Day Trips & Winter Getaways
For families and couples willing to venture beyond the city, these winter escapes offer a change of scenery. Snow-dusted streets, small-town festivals, and immersive light displays that feel like stepping into a holiday vignette.
Snowflake Festival — Uptown Kingston
📍 Location: Uptown Kingston, Hudson Valley | Date: December 5, 2025 | Time: 6 PM – 8 PM
Uptown Kingston transforms into a glowing winter village for the annual Snowflake Festival, a free community celebration filled with lights, local shopping, and festive energy. Streets sparkle with seasonal décor as small businesses stay open late, offering warm drinks, holiday gifts, and easy wandering through the neighborhood.
With shuttle service from downtown and additional parking available, the evening feels welcoming rather than hectic. It is an easy early-December getaway that blends small-town charm with a lively holiday atmosphere.
Not So Tiny Nutcrackers
📍 Location: Oneida County History Center, 1608 Genesee Street, Utica | Dates: Through January 10, 2026
In Utica, the Oneida County History Center hosts an enchanting holiday exhibit built around whimsy and tradition. Not So Tiny Nutcrackers features more than 600 intricately crafted nutcrackers arranged in playful, storybook-style displays.
Daily crafts and hands-on activities invite children to engage with the exhibit beyond viewing alone, making it a relaxed, educational stop for families looking to pair a winter drive with something quietly memorable.
Jungle Bells: Holiday Lights Display
📍 Location: Animal Adventure Park, 85 Martin Hill Road, Harpursville | Dates: Through December 27, 2025
Animal Adventure Park unveils its largest holiday lights display yet with Jungle Bells, a walk-through winter spectacle illuminated by hundreds of thousands of lights. Pathways glow beneath towering installations as guests move through the park under a canopy of color and sound.
Children can meet Santa in his workshop for photos, while the Grinch roams the grounds for mischievous meet-and-greets. With immersive displays and character interactions at every turn, Jungle Bells turns a regional wildlife park into a full holiday fantasyland.
Spend Time with Santa at His Workshop
📍 Location: Magical Wonderland, 2200 Wantagh Avenue, Wantagh, Nassau County | Dates: December 1–4 & 8–11, 2025
This immersive Santa experience invites children directly into the workings of the North Pole. At Santa’s Workshop, kids build toys alongside Santa, check the legendary Naughty or Nice list, prepare the sleigh for Christmas Eve, and even assist from a state-of-the-art radar station.
Every moment is thoughtfully staged and professionally photographed by Santa’s elves, creating keepsake images for families to take home. It is less a quick photo stop and more a full narrative holiday experience, especially suited for families making a special December trip out of the city.
Markets, Makers & Sustainable Holiday Shopping
Conscious gifting shapes the season this December as New York’s holiday markets spotlight craftsmanship, sustainability, and small-business discovery. From low-waste community pop-ups to large-scale artisan showcases, these markets offer a more intentional way to shop. The focus shifts from excess to meaning, letting purchases carry both story and purpose.
Brooklyn Roots Collective × Zero Waste NYC Sustainable Holiday Night Market
📍 Location: Brooklyn Roots Collective, 255 Randolph Street — Bushwick, Brooklyn | Date: December 12, 2025 | Time: 5 PM – 9 PM
Brooklyn Roots Collective transforms into a lively showcase of mindful craftsmanship for its Sustainable Holiday Night Market in partnership with Zero Waste NYC. Vintage finds, secondhand treasures, upcycled goods, and handmade pieces from local vendors replace mass-produced gifting with thoughtful alternatives.
The evening invites guests to shop slowly, support small businesses, and connect directly with the creatives shaping Brooklyn’s sustainability movement. The market is part of a two-night collaboration that begins with Sip & Spark, a sustainability talk at KCBC Brewery.
Field + Supply NYC Holiday Market
📍 Location: Starrett-Lehigh Building, 601 West 26th Street — Chelsea, Manhattan | Dates: December 6–7, 2025 | Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
Field + Supply makes its New York City debut with a two-day holiday market celebrating craft, utility, and artisanal design. More than 250 makers present furniture, fashion, ceramics, food goods, and functional wares designed with longevity and beauty in mind.
Seasonal treats, hands-on vendor interaction, and a carefully curated environment turn holiday shopping into an experience rather than a task, making this one of December’s most thoughtfully designed markets.
Grand Bazaar Holiday Market at Grand Central Terminal
📍 Location: Grand Central Terminal, Biltmore Room, 89 East 42nd Street — Midtown East, Manhattan | Dates: December 16–18, 2025 | Time: 8 AM – 7 PM
The Grand Bazaar Holiday Market brings together New York’s longest-running market collective and Made in NYC for a three-day celebration of local manufacturing and gift-ready artistry inside one of the city’s most iconic spaces.
Shoppers can browse handmade jewelry, home goods, fashion, and specialty items created by independent makers whose stories are as compelling as their work, each purchase directly supporting the city’s creative economy.
Whole Foods Market Daily Shop — Brooklyn Grand Street Opening
📍 Location: 774 Grand Street, Brooklyn | Date: December 11, 2025 | Time: 8 AM
Whole Foods Market expands its smaller-format Daily Shop concept with a new Brooklyn outpost on Grand Street. Designed for fast-paced urban living, the 7,888-square-foot location centers everyday convenience without sacrificing quality. The store focuses on fresh ingredients and grab-and-go essentials, with an edited selection of seasonal produce, prepared foods, baked goods, supplements, local specialties, and the 365 by Whole Foods Market line.
The Brooklyn opening is followed by a Hoboken debut on December 18, marking the brand’s first Daily Shop location in New Jersey. Together, the two openings reflect a growing shift toward neighborhood-scale grocery shopping tailored to walkable communities and everyday needs.
