If an event piques your interest, click through to our listing for all the details, including address, time, and pricing. And keep in mind: In NYC, really cool things to do often get booked up quickly. So buy your tickets ASAP, or, in the case of FREE events, arrive as early as possible to try to beat the crowds.

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1. Annie – Midtown West

Wednesday, December 4-Monday, December 30, 2024
The world's most beloved, red-headed orphan returns to the stage at The Theater at Madison Square Garden for a seasonal run and it's practically guaranteed to be one of the hottest tickets this holiday season. That's thanks, in part, to major star power: The hilarious and commanding Whoopi Goldberg plays Miss Hannigan beginning on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

2. New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show – Bronx Park, the Bronx

Saturday, November 16, 2024-Monday, January 20, 2025
While there are other holiday train displays in and near NYC, none compare to NYBG's annual show. You'll see motorized trains zip past nearly 200 well-known NYC landmarks inside and out. More than 25 model trains, including Thomas the Tank Engine, go whizzing by the botanical architectural wonders painstakingly crafted from acorns, twigs, bark, berries, and leaves. Book your tickets for this Christmas activity in advance—and take note: It's really sparkly during Holiday Train Nights.

Yuletide Factory! is a joyful holiday circus that takes the stage at the New Victory Theater. Photo by Maike Schulz

3. Yuletide Factory! at the New Victory – Midtown West

Saturday, November 23-Sunday, December 29, 2024
Cirque Mechanics dazzled fans with last season's Zephyr, and the troupe brings a new Christmas pageant-powered performance to the New Vic for this holiday season. Its high-flying acrobats transform a drab factory backdrop into a seasonal delight with plenty of stunts, sweet moves, and festive fun. A remake of Cirque Mechanics' 2009 show, Birdhouse Factory, this seasonal celebration marks the troupe's first foray into holiday entertainment and we think it will be a gift for the audience.

4. Tianyu Lights Festival – Flushing, Queens

Friday, November 29, 2024-Sunday, January 19, 2025
Citi Field is the backdrop for an enchanting forest of lights courtesy of the Tianyu Lights Festival that is set to sparkle beginning on Black Friday. Guests are immersed in a walk-through Chinese lantern display that is meant to evoke a young child's adventure through the Amazon rainforest. Expect to see traditional lanterns combined with cutting-edge, immersive, gaming technology to make this lantern show unlike anything NYC has ever seen.

5. Rawther Fancy Tea at The Plaza – Midtown East

Saturday, December 2-Tuesday, December 24, 2024
There's something about the holiday season that makes us want to dawn a frilly frock and raise our pinkies for a lovely afternoon tea, and The Plaza's Palm Court raises the bar with its daily afternoon tea featuring themed sweets and treats. Keep your eyes peeled for Santa, who makes his rounds in the lobby and dining room, and just might lend an ear if you'd like to share your list!

RELATED: How To Find Free Toys for Kids this Christmas and Holiday Season

Santa makes a magical appearance at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Photo courtesy of Macy's/Abram Books

6. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade & Balloon Inflation – Upper West Side to Midtown West

Balloon inflation: Wednesday, November 27, 2024; Parade: Thursday, November 28, 2024
We definitely don't need to sell you on this world-famous NYC tradition, which turns 98 this year! The only thing that isn't family-friendly about this procession of pop-culture-inspired floats and giant balloons is the fact you need to arrive around 5:30am to stake out your spot. Unfortunately, there is no secret to snagging a good viewing location unless you're willing to splurge on a hotel room overlooking the route (and by now, they're probably sold out!) Plan to arrive early or watch from way in the back. You'll still see something. Or, find a friend (or a friend of a friend) who lives on the route. Wherever you watch from, expect a thrilling lineup of celebrities, marching bands, colorful floats, kooky clowns, and massive balloons, including old favorites, such as Pikachu, and new additions, like Minnie Mouse. FREE

7. Hanukkah Extravaganzukah at 92 Y – Upper East Side

Sunday, December 15, 2024
The 92Y gets a jump-start on the Festival of Lights with this day-long celebration. Headlining the fun is Rebecca Schoffer and a live band. Enjoy dance performances from the Israeli troupe, Parparim!, nosh on sufganiot, and more seasonal sweets and treats. Kid-friendly entertainment includes face painting, juggling, games, and even Hanukkah robots and dancing dreidels.

