Hi everyone! Happy Christmas Eve Eve and it is also the start of Winter recess for NYC children!
This weekend check out the Washington Square Park Christmas Eve Caroling, Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum, a Online Christmas Eve Service for Families and Children with The Riverside Church, Christmas Day: Virtual Lessons and Carols with The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine, Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Prospect Park, a Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt in Juniper Valley Park, a Canarsie Park Holiday Hike, a Birding: Winter Birds in Powell’s Cove Park, a Holiday Flora and Fauna Exploration Hike in Blue Heron Park and the last few days of The Steadfast Tin Soldier with Nutcracker Sweets at Puppetworks.
Also check out long running events like Light Shows at Luminaries at Brookfield Place, the Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History, Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park, “A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image, Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society and Governors Island Winter Village & Ice Skating Rink.
Check the calendar to see everything going on this weekend. Also like us on Facebook for updates.
Merry Christmas & enjoy the weekend with your family!
~ Deirdre (mom to O & C)
Friday December 24th
Macy’s Santaland
Friday December 24th 8a-4p. Location: Where: 8th floor, across from Au Bon Pain. Free to visit by reservation only. NYC reservations are now open. Book a spot in line to meet & snap a photo with the busiest man of the season.St. Nick is at Macy’s Santaland inside our Herald Square store, so bring your wish list. After all, he’s known for making wishes come true. You can now make a reservation online 5 days in advance of your visit. You can also visit Santa virtually also. See the website for all the details.
Online Christmas Eve Service for Families and Children with The Riverside Church (virtual)
Friday December 24th 4p. Free. Experience the unforgettable story of Jesus’s birth, performed by our own costumed clergy team, interspersed with carols, and the joy of Christmas. This has become a must-see event and tradition for families in our community. Make it part of your Christmas Eve tradition! Watch here.
2021 Washington Square Park Christmas Eve Caroling
Friday December 24th 5-6p. Free. Christmas Eve is the traditional time to celebrate the holiday with carols near the Washington Square Arch. The Rob Susman Brass Quartet, song leader, and the revelers from all over the city will lustily sing out the familiar tunes. The words are in the songbooks distributed by the Washington Square Association, but many will know them by heart. “Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men” will ring out and is especially meaningful this season.
Governors Island Winter Village & Ice Skating Rink
Rink hours: Friday 12n-5p, Saturday-Sunday 10a-5p. Rink admission: $11, skate rental $8. The Governors Island Winter Village, in Colonels Row, features fun activities and winter vibes for visitors of all ages! The Village includes a 5,000-square-foot ice skating rink open Fridays-Sundays and daily attractions and activities including more than a dozen lawn games, fire pits, sled and bike rentals, twinkling holiday light displays and delicious cold-weather food and drinks. Note: Governors Island is open regular hours on Friday, December 24, Saturday, December 25, Friday, December 31 and Saturday, January 1 (7am-6pm, with ferries running on a normal schedule). The Winter Village, including the rink and food vendors, will be open as scheduled on Friday, December 24, Saturday, December 25, Friday, December 31 and Saturday, January 1.
See all the Friday events here.
Saturday December 25th
Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt in Juniper Valley Park
Saturday December 25th 10-11a. Free. This guided hike through Juniper Valley Park will challenge your photography skills as you work to complete a photo scavenger hunt. Bring your own digital camera or smartphone.
Christmas Day: Lessons and Carols with The Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine (virtual)
Saturday December 25th 10a-12n. Free. Out of an abundance of caution, and following guidance from New York City and federal health experts, this year’s Christmas services will move online. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the Cathedral will restream our Christmas Eve Service of Lessons and Carols at 10 am on Christmas Day on this page, and on the Cathedral’s Facebook and YouTube channel. Congregants are asked to stay home to help stop the spread of the omicron variant and safeguard their community’s health and safety.
Canarsie Park Holiday Hike
Saturday December 25th 1-230p. Free. Location: East 88th Street and Seaview Avenue. Enjoy the holiday season outdoors with the Urban Park Rangers and discover scenic nature along the shores of Jamaica Bay.
Holiday Flora and Fauna Exploration Hike in Blue Heron Park (Staten Island)
Saturday December 25th 2-3p. Free. Enjoy the holiday season outdoors with the Urban Park Rangers and discover the flora and fauna of Blue Heron Park.
