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Christmas in New York City

Christmas in New York City is much more than Christmas. New Yorkers call the season “The Holidays” to respect everyone’s traditions.

Holiday traditions are rooted in the Winter Solstice which is traditionally an important day in the northern hemisphere. The Christmas holiday was created by a pope in Roman times.

Whatever you call the season, NYC is one of the world’s leading Christmas destinations. Many American Christmas traditions were defined here.


NYC Holiday Season 2022

The City prepares in November, although Bryant Park Winter Village opens at the end of October. NYC’s holiday season runs from Thanksgiving to Three Kings Day on January 6.

November Holidays
  • Thanksgiving, the American harvest festival, is Thursday, November 24, 2022. 🇺🇸
  • Native American Heritage Day, the Federal holiday after Thanksgiving, is Friday, November 25, 2022. 🇺🇸
  • Giving Tuesday, a philanthropic tradition founded by the 92nd Street Y, is Tuesday, November 29, 2022. 🇺🇸
December Holidays
  • Día de las Velitas, the Colombian festival of lights, is Wednesday, December 7, 2022. 🇨🇴
  • Las Mañanitas is a Mexican tradition celebrating the birth of the Virgin of Guadalupe on her birthday eve. 🇲🇽
  • The Feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe is a Mexican celebration of the patron saint of Mexico and our mixed Indigenous-European heritage, on Monday, December 12, 2022. 🇲🇽
  • Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is Sunday-Monday, December 18-26, 2022. 🕎
  • Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere, is Wednesday, December 21, 2022.
  • Christmas Day, a popular celebration of the birth of Jesus, is Sunday, December 25, 2022. Some families celebrate on Christmas Eve.
  • Kwanzaa, the African Diaspora holiday tradition, is Monday, December 26 – Sunday, January 1, 2023. 🇺🇸
  • New Year’s Eve is Saturday, December 31, 2022.
JANuary Holidays
  • New Year’s Day is a national holiday on Sunday, January 1, 2023. This year’s day off is Monday, January 2.
  • Letter of the Year, a Cuban Yoruba forecast of the year, is usually revealed on Sunday, January 1, 2023, or on the days after. 🇨🇺
  • Three Kings Day is Friday, January 6, 2022. 🇵🇷
  • Las Octavitas is a Puerto Rican tradition that extends the Three Kings celebration for the eight-days (an octave) from Thursday, January 7-14, 2022. 🇵🇷

After Three Kings Day, Catholic countries start preparing for Carnival, the world’s biggest Latin party.

However you celebrate, we wish you and your family a Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year!


Holidays in NYC 2022

Santa Claus

December 2021

Santa Claus is back at Macy’s Santaland at Macy’s Herald Square, Nov 26 – Dec 24. Reservations open Nov 21.

Christmas Trees

December 2021

The Met Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Baroque Crèche opens at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Central Park, Tue, Nov 23. $25. 🇮🇹

The Rockefeller Christmas Tree is lit live and on NBC Wed, Dec 1.

Hanukkah Menorahs

Hanukkah 2021 is Sun, Nov 8 – Dec 6.

One of the “world’s largest menorahs” is lit at Grand Army Plaza in Midtown on Hanukkah nights at 5:30pm (8pm on Sat). FREE . centralpark.com 🕎

One of the “world’s largest menorahs” is lit at Grand Army Plaza in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Hanukkah nights at various times (4pm on Nov 28). FREE . chabadparkslope.com 🕎

Holiday Markets

December 2021

The markets are good places for children to do holiday shopping. It’s fun for the entire family.

Bryant Park Winter Village family shopping, ice skating and dining is open in Midtown South daily from Fri, Oct 29, 2021 – Jan 2, 2022.

Columbus Circle Holiday Markets is at the southwest Central Park gate on Columbus Circle in Midtown, Fri, Nov 19 – Dec 24, 2021. urbanspacenyc.com

The Grand Central Holiday Fair in Vanderbilt Hall at Grand Central Terminal in Midtown East Nov 15 – Dec 24. (unconfirmed) grandcentralterminal.com

Union Square Holiday Market is in Union Square Park, Thu, Nov 18 – Dec 24, 2021. urbanspacenyc.com

Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square will be back next year.

Holiday Dance

December 2021

Flamenco Vivo Holiday Fiesta, a Zambomba, the Andalusian Christmas caroling tradition, is at 4W43 Gallery in Midtown on Fri, Dec 10 at 7:30pm. $35. 🇪🇸

Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theater celebrates Kwanzaa at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Fri, Dec 26 at 7pm. $10 or pay what you wish.

