It's happening, New York City. The holidays are coming and soon, all the trees will be lit, skates will be laced, and presents wrapped.
Seriously, very soon, no one will make a noise, not even a mouse.
So, our point is that you need to get out and get busy. You need to start knocking activities off your holiday bucket list.
We've made this really, really easy for you by compiling all the must-do holiday events in Manhattan this holiday season.
Stick with us, and you'll have the best holiday season of your entire life.
So you ready to dive in?
Read on to find out what 8 events you absolutely must cross off your Manhattan bucket list this holiday season below.
1. Ice Skate at Wollman Rink (Central Park South and 6th Avenue)
timebrutus Winter is coming, well it certainly doesn't feel like it here in #centralpark #centralparkicerink #wollmanrink despite looking like it #latergram #manhattan #newyorkcity #newyork #nyc #ny #ilovenyc #plagroundnyc #empirecity #empirestate #fiveboroliving #fiveboroughliving #5boroliving #5boroughliving #nycparks #goparks #skyscrapernationalpark
Skating at Wollman Rink in Central Park is essential if you want to truly experience the holiday season in NYC.
First of all, because it's completely gorgeous. It's a natural haven, surrounded by trees, with NYC's towering skyscrapers well within sight.
It's got a carousel, which you can ride for $3 a ride. Skating on the rink costs $11.25 during the week and $18 on weekends for admission, and $8 for skate rentals.
Plus, the Wollman Rink is the locale of Chanukah on Ice on December 7th. It's a menorah lighting, latke eating, concert that just might be one of the best Chanukah events in the entire city.
2. Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 5th Avenue)
metmuseum The Met’s Christmas tree and Neapolitan Baroque crèche, a long-standing yuletide tradition in New York, is on view today through January 6. The brightly lit, 20-foot blue spruce—featuring 18th-century Neapolitan angels and cherubs hovering among its boughs and groups of realistic crèche figures flanking the Nativity scene at its base—is on view in the Medieval Sculpture Hall. #metmuseum #MetChristmasTree #🌲
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a sight to behold any time of year. It's one of the largest art museums in the world, and it's got more than two million works of art.
It's especially appealing during the holidays, however, because of its insanely intricate nativity scene at its Christmas Tree and Neapolitan Braoque Crèche.
The whole thing is a vivid eighteenth-century Neapolitan Nativity scene. It's got a huge candlelit spruce, silk-robed angels, and more than 200 crèche figures. We told you it was elaborate.
The whole installation's been displayed every year for the last 40 years. It's a good thing the lifelike figures are smaller than actual people, or we'd basically expect them to spring to life.
It's also a very beloved NYC holiday tradition, so if you're at all intrigued, get your tickets here.
3. Bryant Park's Winter Village (41 West 40th Street)
arianejustine #bryantparkwintervillage #iceskating #christmas #holidayseason #ice #ilovenewyork #newyork #waronchristmas #100daysofhappiness #100happydays #day26 ⛸⛸☃❄️🎄🎅🏼
There's a ton going on at Bryant Park's Winter Village.
There's a free admission ice rink, which accounts to winning the lottery for everyone who has their own skates. If you don't, don't fear. Renting skates at the Winter Village will only wind up running you $15 or so.
The Winter Village also has tons of insanely delicious food vendors. There's Enfes Turkish Food. There's Marty's V Burger. There's La Sonrisa Empanadas and Pickle Me Pete. There's so much delicious food we can hardly contain ourselves.
Plus, of course, there are more than 125 boutique-like booths to shop from. They sell everything from jewelry, to decorative goods, to local foods and apparel. So you can buy a gift for everyone you love after you skate and feast.
4. Rockefeller Center's Christmas Tree (30 Rockefeller Plaza)
francois_medina Rockefeller Center - New York City #mytraveling #mytravelgram #blessed #blessings #happiness #manhattan #midtownmanhattan #newyork #rockefellercenterchristmastree #rockefellercenter #nycprimeshot #instagramnyc #instanyc #supremenyc #icapture_nyc #nyclife
From December 2nd onward, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be ignited, shining cheery, sparkly, Christmas brightness for all the city to see.
