Ok..I'm overwhelmed with choices and things to do/see/visit etc..
I don't think that 6 full days are enough..NO WAY!
Anyway, below i have a draft 'schedule', and pleaaase feel free to make comments, suggestion etc.

NYC from 19th to 27th of December
Hotel close to Grand Central Terminal

Wednesday 12/19
16.30 - Landed
19.00 - Arrival at Hotel
19.30 - Walk to Times Square, dinner

Thursday 12/20
(have in mind that on vacation we don't wake up earlier than 9.30am)
Morning at Soho, strolling and shopping - lunch at 'the Mercer'

Afternoon at Rockefeller Center and Top of the Rock. Dinner somewhere in the area and 8.00pm Christmas Spectacular show.

Friday 12/21
Morning: Breakfast at Grand Central
See Chrysler Building and Shopping at Fifth Avenue etc

AFternoon-evening: MOMA museum then dinner at 'the Modern'

Saturday 12/22
Brunch somewhere (south seaport?), then visit Lady Liberty (probably with Staten Island Ferry) Any other option to see Lady Liberty from Manhattan? We don't want to spend all day there, so Ellis island ferry is not an option.

Evening: I would like to get tickets for the Phantom of the Opera at 8.00pm. Any suggestions for dinner nearby?

Sunday 23/12
Brunch near the Met? Or close to Grand Central?
Visit the MET
Then a carriage ride through Central Park (is it too tacky? ;-)

Afternoon coffee at Mandarin Oriental's lounge (i see the view and it's really great!!)

At evening just walk Madison or Park or Fifth Avenue down to our hotel (what's best for window shopping and just.. walking actually)

Night: depends on the mood

Monday 12/24
FREE DAY!! Visit the Village without any specific plans. (Which is better? West or East village)

Evening: We have reservations for Dizzy's club but we're still thinking about it. Maybe we would go to a restaurant like Buddakan or Sapa. Any comments on these? We don't like asian food very much but they have such a great decor....

Tuesday 12/25
CHRISTMAS DAY - Lunch at cousin in Brooklyn

Evening: If it's not freezing, walk over Brooklyn Bridge.

Wednesday 12/26
Breakfast and then...SHOPPING for presents!!
Evening: No plans yet. I would love suggestions for a relaxed, fun place to have dinner.. maybe in the Village?

Thursday 12/27
Last minute shopping!
17.30 Bye Bye New York!!!

My post must be huge.. and i was tired even writing about it!!
Please feel free to comment!

Well a couple of things:

The Staten Island Ferry only goes there - not to the Statue of LIberty at all. (You can just get a view from a distance). To do the Statue of Liberty takes most of the day. You have to take the SOL ferry (long ticket buyer's line, but you can get in advance), then security line for the ferry (think airline security - no large backpacks etc), then a third long line to see the base/inside of the statue (most of it is closed for structural safety reasons). The ferry then goes on to Ellis Island (which has a brilliant immigration museum - IMHO better than the statue of liberty). This activity will take most of the day.

MoMA closes at 5:30 on Friday - so you'll be having a VERY early dinner - or else need to do some other shopping in between.

Central Park rides depend on the weather - if it's too cold the horses don;t work. And the ride is limited to the few roads in the park - it can;t use the pedestrian paths. IMHO not worth $50 for 20 minutes or so.

Not sure where on Park Ave you plan on walking - but much of it is residential - with no shops at all. Also Fifth Ave is residential - with no shops - above about 60th St. For designer shops all the way uptown you need to walk on Madison Ave.

Thanks nytraveler with your very useful info!!
So do you suggest a visit to Lady liberty or not? Can we see the statue from Manhattan without taking any boats? We REALLY don't want to spend all day there.. we prefer much more walking and seeing the various neighborhoods.
Also i'm surprised about MOMA being closed at 5.30. because at their website i see that especially Fridays afternoon the entrance is free and until 8.00pm.. Am i missing something?

One last thing about the Village. Do you suggest West or East for walking and exploring? (we may visit both areas, but i was wondering in case of lack of time)

Thanks!!!

I wouldn't bother to visit the Statue - since your time is limited. I would buy advance tickets for the ferry (saves one long line) take photos when the ferry stops at Liberty Island (don;t get off boat) and go on to Ellis Island. The museum there is brilliant. If you start early and get the first boat you can do this and be back in Manhattan for lunch.

If you want a better view of the Statue in less time take the Staten Island Ferry (but you're about - I think - a half mile away). It leaves every 15 minutes or so and takes 30 minutes to get to SI, then the same back.

You can sort of see the SOL from South Ferry with very good binocs - not much otherwise.

Depending on where you're coming from, what airport you're landing at and wind patterns pilots of incoming flights try to show passengers the harbor and the Statue. (Many times I've been on planes coming into LGA and had passengers on the correct side of the plane oohing and aahing about the incredible views of the harbor and the cityscape. But - you never know what days it will happen.)

For Sunday Brunch near the Met, take a look at Sarabeth's on Madison Avenue at 92nd St. If it's not raining/snowing/blowing it would be an easy walk to the museum from there - we've done it many times.

They are open on Sunday and I suggest reservations. We have had several lovely breakfasts there found the service to be accommodating and the food very good. We have never been rushed through our meal, no matter how crowded the dining room was.

http://www.sarabeths.com/restaurants/