12 Magical NYC Holiday Transformations

Who doesn’t love classic holiday decorations and traditions, like the Rockefeller tree lighting ceremony, or the sudden appearance of holiday markets that take place all across New York City during the season? There’s just something about those decorations and traditions that evoke a magical feeling… below, we’ve listed some of the most magical holiday transformations across New York City, and are offering a sneak peek into their (Christmas) past and (Christmas) present—taking a look at historical NYC where some of these traditions began, and the magical transformation they make today as the days get shorter, the air a little cooler, and eggnog and hot cocoa start appearing everywhere.

1. NY Botanical Garden
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - New York Botanical Garden Website

The New York Botanical Garden changes more than most of the buildings and spaces on this list, offering new exhibitions every month along with the natural change in plants as each new change in season takes place. The 250 acres located at 2900 Southern Boulevard in the Bronx takes on a very special holiday transformation starting November 19^th through January 16^th 2017 with their Holiday Train Show. In the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, an impressive display of trains zip through famous New York City landmarks created from natural materials such as bark and leaves. If the train show wasn’t an exciting enough transformation the backdrop is the winter wonderland that is the outside gardens featuring the Conifer Arboretum with charming pines and spruces, The Forest with 50 acres of enchanting woodland to explore, the Beneson Ornamental Conifers with inspiring evergreens, and others. Just take a minute to imagine all of this dusted with a light snow and crisp cool air.

2. Dyker Heights Christmas Lights
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Dyker Heights Christmas Lights Facebook

In the southwest corner of Brooklyn, you’ll find the residential neighborhood known as Dyker Heights. The neighborhood was first established in 1895 and was described as the ideal place for a home. Articles in the Wall Street Journal commented on the neighborhoods location and easy access to commute to Wall Street via ferry or train. Dyker Heights was a huge success. Constantine Schubert was hired as the full-time architect for the growing neighborhood. The typical Dyker Heights home consisted of 5 rooms on the first and second floors and 4 rooms on the third. Birdseye maple was the finishing in the parlors, quartered oak in the libraries and reception rooms, and sycamore in the dining rooms. Of the original homes built about 75 remain today. The neighborhood looks just like any other neighborhood until the holidays roll around – then it shines like no other around. The entire community goes out of its way to erect the most eye-catching and magical lights one can hang. Many of the lights are said to be professionally hung by decorating committees. You’ll find glowing villages, nativities, nutcrackers, soldiers, and even a Santa or two to wave to passerby.

3. Radio City Music Hall
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library

If the Christmas Spectacular show that takes place at 1260 6^th Avenue isn’t a classic indicator the holiday season in New York has begun, then we don’t know what is. The classic building is already easy to spot any other time of the year in the city with its glowing letters and Art Deco style. Radio City Music Hall first opened in 1933 and was designed by architect Edward Durell Stone. The interior was decorated by Donald Deskey and named a city landmark in 1978. When the holidays roll around the beautiful building takes on a completely different look, one just as spectacular on the inside as the out. Outside you’ll see a dazzling Christmas tree protected by pristine toy soldiers, and garland wrapped in warm white lights and velvet red ribbon, all enhancing the everyday glowing neon letters. From across the block, you’ll find trees wrapped in bright white lights and a giant stack of deep glistening red Christmas tree ornaments. A true holiday classic.

4. New York Public Library & Bryant Park Winter Village
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Hilary Halliwel l

Any other time of the year you’ll find the looks of a typical New York City park between 5^th and 6^th avenues in Midtown Manhattan. A large green inspired by French garden designs, surrounded by trees, and a nice view of the backside of the New York Public Library. In the 1980s the park was shut down and renovated and the structure housing the library’s stacks was built below the park. The New York Public Library was designed by architects Carrère and Hastings in a Beaux-Arts style and opened in 1911. The famous lions guarding the library’s entrance were sculpted by E.C. Potter. From the end of October into December Bryant Park transforms into an enchanting Winter Village modeled off the famous European holiday market, or Christkindlmarkt, and a magical free ice-skating rink appears in the middle. As for the library, the stoic stone lions get adorned with dark green wreaths featuring picture-perfect red bows.

