We celebrate a lot more than Christmas in New York.New Yorkers call it “The Holidays” in respect of everyone’s traditions.
Whatever you call them, NYC is one of the world’s leading Holiday destinations. Many American Christmas traditions were defined here.
Preparations start in November. Most events launch around Thanksgiving. NYC’s holiday season continues to Three Kings Day on January 6.
However you celebrate, we wish you and your family a Happy Holidays and a prosperous New Year!
November Holidays
Thanksgiving, the American family day, is Thu, Nov 25. 🇺🇸
Giving Tuesday, a philanthropic tradition started by the 92nd Street Y, is Tue, Nov 30. givingtuesday.org
Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights, is Nov 28 – Dec 6. 🕎
December Holidays
Día de las Velitas, the Colombian Festival of Lights, is Tue, Dec 7.
Las Mañanitas, the birthday celebration for La Virgen de Guadalupe, patroness of Mexico and icon of Mexican identity, is Sat, Dec 11. 🇲🇽
Winter Solstice, the longest northern night and ancient root of all these celebrations, is Tue, Dec 21.
Christmas, the world’s most popular Latin holiday, is Sat, Dec 25. Some celebrate Christmas Eve on Fri, Dec 24. 🇮🇹
Kwanzaa, an African American holiday tradition founded in NYC, is Sun-Sat, Dec 26 – Jan 1, 2022. 🇺🇸
New Year’s on the Gregorian calendar is Sat, Jan 1. New Year’s Eve is Fri, Dec 31. 🇮🇹
January Holidays
Letter of the Year, an Afro-Cuban Yoruba tradition that foretells the coming year, arrives on the first days of the year. 🇨🇺
Three Kings Day, the important Latin gift-giving day, is Wed, Jan 6. 🇦🇷🇧🇴🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇷🇨🇺🇩🇴🇪🇨🇸🇻🇬🇹🇭🇳🇲🇽🇳🇮🇵🇦🇵🇾🇵🇪🇵🇷🇪🇸🇺🇾🇻🇪
Puerto Rican traditions continue for another week with Las Octavitas (Fri, Jan 7-14), to the Sansé, Puerto Rico’s biggest festival which ends on Martin Luther King Weekend.
Santa Claus
December 2021
Santa Claus arrives in New York City in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thu, Nov 25.
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.
Three Kings Day
Thursday, January 6, 2022
We await news on the:
- El Museo Three Kings Day Parade
- Teatro SEA Three Kings Day Celebration
New York City’s Holiday Festivals
Thanksgiving Weekend Opens NYC’s Christmas & Holiday Season!
Thursday-Sunday, November 24-27, 2022
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Continue Reading Thanksgiving Weekend Opens NYC’s Christmas & Holiday Season!
On Giving Tuesday, Support the Arts
Tuesday, November 29, 2022
Celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights!
Sunday, December 18 – Monday, December 26, 2022
✡️
Continue Reading Celebrate Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights!
Celebrate Christmas Eve, Noche Buena!
Saturday, December 24, 2022
Celebrate Kwanzaa, the African American Holiday Tradition!
Monday, December 26, 2022 – January 1, 2023
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Continue Reading Celebrate Kwanzaa, the African American Holiday Tradition!
Happy New Year 2023!
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Christmas Markets
Christmas Markets are fun and good places for children to do holiday shopping.
Bryant Park’s Winter Village 2022
[TO BE CONFIRMED]
October 28 2022 – Jan 3, 2023
BRYANT PARK
Midtown, Manhattan
Winter’s Eve at Lincoln Square 2022
[To be confirmed]
Monday, November 28, 2022
LINCOLN SQUARE
Manhattan
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 is Back in 2022
November 18, 2022 – January 2, 2023
RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
Midtown, Manhattan
Continue Reading Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular is Back in 2022
NY City Ballet’s “George Balanchine The Nutcracker” 2022
DAVID H. KOCH THEATER
Lincoln Center
Friday, November 26, 2021 to Jan 2, 2022
Continue Reading NY City Ballet’s “George Balanchine The Nutcracker” 2022
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
Calpulli Presents the Streaming Premiere of their Wonderful Christmas Show “Navidad: A Mexican-American Christmas”
calpullidance.org | Christmas Day, Friday, December 25, 2021 🇲🇽 🎄
“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
Magic Flute
December 15, 2019 – January 4, 2020
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
Lincoln Center, NYC
This shortened English family version of Mozart’s fairy tale opera is a New York holiday tradition
Navidad Flamenca: 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
Christmas Concerts
Christmas concerts make the season merry.
Jazz at Lincoln Center Big Band Holidays
Wed-Sun, December 15-19, 2021
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER
ROSE THEATER
Chris Botti Plays his 17th Blue Note Jazz Holiday Residency
Monday, December 6, 2021 – Jan 2, 2022
BLUE NOTE
Greenwich Village
🇮🇹
Continue Reading Chris Botti Plays his 17th Blue Note Jazz Holiday Residency
Los Pleneros de la 21 and Pregones/PRTT Celebrate Las Fiestas de Cruz
Facebook Live @Pleneros21
Friday, June 11, 2021 at 7pm
🇵🇷
Continue Reading Los Pleneros de la 21 and Pregones/PRTT Celebrate Las Fiestas de Cruz
Handel’s “Messiah” at Trinity Church is a NYC Holiday Tradition
Fri-Sun, Dec 20-22, 2019
TRINITY CHURCH Wall Street
Financial District, NYC
Continue Reading Handel’s “Messiah” at Trinity Church is a NYC Holiday Tradition
The New York Philharmonic’s Handel’s “Messiah” is a NYC Holiday Tradition
Tue-Thu, Dec 17-19, 2019
DAVID GEFFEN HALL
Lincoln Center, NYC
Continue Reading The New York Philharmonic’s Handel’s “Messiah” is a NYC Holiday Tradition
Willie Colón, Salsa Legend
Saturday, December 14, 2019
Lehman Center
JEROME PARK, The Bronx ~ Celebrate Christmas like we did in 1971 with the Latin Christmas album “Asalto navideño”
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?
The El Museo Three Kings Day Parade 2021 Celebrates Our Collective Strength Virtually
ELMUSEO.ORG, Facebook, YouTube | Wednesday, January 6, 2021 🇵🇷 🎄
El Museo del Barrio Three Kings Day Parade 2020
Monday, January 6, 2020
EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO
LA MARQUETA
East Harlem, NYC
Giant puppets, camels, parrandas, BombaYo, Annette Aguilar, Wabafu Garifuna Dance Theater, Fogo Azul NYC, and the Three Kings bring the true spirit of the holidays to El Barrio. ¡WEPA!
Continue Reading El Museo del Barrio Three Kings Day Parade 2020
Latin Christmas Traditions
Puerto Rican Parranda Season Starts Today
Thursday, November 24, 2022
🇵🇷
Celebrate La Posada, the Mexican Caroling Tradition!
Friday, December 16-24, 2022
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Continue Reading Celebrate La Posada, the Mexican Caroling Tradition!