NY City Ballet’s “George Balanchine The Nutcracker” is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center Fri, Nov 26, 2021 to Jan 2, 2022.

The Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is at Radio City Music Hall in Midtown, Manhattan almost daily from Nov 5, 2021 to Jan 2, 2022.

Holiday Music

December 2021

Plena Libre plays Puerto Rican Plena Folk music and holiday Parrandas at Lehman Center in Jerome Park, The Bronx on Sat, Dec 4 at 8pm. From $25. 🇵🇷

Celebrate the holidays at Parrandón Navideño with El Conjunto Quisqueya, Ramon Orland and Jose Alberto “El Canario” at Lehman Center in Jerome Park, The Bronx on Sat, Dec 11 at 8pm. From $40. 🇩🇴

Big Band Holidays featuring The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis is at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Wed-Sun, Dec 15-19. From $55. jazz.org

Chris Botti 17th Blue Note Holiday Residency is Dec 6, 2021 – Jan 2, 2022, 8 & 10:30pm.🇮🇹

The Magic Flute in English stars Rolando Villazón as Papageno, at the Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center, Dec 10 – Jan 5. metopera.org

The NY Philharmonic Handel’s Messiah is at Riverside Church in Morningside Heights, Manhattan, Tue-Sat, Dec 14-18. From $51. nyphil.org

No Trinity Church Handel’s Messiah this year.

The 42nd City Singing choral concert is at St Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown East on Thu, Dec 16 from 7-9pm. saintpatrickscathedral.com 🇮🇹

Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration is at the Cathedral of St John the Divine in Morningside Heights on Sat, Dec 18 [unconfirmed]. solsticeconcert.com

Holiday Theatre

December 2021

Sueño de Reyes / Dream of Kings children’s theater is at Teatro SEA in the Lower East Side, Dec 10-12, Dec 17-19, 2021 and Jan, 7-9, 2022. $20. teatrosea.org 🇵🇷

Kwanzaa

December 26, 2021 – January 1, 2022

The 30th Kwanzaa Celebration is virtual on Zoom, Facebook and YouTube at Hostos College in Mott Haven, The Bronx on Thu, Dec 2 at 7pm. FREE. 🇺🇸

Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theater celebrates Kwanzaa at the Apollo Theater in Harlem on Fri, Dec 26 at 7pm. $10 or pay what you wish.


Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets are fun and good places for children to do holiday shopping.

  • Bryant Park Winter Village, a Christmas market at Bryant Park in Midtown, with shopping and ice skating, opens Friday, October 28, 2022 – January 2023.
  • The Grand Central Holiday Fair is at Grand Central Station in Midtown East, is Monday, November 14 – December 24, 2022.
  • The Union Square Holiday Market is at Union Square in Midtown, Manhattan, Thursday, November 17 – December 24, 2022.
  • The Brooklyn Borough Hall Holiday Market is Monday, November 28 – December 26.
  • The Columbus Circle Holiday Market at Columbus Circle at the intersection of the Upper West Side, Hell’s Kitchen, and Midtown, is Tuesday, November 29 – December 24, 2022.
  • The Brooklyn Museum Holiday Market was Sundays, December 5, 12 & 19, 2021.
National Puerto Rican Artisans Fair (Ana L. Alicea/PRIDA)

National Puerto Rican Artisans and Authors Fair Offers Great Artisanal Holiday Gifts and Family Entertainment

HISPANIC SOCIETY, Washington Heights, Manhattan 🇵🇷

Continue Reading National Puerto Rican Artisans and Authors Fair Offers Great Artisanal Holiday Gifts and Family Entertainment

Bryant Park Winter Village (Andrew Kazmierski/Dreamstime)

Winter Village Bryant Park Made CNN’s 2024 World’s Best Holiday Market List

BRYANT PARK, Midtown, Manhattan 🎄

Continue Reading Winter Village Bryant Park Made CNN’s 2024 World’s Best Holiday Market List


Christmas Shows

New York City’s traditional Christmas shows are the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular, NYC Ballet’s Nutcracker, and Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration.

Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular in 2014 (Picturemakers/Dreamstime)

Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is Very Jolly Holiday Show

RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, Rockefeller Center, Midtown, Manhattan

Continue Reading Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is Very Jolly Holiday Show

"The Magic Flute" at the Metropolitan Opera (Richard Termine/Met Opera)

Magic Flute Stars Mexican Tenor Rolando Villazón at the Metropolitan Opera

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE, Lincoln Center 🇲🇽

Continue Reading Magic Flute Stars Mexican Tenor Rolando Villazón at the Metropolitan Opera

Paul Winter's Winter Solstice Celebration (courtesy the artist)

Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration 2022

[To be confirmed]
Friday-Sunday, December 16-18, 2022

Continue Reading Paul Winter’s Winter Solstice Celebration 2022

"Navidad: A Mexican-American Christmas" (Julieta Cervantes/Calpulli)

Calpulli Presents the Streaming Premiere of their Wonderful Christmas Show “Navidad: A Mexican-American Christmas”

calpullidance.org | Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2021 🇲🇽 🎄

Continue Reading Calpulli Presents the Streaming Premiere of their Wonderful Christmas Show “Navidad: A Mexican-American Christmas”

"El Pesebre" (ID Studio Theatre)

El Pesebre is a Classic Nativity Play

Saturday, December 21, 2019
BRONXWORKS BETANCES COMMUNITY CENTER
Mott Haven, The Bronx
NYC’s top Colombians in theatre, music and dance perform a shepherd’s play
FREE

Continue Reading El Pesebre is a Classic Nativity Play

Navidad Flamenca: A Flamenco Nutcracker (Gregg Richards/FVCS)

Navidad Flamenca 2019: A Flamenco Nutcracker

Fri-Sun, December 6-8, 2019
LOWER EAST SIDE, NYC ~ Bring to life the holiday traditions of the Spanish diaspora in Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico and mother Spain at Abrons Arts Center

Continue Reading Navidad Flamenca 2019: A Flamenco Nutcracker


Christmas Concerts

Christmas concerts make the season merry.


Three Kings Day

Three Kings Day is the climax of many Latin Christmas traditions. Epiphany, the Twelfth Day of Christmas, and the end of the Christmas season, is the traditional Latin gift-giving day.

The Three Kings represent all the parts of who we are as Latins: White, Black and Brown. They came from the orient and in the Caribbean and South America we have oriental Latins too. Can you think of any other traditional icons who represent diversity?

Three Kings Day NYC (Iakov Filimonov/Dreamstime)

Three Kings Day in New York City 2025

January 6 🇩🇴 🇳🇮 🇵🇷 🇺🇾 ~ 🇮🇹 🇷🇴 🇪🇸

Continue Reading Three Kings Day in New York City 2025

Three Kings Day Parade NYC (Fotoimp/Adobe)

Three Kings Day Parade NYC 2025 Marches Through El Barrio

“El Barrio” East Harlem, Manhattan 🇵🇷

Continue Reading Three Kings Day Parade NYC 2025 Marches Through El Barrio

Teatro SEA "Ricito and the 3 Bears" (George Riveron/Teatro SEA)

Teatro SEA Takes Ricitos & the 3 Bears on Tour to Hostos Center

HOSTOS CENTER, Mott Haven, The Bronx
Ricitos y Los 3 Ositos (Ricitos and the 3 Bears), a bilingual Goldilocks 🇵🇷

PUERTO RICAN TRAVELING THEATER, Hell’s Kitchen, Manhattan
Las Locaventuras de Don Qujote (The Crazy Adventures of Don Quixote) 🇵🇷

CLEMENTE CENTER, Lower East Side, Manhattan (touring in 2024)

Continue Reading Teatro SEA Takes Ricitos & the 3 Bears on Tour to Hostos Center


Latin Christmas Traditions

New Year's Eve in New York City (Wirestock/Dreamstime)

New Year’s Eve 2025 in New York City

DECEMBER 31 🇫🇷

Continue Reading New Year’s Eve 2025 in New York City

Mariah Carey in 1999 (Fabio Diena/Dreamstime)

Mariah Carey “Christmas Time” in New York City

BARCLAYS CENTER, Prospect Heights, Brooklyn 🇻🇪 🇺🇸

Continue Reading Mariah Carey “Christmas Time” in New York City

The Virgin of Guadalupe (Jesus Eloy Ramos Lara/Dreamstime)

Virgin of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of Mexico and Multiracial People

BASILICA OF OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE, Cerro del Tepeyac, México City, México 🇲🇽

