You've got good ideas. Here are some more: http://gonyc.about.com/od/christmassights/tp/christmaswindow.htm

Don't worry about finding places for burgers, pizza, etc. They are all over the place. It's better to pick a restaurant that looks good to you than to devote your limited time to tracking down a place somebody might recommend. Have a great time.

HTTY

If you haven;t been to the Museum of Nat'l Hist you may want to do that. They have a great origami tree and exhibits loved by kids (and adults) of all ages.

If you haven't done Top of the Rock definitely do that.

If you just want to grab a basic meal there are a ton of casuale places all over the city - not great food but you won;t go hungry. You might want to consider Ellen's Stardust if you've never been there - basic diner fare but the wait staff are wanna be B'way chorus boys and girls and their performances can be fun.

There are a lot of special events for the holidays - so you might want to check out the New York Magazine web site for events - you can search by date and category.

I'd suggest taking them to Bryant Park to see the skating rink, and holiday market, then walk down to Macy's and see the windows, and send a letter to Santa.

All over that area are food choices the kids will love so there won't be a problem finding something. Hot chocolate to be had at Bryant Park too.

From Macy's walk over to 5th Ave and up 5th to see the windows and then Saks and the tree at Rock Center, and that should eat up all your day.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Thanks - we've actually been to Ellen's Stardust before but I'd forgotten about it and I'm sure they would like to go back. I'm thinking maybe we'll skate at Bryant Park since we skated at the Wollman rink last time.
I'll check out Top of the Rock - is that best done during the day or at night at this time of year. Not sure if it's in our budget either but thanks for the suggestion. Seems to be a popular suggestion on these message boards - hoping somebody can fill me in as to why?
The link helps me figure out which way to go to see the best windows and it looks like it takes us right past Rockerfeller Center too
Thanks everyone and keep the suggestions coming!

Top of the Rock gives a great view of the city, including Central Park and the Empire State Building. 1 of the first things I do when I go to a city is look for a vantage point like that to see the city. I would recommend doing it right before sunset to see the change.

Top of the Rock is better in daylight. Otherwise Central Park is a big black hole. Here's a coupon for $2 off at TOTR. http://www.newyorksmartsave.com/Top-of-the-Rock.html I think there's hot chocolate by Max Brenner at Bryant Park.

If you decide to travel around the city a bit, you might try the East Village, around 8th St (St. Mark's Place, just East of 3rd Ave). Lots of local "color" there and some interesting stores for the kids.
Tons of restaurants in the area the kids will like too. A fav of mine is just around the corner, and the kids will talk about it for years, is Pomme Fritte. The BEST fries ever and lots of choices for dipping sauces.

Up the street on 1st and 11th is Venieros for pasteries. As you walk in there is a long display case of every pastery made, and the kids would enjoy picking out some to eat and some to take home.

Um, I'm afraid these kids are WAY too old for letters to Santa - it's a teen and a tween - not 4 or 5 year olds.

Forbidden Planet-Broadway and 13th Street-Scifi stuff

Evolution on Spring Street-Bones and stones and things kids like

Economy Candy-old style candy store on Rivington Street with every candy available on the planet.

Donut Plant-Grand Street-makes damn fine donuts and that's all they make (bseides churros)

Second the recommendation for Bryant Park. there is also a holiday market at Grand central station. Macy's and Sax have wonderful windows. St. Patricks is beautiful. Its fun to be out and about at night to really see the lights.

Thanks everyone. I think maybe we'll try the East Village to mix it up a bit - Venieros looks good,and I had heard good things about Pomme Frite before - so fries for lunch followed by pastries? Far from healthy but sounds good!!
Thanks for the Top of the Rock coupon, too..

The letters to Santa at Macy's are fun computerish and done right ON the window. I did two, so far,,,,,,I'll bet the kids would like to try it. lol.

Ohhh yes Pomme Fritte is so good. The place is tiny and there's usually a line especially on the weekends. The kids will want to come back to NYC just to go there again. lol.

Have FUN.

Other places kids might like in the neighborhood

On the next block south from Pomme Frites, is a kosher bakery called Moshe's who makes excellent rugelach and strudel among other things.

On East 10th Street off the corner of 3rd Ave there is ice cream store where the make their own called Cones.

There is a new place on Ave B and East 3rd where they make store made soft pretzels. A bit pricey at $3 but 100x better than the stuff you get at a street vendor.

Adu - actually the 10th St ice cream place is " Sundaes and Cones" - over on Bleecker and 7th Avenue is the Argentinian gelato place Cones.

I took 3 16 yr old girls to NYC last weekend, and all 3 of them did the computerized letters to Santa at the Macy's window, without any suggestions from me...some thigns are still magical and fun, even at age 16.

And I did one also! Some things are magical and fun, even at age 54.

Hot Chocolate: Take them to St. Makrs in the East Village- lots of shops for their age there to browse in. Here are two hot choclate palces there- see this list, #1 and 2 on the list

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1325339/top_10_places_to_get_hot_chocolate.html?cat=22

I am sorry to report that Australia on St, Marks has closed and yes they made the best hot chocolate. They would take chocolate ice cream, add a little milk and then put it under the steam attachment from the cappucino machine.

Try it at home or some variation on that.

You are right MP on Cones and Sundaes and Cones and then there are my cousins the Cohens. (I did not realize the place on Bleecker was Argentinian.)

Max Brennars is really good for hot chocolate.

Also Jacque Torres has a location in Soho (w/good hot chocolate), right around the corner from the NYC Fire Dept Museum, which my teens liked. Nice 9/11 exhibit and tribute there.

Max Brenner on 2nd Avenue is closed, although the one Broadway is sill open. And is fine for kids.

and that NYC fire museum is free, as is the 9/11 museum at the WTC site. We went there last Sunday. Very moving place. You can do a 3 min. recording in a room by yourself regarding what you were doing on 9/11 and your memories of 9/11. Those recordings will be played inside the memorial when it is finished.

maybe get pastries in Little Italy? Ferraras...

How important is it to book for Top of the Rock. We just snagged tickets to WINTUK on a promo deal @ 2.30 so didn't really want to commit to a timed ticket for Top of the Rock, too...
I was thinking of perhaps going to Top of the Rock right after the show...

No reason to prebook TOTR.

Yes, the guys who own Cones on Bleecker street are Argentinian brother, I think. We used to rent a loft across the street from there, above the guitar store. I was pregnant with my (now 6 foot tall teenager) - I am grateful that Cones opened up a few months AFTER we moved to Chelsea - if they had been there when I was pregnant I'd STILL be losing that baby weight!

To each his own. I was over Santa at 6 - when I heard my father cursing the living rooms trying to assemble my little bother's tryke.

Real life is so fantastic ( as in unusual/odd) that I don't have any need for Santa fantasies.

Yes, to each his own. My teen kids still write letters to Santa. We leave them out w/pickles for the reindeer, and milk, and Santa (my husband and me) writes back and leaves his message on the empty plate. Of course they both know it's fantasy, but it is a fun way for them to chronicle their thoughts of the prior year, what their wishes are for the future, etc. They do this without prompting from us, it is just a tradition they enjoy. And of course I have saved every letter they have ever written, and all of Santa's responses. It is a nice chronicle of their maturity year by year, as they have become less absorbed in themselves, more insightful, and more concerned in the world around them.