5. Time Warner Center
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Time Warner Center Holiday Lights by Rob Nguyen under CC BY-SA 2.0

You’ll find the glossy twin-tower building at 10 Columbus Circle. The building’s design can be accredited to David Childs and Mustafa Kemal Abadan. A multistory atrium connects the two towers. Inside the center, you’ll find designer shops, restaurants, a Whole Foods Market, offices, and a residential condominium. Any other time of the year it looks like most other skyscraper buildings with shopping centers in the area—a tall entrance where you can see through the glass at the multi-levels of shops. When the holidays come around the usual view through the glass suddenly changes to something sparkling. 14 foot LED stars hang from inside the building during the holiday months, changing colors to beautiful yuletide tunes. The view is one to behold while walking from both inside the building and looking up and looking in from the outside.

6. Empire State Building
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library

Starting in November for the opening day of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, the famous building located at 350 5^th Ave. will begin changing colors to celebrate the holidays. From red and green to celebrate the Christmas Spectacular and Christmas, fall colors for Thanksgiving, blue and white with a flickering candle for Chanukah, and a beautiful multi-color sparkle for New Year’s Eve, the Empire State Building is hard to miss. You can see the full list of dates past and to come with the reasoning why the building is a specific color on their website. This distinctive Art Deco style building is the second tallest in the City only to the One World Trade Center. Designed by William F. Lamb it was completed in 1931. The building is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World and a National Historic Landmark. Seeing the building at any other time of year is a treat in itself, but getting a view of its illuminated top in celebration of the holidays is an added bonus.

7. Washington Square Park
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Arc Tree Washington Square Park, New York by Ciar under CC BY-SA 3.0

The Park is one of our favorite spots in the City during the holiday season. There’s just so much to love about the little neighborhood atmosphere that comes with Greenwich Village, as well as the people who are attracted to it, especially during this time of year. Even in the 1830s, the area around this park was considered one of the most attractive for residential purposes—Greek Revival Style houses from this time can still be found today.

On December 7th, the classic tree lighting ceremony will take place beneath the marble triumphal Washington Square Arch. Modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, architect Stanford White designed this 77-foot arch. The Rob Susman Brass Quartet will be there to bring in the holiday cheer, and the 45-foot tree's beautiful lights will turn on after dark and mark the beginning of the holidays in the City! Carolers will also be singing along to the Susman Quartet—it’s a night simply riddled with holiday cheer.

Oh, and if we're lucky, Santa will show up to lead the tree-lighting countdown. It's a great event for all and has been sponsored by the Washington Square Association for 106 years now. Talk about undying spirit!

8. Union Square Holiday Market
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Ethan Covey

The internationally acclaimed Union Square Holiday Market is a must-see if you're in the City during this time of year. In the heart of NYC, the Union Square Holiday Market is bursting at the seams with unique gifts, food and drinks. Speaking of unique, the square itself has had a unique history of unions. It was named a public commons for the City in 1815, or a place of unions, and is the union of where the Bowery and what is now Broadway meet. The square didn’t really begin to take a turn to its more commercial surroundings until after the Civil War. In 1870 Tiffany & Co. moved from Broadway to the square area. Set in Union Square proper, it lasts from November 17th to December 24th—right ‘til the bitter end! If supporting your local is important to you, this is the place to be, too. Many of the Market's vendors take an Artisan Pledge, which means that their products are 100% handmade in NY or the USA, from recycled, reused, or vintage pieces, organic and/or fair-trade certified, and from a local store or farmer. Winter accessories galore (some of our favorite socks have come from this market!), like hats, gloves and mittens, as well as jewelry and home goods are some of the more popular items for which people flock to the Square. For more information on the event, as well as a lineup of all this year’s vendors, head over to the Urbanspace NYC’s website.

9. The Rink at Rockefeller Center
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Rockefeller Center: Angels & Christmas Tree by CGP Grey under CC by 2.0

The rink opened for its 80th (!) anniversary season early in the month of October and has already been jam-packed with action since that starting day. One of the most celebrated and iconic things to do in the City during the winter, the Rink at Rockefeller Center is an experience that should not be overlooked (we get it—there’s a lot of fun things to do in the City during this time of year… but this one might just take the cake). Rockefeller Center didn’t actually begin being developed until 1930, and each building was to be in the Art Deco style, which can be admired as you look all around you from the rink.

