Imagine walking down Times Square with warm hot cocoa in hand, snow falling from the sky, and bundled up in a puffer jacket. As the winter season approaches, more and more people visit New York. Some may argue that it is the best place to be during the Holiday season. New York is home to many iconic landmarks and the holiday season is filled with special events in the city, making it special. Many of the most iconic movies and romantic comedies are set there.
New York is best known for all the fun activities and sightseeing in winter. A must-see is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, which is a giant 100-foot tree, with thousands of lights and decorations wrapped around the tree. Below the tree is an iconic ice skating rink. However, it gets extremely crowded and is usually sold out. It is actually featured in movies like ELF and Home Alone 2. There are live performances that are televised around the nation. This location is a famous staple in NYC.
There are also other ice skating rinks in NY including the Bryant Park Winter Village, which is actually free if people bring their own skates, and Wollman Rink in Central Park.
NYC is known for its famous window displays during the holidays. There are streets like Saks Fifth Avenue which have extravagant lights and decorations. The Macy’s Herald Square, on 34th street, displays lights, snow machines, and has sound effects. Each year, there is a different theme, but they always try to keep a nostalgic style. For 2025, the theme is “The Most Wonderful Stories Start Here,” which is based on Macy’s holiday traditions. In the past few years some themes have included “Give Love,” “Festive Nostalgia and Togetherness,” and “Give, Love, Believe.” The themes focus on a winter environment with Santa, elves, and reindeers. It is the oldest holiday window tradition in the U.S. People can take pictures and videos, visit Santa, shop for gifts, and enjoy the decorations.
The Nutcracker is a New York City Ballet performance, located in the David H. Koch Theater in Lincoln Center. It’s choreographed by George Balanchine, one of the most important influences in ballet history, and accompanied by a live orchestra. The show has a large cast consisting of various age ranges, including child dancers from the School of American Ballet. They go all out for the sets and costumes, and they even have a 40 foot Christmas tree on stage, attracting tons of tourists.
The Rockettes is a famous holiday show performed at Radio City Music Hall and has been playing since 1933. It consists of unison dancing, high kicks, and a live orchestra.
Every year, millions of people visit New York to watch the Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Drop. It is one of the largest public gatherings in the world. Over one billion people watch the ball drop on television, and over a million attend. It gets crowded quickly, with people camping out early to get a good spot. Everyone is packed together tightly in anticipation of the 60-second countdown for the ball. It drops at 12:00 am and is 12,000 pounds. The first ball drop was in 1907, but it was heavy and simple unlike the one today, which is made of stainless steel and Waterford crystals.
A Calabasas High School sophomore, Anais Kak, who previously lived in NY said, “I think that’s the best season to be in New York. Especially during the holidays, it’s very magical like around 5th avenue and uptown cause everyone is excited for the holidays. There’s also a lot of decorations and holiday markets.”
Another sophomore from Calabasas High School, Sessie Squar said, “I’ve been to New York a few times during the winter and it’s super fun and really festive, but it’s really cold, like freezing. It’s full of decorations though, like in neighborhoods all the houses are lit up. I think it’s a great city to be in during the winter.”
New York is filled with many activities and attractions especially during the holiday season. It is very popular and gets super crowded, but in the opinion of many, it is worth a visit.
