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Get ready for the most wonderful time of the year with the best NYC events in December 2025. This season’s highlights include, well, you already know what they are. You can really get into the spirit when you visit one of New York’s many holiday markets boasting great gifts for your friends and family as well as tasty provisions. For more festivities, check out a wide array of Nutcracker performances and raucous pop-up holiday bars. In addition to rounding up Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa events, we've also included some non-holiday things to do when you need a break from the holiday cheer. Keep scrolling to the bottom for those, including art exhibitions, comedy shows, and immersive experiences. RECOMMENDED: Full NYC events calendar for 2025 Check out our Winter Village video

Looking for the best things to do in NYC this weekend? Whether you’re the group planner searching for more things to do in NYC today or you have no plans yet, here are some ideas to add to your list for this weekend: Parade of Rockaway, a Hanukkah concert, wreath-making workshop, Santa's Secret, and a bevy of holiday markets to explore—plus free events around town. All you have to do is scroll down to plan your weekend! Start planning a great month now with our round-up of the best things to do in December.  RECOMMENDED: Full list of the best things to do in NYCRECOMMENDED: The best New York attractions Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

Whether your Christmas queen is Mariah or Sabrina, it's time to begin celebrating the holiday season! We've gathered the best things to do for Christmas and the holidays in NYC. From uptown to downtown, the city boasts holiday offerings like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, festive light displays, and the best holiday markets NYC has to offer. Whether you channel your inner grinch or cheery elf during NYC's most wonderful season, we've got you covered with memorable activities. As locals, we've been to many of these events and are including some of our favorites right here. Check back for updates as we'll continue adding to the list as the holidays approach.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in NYCRECOMMENDED: The best Christmas hotels in NYC Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining.  Check out our Winter Village video: 

The best holiday markets are right here in NYC—full of both the holiday spirit and the most unique gifts out there. While fancy Christmas window displays may entice you, NYC's holiday markets often include ice skating, twinkling lights, great food vendors, and fun holiday activities. Shopping for the perfect gift doesn’t have to be stressful; make it fun at these holiday markets, from the Urbanspace Union Square Holiday Market to the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park and more. We'll continue updating this guide throughout the holiday season, so stay tuned for new additions. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in New York Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

The Dyker Heights Christmas Lights display has become one of the most beloved New York attractions during the holiday season. The Brooklyn neighborhood is home to over-the-top Christmas light decorations with life-sized Santas, sleighs and snowmen taking over the neighborhood's homes. Some houses even bump Christmas carols from loudspeakers. Crowds of all ages flock to the Kings County neighborhood to wander down the multiple blocks and avenues and experience one of the top things to do in NYC in the winter. It truly is one of the most magical things to do this Christmas, and it's free to explore—win-win. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in NYC Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining.  When can I visit the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights 2025? Most of the homeowners—and professional decorating companies—hang their Christmas lights and decorations the weekend after Thanksgiving. However, the best time to see the lights is mid-December through New Year’s Eve. We suggest going anytime between dusk and 9pm if you plan to travel by foot. Most of the houses turn their displays off after 9pm but some leave theirs on later (depending on their bedtime). They decor usually stays up until the end of the first week of January. Photograph: Time Out/Ali Garber Where are the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights? You’ll see breathtaking light displays from 11th to 13th Avenues (also known as Dyker Heights Blvd)...

Photograph: Rossilynne Skena Culgan for Time Out New YorkRegina Shepherd in Grand Central Terminal Every December, long lines form throughout Grand Central Terminal. No, they’re not lines for the Metro North or the subway. Instead, these lines are to see miniature trains on the beloved model railroad presented by the New York Transit Museum.  The museum’s annual Holiday Train Show features a 34-foot-long display festooned with tiny versions of city landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building. Lionel model trains depart from a miniature replica of Grand Central, then chug along over the East River and through the woods to reach their final destination, the North Pole. A tradition for 21 years, it’s one of the few free holiday events in the city—and it’s a magical sight to see.  Regina Shepherd, the museum’s acting director, is one of the people who make this moment of joy possible for New Yorkers. We sat down with her inside Grand Central to learn more about the display and what new surprises await this year. Go see it from November 13 through February.  Photograph: By Ben Hider / Courtesy of New York Transit Museum For someone who hasn’t seen the show, what is it? It’s a winter in New York scene where you can get transported from Grand Central up to the North Pole. There’s everything from the subway lines that run underneath the city to little stores on top. It includes the commuter railroads in New York, going from city to country. What makes...

