This festive German restaurant keeps their decorations up all year round, but it feels like they kick it up even more around the holidays, when hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights and ornaments hang from every surface—most of which are already covered in garlands and artificial trees. It's admittedly a bit touristy, but still really fun, especially for families and schnitzel lovers!

During the holidays, taking a trip downtown to John Derian’s magical series of small shops in the East Village is a must. It’s the perfect place to get yourself in the holiday spirit, with whimsical decor incorporating botanical studies and engravings, shelves lined with great gifts, and every highly specific ornament you could possibly think of.

Skip the snaking lines to skate at Rockefeller Center and head to this rink with way shorter wait times and a fraction of the sticker price. When you’ve had your fill, retreat with fingers, toes and noses freezing, for warm whisky drinks in a cozy velvet banquette at Jacques Bar in the Lowell Hotel or, if you’re staying there, by the fireplace in the Club Room, only open to hotel guests.

The stretch of Atlantic Ave that runs west from Nevins Street has blocks lined with indie boutiques where you’ll find something to surprise and delight everyone on your list. Hit up Porta for your Europhile host-with-the-most friend, then head to Toast for cozy staples your earthy eclectic aunt will love, Salter House for your boho Gen Z niece, M.Patmos for your chic mother-in-law, and Hatchet Outdoor Supply Co for any outdoorsy men in your life.

Every suite at the St Regis is decorated for the holidays, kitted out with its own Christmas tree. But even if you’re not staying there, stop in and see the decor, or bring your kids to their Gingerbread house decorating workshop. Parents can snack on tea sandwiches and cocoa (spiked or not, we don’t judge) while chaperoning, then get their own treat afterwards at the very festive King Cole Bar.

This annual candlelight carol festival in Morningside Heights is a lovely interdenominational way to ring the season. It starts with the sounds of carillon, organ, harp, and choristers, then candlelight is passed from each person’s candle, slowly illuminating the nave before everyone ushers into the Assembly Hall for a festive reception.

The Surrey is one of the best hotels to stay uptown over the holidays, for its all-out decor and general festive spirit. After a blustery walk in snowy Central Park, what’s better than retreating to your suite, lighting the fireplace and calling their dedicated Hot Chocolate Hotline? Just dial COCO (2626) and their roaming hot chocolate cart will appear, stocked with marshmallows, whipped cream, and all the fixings to make a proper cup.

Skip the line at FAO Schwarz and head to Mary Arnold Toys, the oldest continuously operating toy store in the city. The closest thing Manhattan has to Santa’s workshop, their shelves are stocked with everything a kid could dream of: ride-on Vespa tricycles, MTA-themed toy train sets, stuffed animals and dolls, and even a section of travel-friendly boardgames with magnetized pieces that won’t get lost on the plane. Plus, they offer free delivery and assembly for most of their toys and furniture.

The southern part of this residential Brooklyn neighborhood, between 11th-13th Avenues and 83rd-86th Streets, puts the Christmas with the Cranks Frosty display to shame. Known for its epic, over-the-top decorations, it’s so fun to stroll around between dusk and 9pm when people turn off the lights for the night. It only seems to get better and better each year.

This third-generation family-owned Jewish deli, better known as “The Sturgeon King”, has been serving some of the city’s best sturgeon and lox since 1908. It’s the place to pick up bagels, smoked fish, and all your brunch essentials, plus anything you need for Hanukkah or New Year’s morning.

If your holiday playlist vibe is less Mariah Carey and more festive jazz, snag a ticket for any of the performances at the Rose Theatre, where a 14-piece jazz band donning Santa hats plays covers of the classics. Or head to Handel’s Messiah Sing-In in David Geffen Hall, where thousands of choristers from different churches and synagogues, plus vocalists from all over the city, have been gathering to sing together each December for nearly 60 years.

Come mid-November the rooftop at The Peninsula Hotel turns into an outdoor Swiss village, with Adirondack chairs set up beneath string lights and a canopy of evergreens. You can book dinner in one of the four private heated chalets with fireplaces, wooden walls and cozy, living-room-like interiors for a fun night of fondue and Swiss wines.

Watching the ice skaters at Rockefeller Center in the shadow of the enormous Christmas tree is always a fun way to spend some time. But rather than suffering for hours in the cold and spending an arm and a leg to skate here yourself, just sit down for drinks at Jupiter or Lodi and watch the mix of elegant skaters and wobbly novices make their loops around the rink. Afterwards, you might as well swing by Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman nearby to see the best holiday windows in the city.

You might walk right past Black Mountain Wine House in Cobble Hill without realizing it’s a bar. Weathered wooden shingles and Adirondack chairs mark the entrance behind a wrought-iron gate that, at first glance, looks like any other cozy stoop on the block. Inside, the vibe is less tinselled-to-the-max holiday decor and more crackling log fire and candlelit tables. The great wine list and warm, lowkey atmosphere are what keep us coming back throughout the holidays and all winter long.

This gorgeous store in Soho has one of our favorite Christmas trees in all of the city—a towering giant that nearly grazes the two-story ceiling, trimmed with lights, ribbons, and decorations that change each year. Their shop is lush with evergreens and garlands, and filled with gorgeous homewares perfect for gifting. Treat yourself to one of the best chocolate-chip cookies in NYC at La Mercerie, their cafe in the same space. But go early—they only make around 50 per day!

Each year, over a million lights are strung throughout this 52-acre outdoor trail. It’s the perfect outing with little kids—especially once it gets dark at 4pm—to take an hour and ogle at the light sculptures, interactive features and then warm yourselves with cider and s’mores from one of the concession stands set up throughout, or head to the bar if you’re visiting on one of the three 21+ nights during the season.

Of course, there’s The Rockettes’ Christmas Spectacular, which is just that—a spectacular 90-minute show that could get even the Scroogiest among us into the holiday spirit. Whether you’re front row or in the nosebleeds, seeing the immaculately choreographed high kicks and Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, where dozens of Rockettes slowly topple on top of each other like cascading dominoes, makes for great pre- or post-dinner entertainment.