See all the Saturday events here.
Sunday December 26th
Celebrate Kwanzaa at Brooklyn Children’s Museum (Crown Heights)
Sunday-Thursday December 26th-30th 10a-1p & 2-5p. Free with museum admission. Purchase timed entry tickets here. Join Brooklyn Children’s Museum and Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation as we mark our 14th annual Kwanzaa celebration! Explore Kwanzaa’s seven principles throughout the week with vibrant performances, workshops, art projects, and celebratory cuisine each day. Sunday, December 26: Umoja ~ Theme: Sounds and Movement of Africa. See the website for the schedule of events and theme information.
Birding: Winter Waterfowl in Prospect Park
Sunday December 26th 10-11a. Free. Location: Parkside Avenue and South Lake Drive. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see winter waterfowl. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Please bring your own binoculars.
Birding: Winter Birds in Powell’s Cove Park (College Point)
Sunday December 26th 10-11a. Free. Our Urban Park Rangers will guide you to the best viewing spots in New York City to see migratory winter birds. Birding programs are appropriate for all skill levels and beginners are welcome. Please bring your own binoculars.
The Steadfast Tin Soldier with Nutcracker Sweets at Puppetworks (Park Slope)
Sunday-Sunday December 26th-January 2nd 1230p & 230p. Tickets: Children $10 each, Adults $11 each. Suggested for ages 2 and up. The Steadfast Tin Soldier, Andersen’s Toy Story with Nutcracker Sweets. Tchaikovsky’s ‘Land of Sweets’ dances (non-religious) adapted for Marionettes by Nicolas Coppola. Call for reservations: 718-965-3391 or e-mail to: puppetworksinfo@gmail.com. New York City requires you to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter Puppetworks. Those 12 years of age and older must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Masks are required.
See all the Sunday events here.
All Weekend
Light Shows at Luminaries at the Winter Garden (Battery Park City)
Daily 8a-10p until January 2nd. Free. The mesmerizing display of colorful lanterns returns to Brookfield Place with a new experience called Maestro on weekends (see website for details) that allows you to conduct the canopy! Conceived and created by the LAB at Rockwell Group, Luminaries is a holiday ritual inspired by the season’s traditions of sharing, giving, community and light. View a special light show at the top of every hour, set to the following holiday songs: Winter Wonderland by Michael Bublé, Silver Bells by Tony Bennett, Carol of the Bells by The Bird and The Bee and Let It Snow by Pentatonix. Holiday wishing runs 10a-8p. Illuminate your holiday wish by sending a motion-activated wish into the glowing lanterns above. For each wish made and interaction with Maestro, Brookfield Place will donate $1 up to $25,000 to City Harvest.
The Rink at Brooklyn Commons (Downtown Brooklyn)
Daily until February 27th. Hours: Monday-Thursday 2-8p, Friday 2-9p, Saturday 10a-9p & Sunday 10a-7p. $15 public skating admission, $5 skate rental. Situated in Brooklyn Commons Park, residents, families, professionals and tourists alike can enjoy a festive winter skating experience in Downtown Brooklyn! The Rink features an outdoor skating rink and offers daily public skating as well as upscale ice skating programs for men, women, and children.
Sharks at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
Museum hours Wednesday-Sunday 10a-530p. Included in General Admission+One. See website for all the details.The new exhibition Sharks features dozens of life-sized models ranging from 33 feet to 5.5 inches long, fossils from the Museum’s collections, touch-free interactive exhibits that challenge visitors to hunt like a hammerhead, and more for visitors of all ages. Older than dinosaurs—and more threatened than threatening—sharks are spectacular, surprising, and often misunderstood. Discover the incredible diversity of this ancient and fascinating group of fishes. Note: In accordance with the New York City vaccine requirement, you must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the Museum.
IC Ice Rink at Industry City
Hours: Thursdays 4-8p, Fridays 12n-8p, Saturdays 11a-8p & Sundays 11a-6p. Tickets: $12 per person, with skate rentals costing $10 per person. Purchase tickets here. Courtyard 5/6. IC Ice Rink welcomes all to come for an iconic winter experience. The rink is uncovered and outside, so dress appropriately for an enjoyable and comfortable skate.