Continue Reading Virgin of Guadalupe is the Patron Saint of Mexico and Multiracial People

Chris Botti (Kubu21/Dreamstime)

Chris Botti’s 20th Holiday Residency at the Blue Note is a New York Holiday Tradition

BLUE NOTE, Greenwich Village, Manhattan 🇮🇹

Continue Reading Chris Botti’s 20th Holiday Residency at the Blue Note is a New York Holiday Tradition

Bryant Park Winter Village (Andrew Kazmierski/Dreamstime)

Winter Village Bryant Park Made CNN’s 2024 World’s Best Holiday Market List

BRYANT PARK, Midtown, Manhattan 🎄

Continue Reading Winter Village Bryant Park Made CNN’s 2024 World’s Best Holiday Market List

Madison Square Garden (Leungphotography/Dreamstime)

Madison Square Garden Presents Giants of Latin Music and Comedy

Carín León regional Mexican pop 🇲🇽
Stevie Wonder African American R&B 🇺🇸
Dave Matthews Band, alternative rock 🇿🇦
Pentatonix American pop 🇺🇸 🇬🇩 🇮🇹 🇲🇽 🇳🇬 🇪🇸
Andrea Bocelli Italian pop opera holiday concert 🇮🇹 🎄

CHELSEA, Manhattan

Continue Reading Madison Square Garden Presents Giants of Latin Music and Comedy

Barclays Center (Littleny/Dreamstime)

Barclays Center, Brooklyn’s Big Arena, Presents Big Latin Stars

Ana Gabriel, Mexican pop 🇲🇽
Peso Pluma, Mexican corridos tumbados 🇲🇽
Myke Towers, Puerto Rican reggaeton 🇵🇷
Barak, Dominican Christian 🇩🇴
Christian Nodal, regional Mexican 🇲🇽
Marc Anthony, Puerto Rican salsa 🇵🇷
Buju Banton, Jamaican dancehall 🇯🇲
Chayanne, Puerto Rican pop 🇵🇷
Shakira, Colombian pop 🇨🇴
Mariah Carey, Venezuelan American holidays 🇻🇪 🇺🇸

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, Brooklyn

Continue Reading Barclays Center, Brooklyn’s Big Arena, Presents Big Latin Stars

Las Octavitas at the Capitol of Puerto Rico in Old San Juan (Demerzel21/Dreamstime)

Las Octavitas Extend the Puerto Rican Christmas Season

PUERTO RICO and the Diaspora 🇵🇷

Continue Reading Las Octavitas Extend the Puerto Rican Christmas Season

Kwanzaa NYC (Timothy Nichols/Dreamstime)

Kwanzaa is the African American Holiday Tradition. Habari Gani!

DECEMBER 26 to JANUARY 1 ~ Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), Imani (Faith). 🇺🇸

Continue Reading Kwanzaa is the African American Holiday Tradition. Habari Gani!

Festivals

Primary Sidebar

Things to Do in NYC

January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Cuban Funk

Cimafunk in 2024 (Carnegie Hall)

Cimafunk “Pa’ Tu Cuerpa Tour” Has “The James Brown of Cuba” Getting Funky for Carnegie Hall’s “Nuestros Sonidos” Festival of Latin Culture

Spanish Classical Music

Teatro Real, Royal Opera of Madrid Orchestra Gala Musical Fantasy From Spain (Teatro Real)

Teatro Real, the Royal Opera of Madrid Orchestra, Plays a Gala Musical Fantasy From Spain Featuring Violinist María Dueñas, Soprano Saioa Hernández, and Conductor David Afkham

Nuestros Sonidos Latin Culture

Nuestros Sonidos at Carnegie Hall (Sol Cotti)

Carnegie Hall’s “Nuestros Sonidos” (Our Sounds) Festival of Latin Culture

Theatre Professionals ~ Employers Network

Find your next project. Discover your next team. Do it on RISE.

Sponsored By The Best Of New York

92nd Street Y, New York

Capulli Mexican Dance Company 🇲🇽

Brooklyn Museum

Carnegie Hall

Harlem Stage

Hostos Center

Melvis Santa & Jazz Orishas 🇨🇺

Metropolitan Opera

National Indigenous Peoples of the Americas Parade 🇺🇸

New York City Center

NYU Skirball Center

RISE Theatre Directory

Teatro Real ~ Royal Opera of Madrid 🇪🇸

World Music Institute

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