When the weather turns a bit chilly, New York City turns up the heat with nonstop holidays festivals and parades.

Perhaps Peace

On November 19th, UNICEF starts the holiday season with a special lighting ceremony of their symbolic Snowflake, which hangs above the City’s bustling Fifth Avenue. Debuting this year, An Evening at the UNICEF Snowflake will take place each Friday night from November 21st through January 16th starting at 6pm. The event will encourage New Yorkers and tourists to come together to recognize the snowflake while enjoying performances from various musical acts along with hot chocolate and snowflake cookies handed out by UNICEF volunteers.

Rockefeller Center Celebrates

One of the most magical sights in the City is the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The annual Tree Lighting has visitors and New Yorkers alike gathering to see the giant tree illuminated. This year's lighting is on December 3, and the tree will stay until January 9, 2009.

Breakfast With Santa Gather your family for an unforgettable day at Rockefeller Center. Enjoy a family-style breakfast at Rock Center Cafe, a visit from Santa and his elves, gifts for kids of all ages and a skating session on the world-famous Ice Rink. Sessions run from November 29th through December 24th. View schedule and purchase tickets at http://www.rockcentercafeny.com .

Trees, Trees, and Trees

In addition to the Rockefeller tree, on November 25th, on the Upper East Side, the Metropolitan Museum of Art will unveil its annually displayed Christmas tree, decorated with hundreds of candles, and an 18th-century Neapolitan nativity scene. Across the park, the American Museum of Natural History is decorating its tree with more than 500 origami animals. The day after Thanksgiving, Friday, November 28th, there will be a tree-lighting ceremony at South Street Seaport for its 50-plus-foot tree, complete with caroling by the Big Apple Chorus.

Take to the Ice

The rink at Rockefeller Center is a holiday favorite, but The Pond is the centerpiece of Bryant Park's winter season. The 170' x 100' rink features free admission ice skating, in addition to high quality rental skates, skating shows, special events and activities. For a sense of skating in the country, you can't beat the two rinks in Central Park. Surrounded by acres of trees and open landscape enjoy scenic Lasker Rink and Wollman Rink. For those that prefer to stay indoors, try the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers.

Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink officially opened on October 11th. Visit www.therinkatrockcenter.com to view schedules and rates. And The Pond at Bryant Park will open on October 24th and continue through January 25th. Wollman Rink in Central Park will be opening October 20th (weather permiting) with Group Lessons scheduled to begin on Monday, October 27th.

Bright Lights, Big Fun in the Big City

This holiday time, whatever the weather outside, it will be snowing at Time Warner Center. In addition to the annual “Under the Stars” light show, falling snow will greet visitors as they enter Time Warner Center’s front entrance. The Stars light show will premiere on November 7 and continue every evening until January 2. Snow will greet visitors on Friday to Sunday evenings.

Window Wonderland

New York's legendary department stores offer a window wonderland at holiday time. Visitors and New Yorkers alike love to stroll along the Avenue and enjoy the famed storefront tableaux. From the red awnings and understated elegance of Saks Fifth Avenue at 611 Fifth Avenue to Lord & Taylor at 424 Fifth Avenue extravagant windows and magical animation. Displays at Tiffany & Co. at 727 Fifth Avenue have a holiday sparkle all their own. FAO Schwarz at 767 Fifth Avenue is always a fun visit. While Fifth Avenue definitely has WOW appeal, the windows at Bloomingdale's 1000 Third Avenue are a study in urban chic, and the lavish Yuletide glow of Macy's Herald Square 151 West 34th Street is another perennial favorite

These fantasies are usually unveiled in November and thousands line up to view the creative celebrations of New York's singular style. And with good reason.

Holiday Shows

Starring the world famous Radio City Rockettes, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular (radiocity.com) has entertained people of all ages for over 75 years. From November 7 to December 30, 2008, visitors can enjoy signature high energy shows. Tickets range from $40 to $250.

George Balanchine's The Nutcracker, performed by the New York City Ballet (nycballet.com) at Lincoln Center is a favorite holiday production. The awe-inspiring show transports audiences into a magical world featuring marching toy soldiers, charming children, a giant one-ton Christmas tree, and some of the most memorable dancing the City has to offer. Performances run from November 28-January 3. Tickets range from $10 to $215.

Returning to New York City for the holiday season, from October 30, 2008-January 4, 2009 the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden will be the backdrop for the Cirque du Soleil (cirquedusoleil.com) production Wintuk, that tells the touching winter tale of a boy's quest for snow in an imaginary land called Wintuk. The show includes acrobatics, theatrical effects, and memorable songs. Tickets range from $40 to $220.

