The Beacon Beat

By Lucy Steward

New York City comes alive when the holidays roll around. Shops are lined with lights and the streets begin to be powdered with snow. But how can one make the most of this festive season? Here are 10 of my favorite things to do all across New York City to celebrate the holidays.

1. Holiday Markets: There’s no better way to kick off the holiday season than by visiting the dazzling holiday markets sprinkled throughout the city. With colorful ornaments lining striped red and green stalls and shoppers strolling in wool sweaters with their hot chocolates and Belgian waffles— this is the place to be this winter. Shops pop up every November in Union Square, Bryant Park, Columbus Circle, and in the Brooklyn Navy Yard holiday market. They last until nearly the end of December, leaving plenty of time to stop by. If you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone special or a tasty bite and a warm drink, wander through these delightful holiday markets.

2. Night-Out Performances: If you want to be entertained on a night out, getting tickets to see the Lincoln Center Nutcracker or Cirque du Soleil’s ’Twas the Night Before winter-themed circus performance are spectacular ways to do so. Red velvet seats and swooping golden ceilings set the scene in Lincoln Center’s ballet house for an elegant performance, complete with the giddy whisperings of anticipation from those seated around you. Once the curtain rises, watch the dancers and their intricate costumes as they tell the story of the Nutcracker, moving their bodies to weave a tale of sugarplum fairies and toys that come to life. Another approach to holiday wonder is by seeing Cirque du Soleil’s acrobatic circus performance, complete with dancing, acrobatics, and hauntingly beautiful melodies. It is truly a unique show that’s sure to bring joy to audience members of any age. 

3. Best Places to Dine: Everyone loves food, but not all people enjoy the process of making it. If chosen right, visiting restaurants this time of year can be just as special as cooking. Pop into Rolf’s German restaurant on 281 Third Avenue in Gramercy, Manhattan, which decks itself from floor to ceiling in 200,000 items worth of lights, ribbons, and holiday garb. Or, visit something even fancier, like Tavern on the Green, a restaurant located right in Central Park. Showcasing a large Christmas tree in its center, customers dine on steaks and cake slices, savoring flavors and the holiday atmosphere.  For a more rustic feel, Sunday in Brooklyn offers cozy blankets with meals in its log-cabin setting. 

4. Ice Skating: Feeling outdoorsy? You don’t want to miss something that you can only do in the winter: ice skating. Stumbling around while clinging to friends and potentially falling on your face is the perfect way to celebrate in the name of exhilaration and making memories. Bryant Park’s ice skating rink is frequently visited by holiday-goers for its exciting atmosphere, as well as the ice skating rinks at Rockefeller Center, Wollman Rink in Central Park, Chelsea Piers, Stuy Town Rink, Governors Island Rink, and the Glide at Brooklyn Bridge Park. This will be sure to leave you with rosy cold cheeks and a smile on your face.  

5. Holiday Drinks: Speaking of the cold, if you’re craving something tasty and refreshing, try the exclusive December Shake Shack holiday milkshakes. In past years there were these festive flavors: Sugar Cookie, Chocolate Spice, Candy Cane Marshmallow, Chocolate Peppermint, Coconut Snowball, and White Mocha. However, this year’s milkshakes take inspiration from the recent Trolls movie, featuring a hand-spun cotton candy milkshake with pop rock candy—the Poppy Sugar Cookie Shake, a chocolate fudge milkshake with candy crunch—the Branch’s Chocolate Peppermint shake, and the cinnamon roll custard with gold confetti toppings—the Viva’s Cinnamon Roll shake. My personal favorite is the original Sugar Cookie, with its festive and crunchy sugar sprinkles, whipped cream, and frozen sugar cookie custard. Keeping with the theme of cold drinks, Serendipity is home to the iconic frozen “hot” chocolate. The atmosphere is alive with sugar highs and dessert-lovers, making it a perfect holiday destination.

6. Baked Treats: However, if you prefer the warm comfort of baked goods, there’s plenty of tasty treats you can make. Try whipping up a chocolate peppermint cake, latkes, holiday fudge, gingerbread houses, or red velvet brownies. (And if you bake any type of cookie with snowman frosting, it’ll automatically count as a holiday food). Besides these baked goods, you could dabble in spicing apple cider, or elaborately decorating a mug of hot chocolate with marshmallows galore and peppermint crunch sprinkles. Look up one of the vast number of quick recipes out there and start baking something tasty!

7. Movies At Home: If you want to snuggle in for a cozy night at home, watch these classic holiday movies— such as, you guessed it, Home Alone. Pop some popcorn and change into fuzzy pajamas and you’re all set. All aboard the Polar Express, or circle back to the NYC streets and watch Elf with Will Ferrel, or the heartwarming animation Klaus. There are countless holiday rom-coms to check out as well. Curling up on the couch is perfect when the first flurries of winter fall outside your window and you’ve been wanting to escape into the holiday fun that these movies bring. 

8. Gift Exchange Games: Reel friends and family into doing holiday gift exchange games like Secret Snowflake or White Elephant. The rules to Secret Snowflake are simple. Decide the group’s budget, buy your gift, and then give it to the secret person you’ve been assigned while you simultaneously receive a gift from the person who secretly chose your name. Or, take it one step further and play White Elephant, in which, once everyone has bought a single gift, you place all the gifts in one pile and people either pick a gift from the pool or steal someone else’s!

9. Romanticizing Life: If you’re still not feeling the holiday spirit, try romanticizing your everyday life. The largest Barnes and Noble bookstore in the world, which just happens to be located right outside the Union Square holiday markets, houses thousands of stories and holiday tales.  Feel free to wander the shelves and perch yourself in the cafe on the third floor, grabbing a gift for a loved one and as many novels you can hold for yourself. You could also stop by a trinket shop and browse potential gifts, or an ABC store for various ornaments and decor. Lastly, make your way to a small cafe for some hot chocolate or apple cider and a holiday cookie.

10. Winter Cleaning: Nothing says holiday fun like cleaning! But seriously, you’ll feel nothing but relief after clearing out old clutter. It doesn’t need to be spring to do cleaning. Put on a background movie or holiday soundtrack and float across your room like a snow flurry in the wind. Once you’ve gathered sweaters that don’t fit you anymore, old childhood toys, or a book you bought five years ago and never read, head to a thrift shop or homeless shelter and donate them as holiday gifts. Spark some joy in a stranger by donating presents to those in need, and pass on that holiday cheer!