It's open daily from 5:30 a.m. to midnight until January 6th, so you really have no excuse not to make it out to see this annual wonder.
The tree is usually around 100 feet tall, and it's complexly decorated with thousands of bulbs and lights. It's truly a sight to behold.
The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has inspired visitors with holiday cheer every year for the past 83 years. Why shouldn't you become one of them?
,5. Radio City Christmas Spectacular (1260 Avenue of the Americas)
amie_tourneur #jesusisborn #biblestories #christmas2015 #bethlehem #radiocitychristmasspectacular #nyc #newyork #godisgreat #blessed🙏 🎅🎄🎁⛄🗽🌏💞
Did someone mention time-old, classic NYC holiday traditions?
If that's what we're discussing, we absolutely cannot have this conversation without urging you to go see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
This year will be its 82nd year of stunning its audience with its talented Rockettes, its ornate scenery, and its cast and crew's months and months of practice.
Did you know the Rockettes go through eight costumes a show? Did you know 250 people work each production? How about the fact that the set's snowflake bubbles are equipped with GPS trackers?
More than one million people crowd the world's largest indoor theater to see this enchanting performance every year. To be the millionth and first, get your tickets here.
6. SantaCon
santaconnyc Where do all the Santas come from? I'm in there somewhere! Can you find me? -Santa #redandwhite #Santacon #santaconnyc #santaiscoming #NYC
We mean, come on. You should participate in SantaCon at least once, just to say you've done it. After that, you can be done with it (as we're sure most of you are by now).
SantaCon is easily NYC's most infamous bar crawl. It has no real reason or purpose. All we can really say is that half the city spends this day dressed as Santa Claus and day drinking.
Do you want to be a part of this wild day of debauchery? Great. This year's route will be posted here on December 11th, and the actual crawl will be December 12th.
In the meantime, you can read Santa's Code. It essentially asks participants not to throw up, damage property, or otherwise wreak havoc upon the city. Yes, that's how crazy SantaCon gets. We recommend you pregame hard before you go anywhere on December 12th.
And keep yourself in order. This is New York City. Amateurs need not apply.
7. Holiday window displays (various NYC locations)
elaplewinska The Arts: Literature #nyc #bergdorfgoodman #5thavenuewindows #literature #fifthave #5thavenue #nycchristmas #manhattan #midtown #newyork #nycity #newyorkcity #ny #newyork_instagram #instagramnyc #instanyc #ig_newyorkcity #ig_nyc #bigappled #thisisnewyorkcity #ilovenyc
No one wants to drop an arm and a leg on gifts, right?
Still, we all inevitably will. One thing that's still free in this pricey city is looking, though, right?
The department stores on 5th Avenue go all out when it comes to decorating their storefronts. Like, we mean it when we say all out.
There's Lord & Taylor, Henri Bendel, Bloomingdale's, Barneys, Saks, and Macy's. They've been in a fierce holiday storefront competition for decades.
We don't hate it. It gives us something beautiful to gape at every year. How could we be mad about that? So, our advice to you is to peruse the windows of the department stores on 5th Avenue. You'll definitely leave enchanted.
8. Macy's Santaland (151 West 34th Street)
homeandyonder We always love visiting the Christmas displays. Here are Paul and our sons in Macy's Santaland, downtown Minneapolis (the old Dayton's). #christmasdisplay #christmas2015 #macyssantaland #macys #HomeAndYonder @homeandyonder
Santaland at Macy's is pretty much known far and wide as the most magical place to experience holiday cheer this season.
We'll explain why. It's a 13,000-square-foot North Pole Village. It's got live elves, an enchanted forest, and a train display. Yes, we know what you're thinking. There are photo-ops on photo-ops at Macy's Santaland.
Located on the eighth floor of Macy's in Herald Square, probably the best part about this holiday wonderland is that it's got free admission. Photo packages will cost you, but preserving your memories is priceless, don't you think?
It's open until Christmas Eve, so make sure you make it out to immerse yourself in its splendor before then.
Check out 5 Activities You Need to Cross Off Your Holiday Bucket List in NYC.
[Feature Image Courtesy Hostels Club Blog]