Ice Skating at LeFrak Center at Lakeside in Prospect Park
Hours for covered rink: Monday-Thursday 9a-430p, Friday 9a-7p, Saturday 1-9p, Sunday 1-430p. Open air rink hours: 9a-7p, Friday-Saturday 9a-9p & Sunday 9a-7p. Admission rates: $8 weekday per person, $12 weekend per person. Reserve your desired 90-minute skate session for access to one of our two available ice rinks online now and guarantee your ice time. Skate rentals are available at an additional cost or feel free to bring your own skates. Purchase online today as capacity is limited. To help our young skaters, helpful Skate Aids are available and can be rented in advance or on the day of your visit, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Reserve open air rink tickets here and covered rink tickets here.
“A Wonderful, Awful Idea”: Animating the Grinch Who Stole Christmas at Museum of the Moving Image (Astoria)
Ongoing until February 27th. Museum hours: Fridays 2-8p, Saturdays-Sundays 12n-6p. Included with Museum admission. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas is a made-for-television short by legendary animation director Chuck Jones, based on the 1957 book by Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss). First aired by CBS in 1966, this 24-minute animated story of a grouchy curmudgeon who tries to ruin Christmas has become an enduring holiday classic. The sketches, animation cels, and backgrounds on exhibit—40 selections from the extensive private collection of Bill Heeter and Kristi Correa—illustrate Jones’s approach to adapting Geisel’s story for the screen. In contrast to the book’s black, white, and red palette, Jones unleashed a riotous array of vivid colors to depict the story’s settings and characters. The film showcases Jones’s unparalleled character animation and comic timing, creating an utterly believable, villainous—but ultimately redeemed—Grinch that became the standard for all subsequent adaptations. See the website for information on Covid 19 protocols.
Origami Holiday Tree at the American Museum of Natural History (UWS)
On exhibit until January 17th. Location: Grand Gallery, first floor. Free with Museum admission. Museum is open Wednesdays-Sundays with timed entry tickets are available 10a-4p (museum closes 530p). The Origami Holiday Tree returns to view November 24, 2021 (closed 12/25). The theme of this year’s 13-foot tree is Gems of the Museum, featuring 50 specially created gold-colored models in recognition of the “golden anniversary” 50th Origami Tree and this Museum tradition, which started in the 1970s. Among the more than 1,000 origami pieces decorating the tree will be models of dazzling specimens from the new Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals, “jaw-some” pieces inspired by the new special exhibition Sharks, and those depicting iconic Museum exhibits like the Blue Whale, Titanosaur, and Tyrannosaurus rex. In accordance with the New York City vaccine requirement, you must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter the Museum. See the website for all the information.
Holiday Express: Toys and Trains from the Jerni Collection at New-York Historical Society (UWS)
On exhibit until February 27th. Museum hours: Wednesdays-Thursdays 11a-5p, Fridays 11a-8p and Saturdays-Sundays 11a-5p. Free with Museum admission. This year Holiday Express goes to the amusement park! Joining a selection of toy trains, figurines, and miniature models from the renowned Jerni Collection, this year’s festive display includes never-before-seen toy rides. Visitors can marvel at a miniature Ferris wheel, carousel, blimp ride, and roller coaster.The carnival toys on display recall the colossal machines that have fascinated and delighted the American public for decades, like the Ferris wheel, which was introduced in the U.S. at Chicago’s World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, and early American roller coasters, like the ones introduced at Coney Island in 1884. New York’s favorite amusement ground was also the site of one of the United States’ first carousels, a musical merry-go-round appointed with colorful mechanical horses. The display also includes a variety of toy train stations dating from the turn of the 20th century to the World War II era, showcasing the evolving designs of American and European toymakers. As part of New York City’s Key to NYC program, all visitors to New York City museums ages 12 and over are required to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. For more details, go to the FAQ page. Note: the Museum will close 3p on 12/24 and be closed 12/25.
Ice Skating at Winter Village in Bryant Park
Open daily until March 6th. Hours: Monday-Thursday 8a-10p, Friday-Sunday and holidays 8a-1130p. Winter Village at Bryant Park is Manhattan’s winter wonderland. Enjoy New York City’s only free admission ice skating rink, the Holiday Shops, and rinkside eats and drinks at The Lodge by Prime Video. Reserve timed entry tickets here.