Christmas in New York City: Events

Each Christmas season the Rockettes, a troupe of female dancers, put on a special Christmas show at Radio City Music Hall. This tradition dates back to 1933. The Nativity scene calls for real camels and donkeys, which don’t always behave on stage as planned. Each year they perform their dance of the toy soldiers, which ends with the toy soldiers, all in a row, falling over backwards like a set of dominoes.

Since 1954 New Yorkers have also enjoyed yearly performances of The Nutcracker by the New York City Ballet Company. Those who prefer song to dance may attend the Messiah Sing-In at Avery Fisher Hall. At this event the audience takes a stab at singing Handel’s oratorio themselves. This tradition dates back to the 1960s.

Many New Yorkers and out-of-towners celebrate Christmas by taking in a Broadway show. Indeed New York’s justly famous theater district sells more tickets at Christmas time than at any other time of year.