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Christmas in New York

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

Christmas Markets

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

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.

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

Continue Reading Magic Flute

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?

Latin Christmas Traditions

Winter Festivals

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