Food & Drink as Holiday Ritual
BACARDÍ Holiday Coquito Competition
📍 Location: Participating venues across New York City | Dates: Through January 31, 2026
Through the heart of winter, the BACARDÍ Holiday Coquito Competition turns New York’s cocktail scene into a celebration of Puerto Rico’s most treasured seasonal drink. Presented by the Tales of the Cocktail Foundation, bartenders across the city reinterpret classic coquito using BACARDÍ Reserva Ocho, blending tradition with modern creativity.
Participating New York venues, including Analogue, Maison Pickle, Mr. Melo, and Orion Bar, offer limited-time signature versions rooted in heritage while pushing flavor boundaries. Each cocktail becomes both a personal expression and a cultural tribute—inviting guests to sip slowly and taste the season.
Limited-time menu item at participating bars.
QC New York Candlelight Concerts in the Thermal Pools
📍 Location: 112 Andes Road — Governors Island, Manhattan | Dates: Every Saturday, December 6, 2025 through January 3, 2026 | Times: 4:30 PM & 5:30 PM
On Governors Island, QC New York Spa transforms the holiday season into a floating candlelit ritual. Guests drift through 98-degree heated outdoor thermal pools illuminated by thousands of glowing candles as live string quartets perform contemporary holiday arrangements under the open winter sky.
Each 30-minute performance is limited to just 80 guests, a detail that preserves the evening’s intimate, unhurried atmosphere. The small scale allows the music to feel personal rather than performative. Admission also includes access to QC New York’s full vertical spa experience. Guests can move between indoor saunas, steam rooms, waterfalls, heated tunnels, and quiet relaxation rooms as the evening unfolds beyond the music. The night is designed to unfold slowly beyond the music. Winter Flavors, a complimentary tray of seasonal Italian treats, is included with the purchase of two drinks, carrying the experience gently into its final moments.
Tickets required. Limited capacity per performance
New Year’s Eve Across the Boroughs
December culminates in a citywide reset. From intimate singles gatherings in the East Village to glow-coded dance floors in Astoria, New Year’s Eve 2025 stretches across the boroughs with wildly different energies. Whether you’re chasing connection, movement, or a quieter countdown near the Ball Drop, these celebrations offer distinct ways to cross into the new year.
NYE Soirée at Bar 42, Pod Times Square
📍 Location: Pod Times Square Hotel – Bar 42, 400 West 42nd Street — Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan | Date: December 31, 2025 | Time: 9 PM
Bar 42 at Pod Times Square offers a New Year’s Eve celebration within steps of the world’s most famous countdown — without the barricades or crowds. Hosted by PlentyofParties, the evening features a live DJ spinning Top 40, house, and throwbacks, along with interactive games, raffles, and festive party favors throughout the night.
Guests watch the Midnight Countdown on-screen just blocks from the Ball Drop, then flow seamlessly back into the party. With coat check available and a central Midtown location, it delivers a relaxed, high-energy alternative to being outside in the crush of Times Square.
Black & White New Year’s Eve Singles Bash
📍 Location: House Watch, 50 Avenue B — East Village, Manhattan | Date: December 31, 2025 | Time: 8 PM
House Watch sets the tone for an evening built around ease and connection with its annual Black & White Singles Bash. Guests arrive dressed in a sleek monochrome palette, creating an instant sense of cohesion as the night unfolds. With DJ Diz-One behind the booth, the bar pulses with familiar sounds that invite conversation as much as dancing.
The crowd skews 25+, fostering a social atmosphere that feels lively but not overwhelming. A midnight countdown and champagne toast anchor the evening, while the relaxed setting makes it easy to arrive solo or with friends and still feel immediately part of the room.
Stoplight New Year’s Eve Bash
📍 Location: Aura Astoria, 30-07 Newtown Avenue — Astoria, Queens | Date: December 31, 2025 | Time: 9 PM
Aura Astoria leans fully into playful spectacle with its Stoplight New Year’s Eve Bash. Guests are given glow-in-the-dark necklaces to signal their relationship status — red for taken, yellow for it’s complicated, and green for single and ready to mingle — turning the entire party into a living conversation starter.
With a live DJ, festive party favors, and a champagne toast at midnight, the night blends flirtation, dancing, and humor into one high-energy celebration. The crowd welcomes couples, singles, and everyone in between, creating an atmosphere that feels open rather than staged.
Tickets required. Ages 25+.
New Year’s Eve Silent Disco Bash
📍 Location: Bohemian Hall Beer Garden, 29-19 24th Avenue — Astoria, Queens | Date: December 31, 2025 | Time: 9 PM
Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden transforms into a three-channel dance floor for its annual Silent Disco NYE Bash. With wireless LED headphones, guests toggle between DJs spinning pop and EDM, throwbacks, and hip-hop/Latin beats — each channel creating its own pocket of movement within one shared space.
The experience unfolds across indoor and outdoor areas beneath glow sticks and winter lights, with a full bar, a midnight champagne toast, raffle prizes, and the Carson Daly Countdown playing on screen. It is kinetic, communal, and designed entirely around dancing into the new year.
Tickets required. Ages 21+.
Why We Love December in New York
Because December in New York never settles into one mood. It bends between candlelight and chaos, quiet reflection and amplified joy. You can spend one evening floating in a thermal pool beside a live quartet and another shouting lyrics at an arena concert. You can shop from local artisans under Grand Central’s vaulted ceiling, mourn and reflect inside a historic cemetery, or wander through a gingerbread city made entirely of memory and sugar.
This is not a month that belongs to one version of celebration. It belongs to contradiction—and that’s exactly what makes it New York.