Boasting one of the City’s largest indoor Christmas trees, the Four Seasons Hotel New York (fourseasons.com), will house a 24-foot tree located in the hotel’s Grand Lobby. From Saturday, November 29-Sunday, December 28, 2008, visitors can enjoy “Holiday Tree Tea” offered daily from 3-5pm overlooking the grand tree. The tea is priced at $55 for adults and $30 for children 12 and under.

Holiday Train Show - November 24th through January 19th

All aboard for the Transit Museum’s FREE 7th annual Holiday Train Show. A magical train layout takes you from Grand Central to the North Pole with stops in between at subway stations, bus stations, gas stations and Santa’s workshop! New features include Lionel’s brand new models of Metro North’s M7 train and New York City Subway’s R27. These models will be on sale at the Transit Museum stores.

A seasonal tradition, the Transit Museum’s Holiday Train Show and the holiday kaleidoscope light show in the Main Concourse, great shops and restaurants, and the Transit Museum booth at the Holiday Gift Fair in Vanderbilt Hall. Exhibit sponsored in part by Lionel. Additional support provided by the New York State Council on the Arts, a state agency, and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs.

Hours:
Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
Saturday – Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closed Christmas and New Year’s Day
For more information: 212.878.0106.

All Around the Town

The Bronx

he New York Botanical Garden's Holiday Train Show is back from November 23rd through January 13th. Wrapped in the glow of twinkling lights, model trains and trolleys zip along over bridges and on winding tracks past scaled replicas of New York landmarks made by award-winning designer Paul Busse. Orange slices, cinnamon sticks, poppy pods, pine cones, and other plant parts make a festive brew as the materials used to create the more than 140 architectural reproductions. Among the favorites are the Empire State Building, Little Red Lighthouse, Brooklyn Bridge, and the borough's own Yankee Stadium. Plus enjoy the sights and sounds of locomotives with names such as Holiday Steam Engine and the North Pole and Snowflake Railroad. Visit http://nybg.org/hts/ for more information.

On Saturday December 6, from 10am to 2pm, the Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum (bartowpellmansionmuseum.org) will host its Annual Winter Family Day. Decorated in the theme of the Nutcracker, the Museum will offer a puppet show, craft projects, gift items for purchase, hay rides with songs and professional pictures with Kris Kringle ($20 per photo extra). Cost is $20 per child over 6 and adults are free. Seating for the puppet show is limited.

A year-round family-favorite destination, the City's zoos will join in the festivities with holiday lights and decorations. The new Wild Winterland event at the Bronx Zoo (bronxzoo.com), which replaces its traditional nighttime holiday event to a more sustainable daytime feature, will take place from Saturday, December 6-Sunday, January 4. The celebration will include holiday activities between 11.30am and 3.30pm such as storytelling at the Children’s Zoo, reindeer on Astor Court, ice carving demonstrations, costumed characters, choral performances and sea lion feedings.

Brooklyn

Lighting up Brooklyn, the Lights of Dyker Heights (dykerheights.com) is an impressive display of lights and decorations on homes that dazzles around 100,000 visitors during the holiday season. Located between 83rd and 86th Streets from 11th to 13th Avenues, adjacent to Bay Ridge, the Lights of Dyker Heights are included in the Brooklyn Christmas Lights Tour (asliceofbrooklyn.com) which covers this glowing spectacle and more throughout December, 2008, on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays starting December 5 until Sunday, December 28.

Further south in Brooklyn, the annual Coney Island Polar Bear Club (polarbearclub.org) New Year's Day Swim has been a New York City tradition since 1903. The event attracts swarms of spectators to watch the hundreds of swimmers take an icy dip in the Atlantic to raise money for charity. Similarly in Staten Island, on December 7, 2008 the Polar Plunge will see thousands plunge into the winter waters to raise money for the Special Olympics (specialolympicsny.org) from Great Kills Beach at National Gateway Park.

Staten Island

Throughout December, children are invited to explore many holiday traditions at the Staten Island Children’s Museum (statenislandkids.org). Every Friday from December 5-December 26, at King Kullens Kidz Cook, young chefs can learn recipes and practice their culinary skills. Cooking starts at 1.30pm, 2.30pm and 3.30pm and events include learning how to make Christmas Strufoli, Eid Treats, Hanukah Gourmet Latkes and Kwanzaa Sweet Potato Fritters. Other weekend workshops throughout December focusing on various holidays include Origami Christmas Ornaments, Celebrate Eid, Hanukkah Menorah and the Kwaanza tradition African Mud Cloth.

Queens

At the Queens Zoo (nyzoosandaquarium.com), the holidays come early with Wild Holiday Party; Presents to the Animals every weekend in December leading up to Christmas Day where visitors are invited to watch the zoo's residents devour holiday treats.

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Adapted from information provided by individual venues and www.NYCvisit.com