During this most recent trip back to New York, I didn’t manage to see the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center. I never saw a single holiday window display, and I didn’t go ice skating in Central Park. Frankly, I never even went to Central Park.
Sacrilege, I know.
I love New York around the holidays, don’t get me wrong. Just not the usual “New York at Christmas” that most visitors search out. In my old age, it’s a lot more mosh pit than I care to embrace.
When my family came to celebrate the holidays in Manhattan two years ago, Mr. M & I donned Santa hats and attempted to lead a 9-person holiday sightseeing expedition up Fifth Avenue. We ended up caught on the corner of 50th St like inept salmon flopping upstream, literally unable to move forward among the sheer volume of other visitors.
I cursed far too freely for a civilian in peacetime and probably should’ve been stripped of my Santa hat. No bueno.
But I promise I’m not the complete and utter Grinch that I seem to be.
It’s impossible not to love New York around the holidays. But it’s also a lot easier when passing over the city’s iconic landmarks in favor of more anonymous sparkle.
Not all of Manhattan’s most notable spots were off-limits…
… but I got more than my fill of festive festivus without searching them out!
The wintery weather helped to put me in the holiday mood, too!
I even caught myself finding signs of Christmas in unusual spots…
If you have one shot to see New York City around the holidays, don’t let me talk you out of visiting the must-sees! There’s a reason why they’re so darn popular.
But remember to take some time to go off-roading on your city tour. You never know what little treasures you’ll uncover along the way.
Yummm...those little gingerbread cookies look so good! And your right...never too cold for an iced coffee :) I feel the same about HOT coffee in the dead of summer heat :) Loved the pictures...I can't wait to take my parents on a tour of our little city this year and look at some lights....a family tradition for as long as I can remember....Have a great week!
Weather can't stand in the way of our love for coffee! Despite all the raised eyebrows I got carrying around my iced drink in the snow, it was sooo delicious. Driving around to look at lights sounds like such a wonderful family tradition! Does this mean that you go all out in decorating your own house? One of my good childhood friends lived in an area of Southern California laced with canals & small waterways, and we would take a zodiac boat around to look at all the Christmas decorations. I looked forward to it every year!
Sadly I haven't put any decorations up yet this year. But when I do it will be low key as little miss Abi is into everything and will most likely try to climb the tree...so small is best this year. My goal is to be better than Martha Stewart! hahahaha....the reality will be "and this is what my 5 & 2 year old have done this year" and that's ok too :) I will post some pictures (if I can get any) of our light tour. I can't wait to go. Hot Chocolate, kids bundled up, Christmas tunes playing...yep, going to be fun :)
"This is what my 5 & 2 yr olds have done" is better than Martha Stewart any day of the week!! :D (I still don't have decorations up, either- looks like my house will be "This is what a procrastinating 31 yr old has done!")