We also will be in NYC 21-28 Dec. Very exciting to hear good things about that time of year. Coming from a tropical climate, the cold just adds to the thrill!!
And will now look into 'Sea Grill', thanks.

I adore Christmas in NYC- and I live here! Plus, I got engaged at that time of year, so I'm a bit biased :) But it can be truly magical. The decorations, the lights, the ice skating, Rockefeller Center...lovely! One of my favorite things is to see the major department stores all done up- particularly Saks 5th Avenue and Macy's (inside and out! you must not miss the windows).

All of that being said, you have to be prepared for some serious crowds. Put on your "Christmas blinders" and focus on the beauty around you, rather than the people shoving you! And whatever you do, try to avoid the tourist traps, because it will be nutty.

Enjoy! :)

I live in NYC, and October is my favorite time of year here. The weather is wonderful, the Parks are at their best and the big run-up to the holidays hasn't quite started yet. It's still warm enough to sit outside (or take a boat ride around Manhattan, to Ellis Island/Liberty Island or stand outside on the Staten Island Ferry) but it's not unbearably hot or humid. The Museums all have their big fall exhibits up and the theaters are all up and running. The locals are all back from their summer vacations and the kids are in school. The restaurants are having fun with "local" fall harvest foods. It's New York at it's best and most livable.

By December, Midtown is a nightmare of garish decorations, overpriced everything and people stopping in the middle of the sidewalk to look at who-knows-what, totally oblivious to anyone else around them. I used to live near there and refused to go east of 6th Avenue in the 40's or 50's between Thanksgiving and New Year's. The weather in December is unpredictable - in the last few years there have been Decembers with mountains of snow and Decembers with temperatures in the 50s - it's anyones guess. All of the "Christmas Spectaculars" are running, but with the exception of taking a child to see the Nutcracker, none of them are worth the time or excessive cost. It is easier to see the Christmas Tree in Rockefeller Center on television than it is to deal with the crowds, but the tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is worth a visit. It's hard to walk around, not necessarily because of the weather, but because of the crowds on the sidewalk waiting to see the Christmas windows at Saks (or Bergdorf's or Tiffany's or wherever).

Honestly, in December, all the locals want is for the tourists to spend their money and go home - we want our sidewalks back and to be allowed to go on with our days without being asked how to find Times Square every 5 minutes. Come in October, we will make you feel much more welcome and you will have a better time.

Thanks to all for your replies!!!
I can't say that i've decided yet... when i was almost convinced to go at Christmas time, with bgans's message i'm considering October again :-)
Probably i'll wait 2-3 more weeks and if i'll find a decent hotel less than 250€/night (which is really difficult in October right now) i'll come then!!!
But i can't wait!! Whether it's October or December!

cristine, don't let bgans jaded view of New York at Christmas time dominate your thinking. As you can see from the other postings, the overwhelming majority of us don't agree with him/her.

New York during the Holidays is great if you can stay out of Midtown but if you stay out of Midtown, you miss the tree, store windows, etc, basically all the stuff that makes New York the happy holiday place.

I have to agree in the most part w/ bgans. New York is amazing at Christmas, but once was enough for me. I have gone the last 3 years the 2nd week in Dec (on business no less) and it's rough. The first time was magical but I'm sick of it now. The hotel rooms are outrageously expensive, hard to come by, dinner reservations get hard to find, and the crowds are a awful.

Cristine - if it's your first time in New York, you are going to be so star-struck by the city that you won't need Christmas pageantry to dazzle you. Trust me. It will be overwhelmingly vibrant and fast-moving and maybe even a little scary if you aren't used to big cities. If I were you, I would search a little harder for an October bargain (I remember getting emails from SoHo Grand last year about their fall specials) and go then.

The NEXT time you come to NY, plan that one for Christmas if you think you need to add to the excitement.

Hello! One more little tip for you about Christmas. Though NYC is always very busy during the holidays, the crowds increase even more on holiday weekends. So, if you can, try to plan your trip so that your Midtown exploration day falls in the middle of the week. It might help alleviate the chaos ever so slightly.

I'm travelling to NY December 2005. Can anyone tell me if me the horse drawn carriages operate around Central Park at this time of year?

Thanks a lot

Yes, the horses are only put up if the outside temperature exceeds 90 degrees F.

Hi GoTravel, does that mean they don't put the horses away if it's snowing/ really cold? I assume/ hope they rug them if not. It'd be pretty darn cold standing around waiting for customers in the snow & sleet.

The horse-drawn carriages are definitely in use at this time, and quite popular. There can be huge lines, so just be prepared for that. At Christmastime, there is a set route and time for the trips (half an hour). This goes through the park and passes by the Wollman Skating Rink, which is a lot of fun.

Enjoy!

If you do decide on Dec., try to come for Xmas and just after. The weeks leading up to the holiday are murder and I think will be even more so this year with the weak dollar attracting lots of foreign Xmas shoppers.

I just happened to do a search on quikbook for someone and there are lots of nice options for the last week of December (not including New Year's when prices generally go up).