New York in December is a whole mood…and not the subtle kind. The city goes full sparkle mode. Tucked away on a quiet on the Upper East Side sits The Lowell, which somehow feels like stepping into a beautifully wrapped present. It’s intimate. It’s elegant. It’s warm without ever trying too hard. Fireplaces crackling and staff that greets you like you’re coming home for the holidays.
If you ask the person who knows the city best — John Mark, The Lowell’s Cheif Concierge, he’ll hand you a festive-season game plan that hits all the right spots. The good and nostalgic stuff. The “New Yorkers actually love this” stuff.
Radio City Music Hall Christmas Spectacular
It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it. It’s glitter, nostalgia, and holiday serotonin hitting all at once. The entire building smells like peppermint and history.
New York City Ballet’s The Nutcracker
At Lincoln Center, where the fountain is glowing and everyone looks like they’re pretending to be in a movie. Balanchine’s version is the gold standard: snowflakes falling perfectly on cue, the tree growing to the ceiling, the music hitting differently when you hear it live.
Handel’s Messiah
Performed all over the city. It’s powerful, emotional, and one of those things that makes you feel strangely… grounded? You stand up for the Hallelujah Chorus even if you’re not sure why, it’s part of the ritual.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, your toes might freeze. But the moment you round the corner and see that tree glowing above the rink, everything in you warms. It’s the holiday beacon of New York.
FAO Schwarz
Gigantic teddy bears & oversized candy, it’s pure childhood wonder. Go early, avoid the weekend crowds, and let yourself be ridiculous.
Bryant Park Winter Village
Skating under string lights, sipping hot cider, roaming around the tiny holiday stalls selling handmade ornaments, and the kind of random gifts you convince yourself someone needs. It’s cozy chaos in the best possible way.
Fifth Avenue Window Displays
This is where New York shows off. Bergdorf is always the moment. Saks gives fireworks-level drama. Tiffany & Co. does sparkle like nobody else.
Walk from 59th down to the library — it’s an unofficial holiday runway.
Grand Central Terminal
In December it glows. The wreaths, the lights, the holiday market tucked into the Vanderbilt Hall, the classic hustle that feels comforting.
Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden
A whole miniature New York built out of bark, leaves, and natural materials with tiny trains around skyscrapers. It’s cute and honestly therapeutic.
And After All That… You Return to The Lowell
Which is exactly where you want to end every festive day in the city.
You walk back through the quiet Upper East Side, past brownstones wrapped in garlands until you slip through The Lowell’s front doors and instantly thaw out.
A glass of something festive waiting at Jacques Bar or maybe room service in your suite, fireplace on, and the city sparkling below you.