Since New York City transforms into a magical wonderland with millions of holiday lights right after Thanksgiving, it's helpful to know where to find the best Christmas lights in NYC. Expect to see over-the-top inflatable Santas at the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights in Brooklyn and iconic displays at Central Park and Rockefeller Center. Take it all in and get ready to “ooh” and “ahh” at these landmarks, holiday markets and neighborhoods that create the most picturesque holiday light displays during the holiday season.  RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in New York Stay in the Loop: Sign up for our free weekly newsletter to get the latest in New York City news, culture and dining. 

The Rockefeller Tree Lighting is an NYC holiday tradition that brings thousands of New Yorkers (and tourists) to the bright and brilliant nexus of town each Christmas. Sure, various tree lighting ceremonies take place all over New York, but the show at Rockefeller Center is by far the most renowned. Don’t skip your chance to see the towering tree glowing in Christmas lights for the first time only a few days after Thanksgiving in NYC. This tree is one of the top New York attractions to visit in person every holiday season. There’s nothing better than going ice-skating, warming up with hot cocoa and taking pictures with the stunning Rockefeller Center tree as your backdrop. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree When is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting? After a star-studded light-up night ceremony on Wednesday, December 3, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree will be lit for the holiday season. Light-up activities run from 7–10pm, with the tree lighting up at 10pm. You can watch in-person, but prepare for crowds, or catch the broadcast on TV from the comfort of your couch. Where is the Rockefeller Center tree lighting? The Rockefeller Center tree lighting ceremony is located at Rockefeller Center between 49th and 50th Sts in Manhattan.  When and where can I visit the Rockefeller Center tree? The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree will be lit daily from 5am to midnight daily after the special light-up night ceremony. On Christmas Eve, the tree...

Bryant Park's Winter Village by Bank of America is now open in NYC with exciting holiday shops, food and activities through March 1, 2026. Its 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink that’s free to use (if you bring your own skates) is always the highlight, but the Winter Village in all its holiday spirit is a close second. This year, over 180 new and returning kiosks will be there for you to peruse through—all at one of the best NYC parks and the best Christmas market in the world! This guide contains all the information you need to know, including when the market officially opens (and closes) to the public. Get ready to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year! RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in New York When is the Bryant Park Winter Village 2025? The Bank of America Winter Village in Bryant Park runs from Friday, October 24, 2025 through March 1, 2026. What time is the Bryant Park Christmas Market? Skating is available daily from 8am-10pm. Extended hours of 8am-midnight are available daily November 24-January 4. The holiday market hours for 2025 are Mondays through Fridays, 11am-8pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-8pm. The market runs through January 4. What is there to do at the Winter Village this year? Not only is there free ice skating on Bryant Park’s 17,000-square-foot outdoor rink (you may bring your own skates or rent them for a fee), Urbanspace—the brand that’s responsible for Union Square’s and Columbus Circle’s holiday markets—is bringing over 190...

What a year, New York. We weathered subway delays (ugh) and subway flooding (ick). We cheered at celebrity lookalike contests, admiring the best Pedro Pascal, Adam Sandler and Stephen Colbert looks. We also cheered (and ran and sobbed) at the New York City Marathon, clapping for celebs and everyday New Yorkers alike.  We braved long lines to welcome the new Delacorte Theater with its stirring performance of Twelfth Night. We also stood in lines for faux flowers, a bougie grocery store, a photobooth museum, bagels, you name it. We rooted for the Knicks in the Conference Finals, bid farewell (for now) to the Met rooftop and went to Labubu raves.  With so many weird and wonderful moments this year, our editors took some time to reflect on it all and pick the best. We're unveiling our top picks in food, drink, theater, art, culture and more. So let's take a trip down memory lane before the New Year's Ball (it's brand new and extra sparkly this year, by the way) drops on the year that was. RECOMMENDED: Time Out New York’s 2024 Best of the City award winners