8. The Hip Hop Nutcracker at the Kings Theater – Flatbush, Brooklyn

Monday, December 23, 2024
This action-packed show is far from your usual Nutcracker ballet. MC Kurtis Blow headlines the hip-hop-infused production which remixes and reimagines the famous storyline. Its setting is contemporary New York City and Tchaikovsky’s classic score gets a decidedly upbeat makeover as does the traditional choreography. An annual favorite, it's worth seeing at least once.

RELATED: Christmas in New York: An Itinerary for a Magical Holiday with Kids

Christmas Time In The City, Photo courtesy of the church

9. Hear a Christmas Concert – Multiple Locations

Multiple dates
No matter your music of choice, NYC venues are bursting with festive Christmas concerts. The Cathedral of St. John the Divine hosts an afternoon performance of family-friendly festive hits on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Broadway crooners take to the altar at The Church of St. Paul the Apostle on Thursday, December 12, 2024, for a one-night-only performance accompanied by a 25-piece orchestra. And, if you can't get enough of the instrumental music, might we suggest Elf in Concert at Lincoln Center? The New York Philharmonic plays the score to the Will Ferrell classic as it plays on the big screen with daily showings from Thursday, December 19-Sunday, December 22, 2024.

10. Santaland at Macy's Herald Square – Midtown West

Friday, November 29-Tuesday, December 24, 2024
Yes, there are lots of places to hang with Kris Kringle in the Big Apple. But for an immersive seasonal spectacle, you can't beat Macy's Santaland. The famed store mounts a 13,000-square-foot North Pole Christmas village complete with live elves, an enchanted forest featuring animatronic toys, and a train display. At the end, of course, you get to visit with the one true Santa. Visits with the big red guy are by reservation, so be sure to go online to choose a time slot up to five days in advance. FREE unless you buy a photo package (and who can resist?).

As if that wasn't enough holiday excitement at the flagship Herald Square store, Macy's is also hosting an Urban Space Holiday Market inside and out, and, of course, the holiday windows along Broadway are a must-visit while you're there!

11. Celebrate Chanukah with Jazzukkah at Eldridge Street – Lower East Side

Wednesday, December 25, 2024
The beautiful Museum at Eldridge Street hosts an annual Christmas Day concert, and this year is only slightly different: Since the holiday coincides with the First Night of Hanukkah, the celebration concludes with a candle-lighting ceremony. Before, though, enjoy a sing-along concert performed by The Jazzukah Project, which reimagines classic Hanukkah songs with jazz-inspired musical mashups.

12. Celebrate Kwanzaa at the Brooklyn Children's Museum – Crown Heights, Brooklyn

Thursday, December 26-Monday, December 30, 2024
For the 17th holiday season running, the Brooklyn Children's Museum is the place to be for Kwanzaa with a five-day long festival dedicated to the holiday. Each day includes new and recurring activities that help families learn about the seven principles. Expect daily candlelightings, live performances, art workshops, and more. Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Youth Ensemble partners with BCM to bring this colorful, joyful celebration to life.

Bonus: Luna Luna: Forgotten Fantasy at The Shed – Hudson Yards

Wednesday, November 20, 2024-Sunday, January 5, 2025
While not a holiday event per se, Luna Luna is sure to be a seasonal spectacle! The Shed re-creates a late '80s amusement park designed by some big-name artists. We're talking Salvador Dalí, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and Keith Haring among others. Wander around in awe as you take in the avant-garde spectacle. Stuck in shipping containers for nearly four decades, many of the attractions—which were first given life in Hamburg, Germany—are no longer safe to ride, including Basquiat's Ferris wheel, but there are certain to be plenty of eye-popping photo-ops—including in Dalí's, Dalídom—plus roving performers and concerts on select dates. 

A version of this post was first published in 2015; it is updated annually.