New York, December 10, 2025
New York City marked the start of the 2025 holiday season with its traditional Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 3, alongside a range of festive events and attractions across the city designed to engage residents and visitors through early January. These activities offer unique business, cultural, and community opportunities region-wide.
Rockefeller Center Events Anchor Holiday Season
The annual Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting, held on December 3, remains the city’s flagship Christmas event. The centerpiece is a 75-foot Norway spruce adorned with over 50,000 lights and crowned by a Swarovski crystal star. Beneath this iconic landmark, the Rockefeller Center Ice Rink invites public skating, delivering a classic festive experience within Midtown Manhattan’s winter atmosphere. This weekend also saw the opening weeks of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockettes, a 90-minute production running through early January offering a seasonal highlight for family and cultural tourism.
Festive Displays and Outdoor Attractions Across Manhattan
Fifth Avenue hosts one of the most visible holiday displays with the “Carousel of Dreams” light show at Saks Fifth Avenue, synchronizing window decorations to festive music. Nearby, the Winter Village at Bryant Park maintains its draw with open-air holiday markets and an ice rink, offering both shopping and recreational options in a centrally located urban park. The illumination installations at Hudson Yards provide a contemporary art experience with holiday-themed outdoor lights integrated into the new Hudson Yards borough development.
Brooklyn’s Dyker Heights and Financial District’s Wall Street Offer Unique Local Flavor
Beyond Manhattan’s core, the Dyker Heights neighborhood in Brooklyn continues its tradition with extravagant Christmas light displays, attracting seasonal visitors interested in community-level celebrations. Meanwhile, the Financial District supports a smaller-scale but intimate Wall Street Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony near the New York Stock Exchange, complementing the borough’s business environment with holiday spirit.
Cultural and Family-Oriented Programming Widens Appeal
Holiday markets extend throughout the city, including prominent ones at Union Square, Columbus Circle, and Grand Central Terminal, supporting local artisans and small businesses. The New York City Ballet’s annual Nutcracker performance and Cirque du Soleil’s holiday-themed shows at Madison Square Garden and the Metropolitan Opera House provide cultural enrichment and showcase the city’s diverse arts scene. A limited-time immersive event, Disney’s Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Light Trail, ran through November 30, offering interactive family entertainment at the start of the holiday calendar.
Free Public Events and Community Engagement
Numerous free events, such as storytelling workshops, readings with Santa Claus at the Plaza Hotel, and family-friendly holiday programming in city parks and community centers, broaden accessibility. These initiatives foster inclusive participation beyond commercial and ticketed venues.
Holiday Dining and Hotel Experiences Complement Festivities
Several restaurants across the city have introduced Christmas-themed menus and decor to enhance the seasonal atmosphere. The Plaza Hotel hosts events including its own tree lighting and holiday readings, integrating hospitality with community celebration.
As New York City transitions from holiday festivities toward year-end celebrations with Times Square’s New Year’s events and continued cultural offerings, its seasonal activities underscore the city’s role as a global hub for business, arts, and community engagement during the holiday period. The 2025 Christmas events demonstrate a blend of tradition and innovation that supports economic activity and cultural tourism while highlighting neighborhood participation and family-friendly access.