While 150 people can skate at the same time at the Rink, it's rarely that crowded, which always allows for some amazing showstoppers to do their thing in the middle of the ice. Just minutes away from Times Square, Broadway, and so many other classic NYC hotspots, the Rink is in the perfect spot for anyone and everyone to lace up and skate the day away. General admission is first-come, first-serve, though, and like we said, this is an experience that many have come from far and wide. If you want to ensure your ‘ice time’, as the pros say, or check out what special events are going on at the Rink (there’s quite a few!), tickets can be reserved here.

10. Macy's Herald Square
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - ‘Macy’s at Christmas time...’ by John Wisniewski under CC BY-ND 2

Built in 1902, Macy's Herald Square has been a true NYC icon for over 100 years, having been the first department store to attract visitors with its window displays alone. Since then, the Herald Square location has been deemed America's Largest Department Store; it is truly massive, covering an entire city block encompassing 2 million square feet of retail space. The endpoint of the Thanksgiving Day Parade (and many people’s main destination during that day), Macy's Herald Square is especially magical during this holiday season. Its displays on Broadway and 7th Ave—which include the classic Santaland and Holiday Lane—are iconic, and holiday-lovers from all over the globe come to see what's 'in-store' (get it?) every year. You'll see sights made classic from the likes of family favorite film Miracle on 34th Street, and take a stroll down the gift hotspot every child (and adult, if you ask us) dreams of. It’s all right here at Herald Square.

11. Winter Village at Bryant Park
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Bryant Park Facebook

Until January 2, 2017, head over to the Winter Village at Bryant Park to experience the gorgeous and equally festive Holiday and Christmas Shops! The entire park is dressed in winter-themed beauty, complete with ice-skating in the Winter Village Rink (which, mind you, is the only free admission rink in the City). In the late 1800s the park began to deteriorate, and wasn’t paid much attention to until 1933 as a Great Depression public works project. The park was then subject to the construction around it for the years following its 1930s upgrade, and continued to decline once more. It wasn’t until the 1980s that the park we see today was redesigned and reconstructed—and how lucky we are for that! The Holiday Shops feature food and boutique offerings in an en-plain-air, European inspired setting, so if you're heading over in the colder months, be sure to really, really bundle up!

The shops are housed in custom-designed, picturesque “jewel box” kiosks, and of course there's plenty of food to be had throughout. The Bryant Park Grill and Snackbar offer goodies, as do many of the kiosks... so no reason to come full! You can easily get your fill of any and all holiday treats while in the Village. Learn more about the rink, the shops, and just general inquiries here.

12. Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Windows
Photo Credit: Left - New York Public Library Right - Saks Fifth Avenue Youtube

Fifth Avenue during the holiday season is one of the most, if not the most competitive retail environment on the planet. This street has been known for its stylishness for years. The avenue was settled by the famous socialite Caroline Schermerhorn Astor in the 1860s, for whom the Astoria Hotel was erected. Fifth Avenue has been the perfect backdrop for the New York City socialite since the 1870s. And the iconic department store Saks Fifth Avenue realized that in order to dominate their field during this time of year, they needed to do something special… and boy did they deliver.

For many years now, the department store has gone to painstaking lengths to create a gigantic projection on the façade of their flagship store’s building—a dramatic 3D light show projects up the building and into the sky. A true spectacle, the light the projection casts can be seen from blocks away, and always draws awe-struck crowds from every view-worthy sidewalk. Each year’s endeavor looks a little (well, a lot) different, so while we can't tell you what this year's theme will be—you’ll just have to wait ‘til the day of for that excitement—one of our favorites was in 2014 called “An Enchanted Experience". This animated window light display surrounded the entire building and included over 71,000 lights and six 3D projectors. If the past is any indication of how this year’s display will be received, we’ve really got something to look forward to. Check back to the Saks site for the big unveiling, which will be live streamed.