Suggestions for Christmas Week Activities

lobster - we need something about real estate in here or the SE gestapo may delete.

I would suggest go caroling to some open houses.

Spinnaker, I hadn't realized that the SE website was subject to that kind of censorship. Especially on such a public subject as Tiger Woods. I'm just looking for something new to do with my sister that week, something beyond seeing a Broadway show or going browsing through the sale racks at the department stores.

The Choral Tree at the Southstreet Seaport is wonderful.
Performances on Fridays 6 and 7 pm
Saturday/Sunday 3 and 4 pm

Thanks Prada. Great suggestion.

"I would suggest go caroling to some open houses."

Show up with a tape measure and calculator.

Realtors LOVE when you do that!

Go down to the Hudson piers, get on a boat, and go to Bermuda.

Or cruise around the harbor doing Perry Como impressions while getting toasted on rum and eggnog.

The Holiday Train exhibit in the Conservatory at the New York Botanical Garden sounds like it's for kids, but most adults that go seem to love it more than the kids. The exhibit recreates whimsical versions of historic/famous New York buildings surrounded by holiday plants and decorations and the garden scale trains are pretty awesome. It's a short train ride ( 20 minutes?) on the Metro North from Grand Central Station (which also has a holiday boutique set up in one of its grand scale foyers.) While you're near Grand Central Station, pop over to the New York Public Library on fifth ave and 42nd st which is always decorated for the holidays in a beautiful Victorian style.

Thanks very much for your good suggestions, slgslc.

You can google the New York Botanical Garden for times and hours as well as metro north schedules. Another suggestion is to google the Munincipal Art Society for their walking tours the week your sister will be here. I think there will be one downtown, one at Grand Central, and one in Flushing Koreatown during the week between Christmas and New Year. The walking tours are fifteen dollars per person, I think. I also ditto the open house suggestion; a couple of Sunday open houses worked into other activities has been the highlight for several of my guests lately.

If you go to the Seaport...take the small connection bus, it's free (at corner of Water and Fulton Sts) to Battery Park City and go into the Financial Center to see the Winter Garden with decorations and lights...magical!

The Chelsea Market at 14 St. between 9-10 Aves. is also very intereting and festive.

Thanks for all your help, slgslc and prada. Slgslc, I went on a walking tour given by the Municipal Art Society (the tour was of the UWS, I think) with an out of town friend a few years ago and it was very enjoyable. I will check their website for further details. The NY Botanical Gardent train exhibit is also a great suggestion. Prada, your suggestions about the wonderful holiday activities in the Seaport and the World Financial Center are excellent and I really appreciate your help.

Buy extra present with all the money you saved renting if you followed the advice of some on here. If not, enjoy wrapping the presents in the apt you own and will celebrate the holidays in. Either way, have fun!

speaking of presents, for a more commercial ramble both union square and bryant park set up outdoor holiday gift bazaars that have some interesting and unusual offerings.

Thanks aboutready, I've been to the holiday market at Union Square which is very nice but not to the one at Bryant Park. I apppreciate your helpful suggestion.

I like to take a moment in the Christmas season to enjoy the holiday visuals that the city has to offer. First, you going to need a lot of cough syrup (a huge amount) and, a partner (first rule of tripping...never go alone). Second, drink the syrup...ALL of it. Third, go out and see the lights!!!
We did this last Christmas and we ended up meeting Jesus! That was big! We also met Buddha who, much to our surprise, had quite the shopping list. In fact, it was so intense that I was able to reconcile the wave partical quandary into one unified field theory that explained everything in the Universe. Jesus ruined everything with his 'how do you explain a religious Jewish man being pegged as an incarnate deity for a group of lobster eating Christians'. Leave it to Jesus to rain on the parade. The cough syrup is a little dangerous so...take caution...then again...it's the holidays!

How about a trip up to the Cloisters?

Thanks romary, another good suggestion- I'll check their website. Kyle, LOL! Very very funny.

http://www.walkingoffthebigapple.com/2008/12/walk-for-new-york-christmas-part-i.html

They offer a very nice Christmas walking tour among others.....

listen to Bob Dylan sing "the little drummer boy"

Keith, what a wonderful and informative site. I've already bookmarked it. Thanks very much.

If the weather cooperates, you may want to try the Greenwood Cemetery trolley tour: http://www.green-wood.com/store.php/store/category/2/tour/52

On the Move, you have a very good suggestion for us. I've read about Greenwood Cemetery, but have never been and we can also check out Park Slope/Prospect Park. Thanks for your help.

I've never done this (tend to hibernate in winter myself) but the Holiday train show (model rrs with holiday theme) at the Bronx Botanical Garden is supposed to be beautiful. And don't forget to see the light show at Grand Central...Just have a drink and look up at the sky.

Liz, everyone seems to rave about the holiday train show. I just have to figure out how many blocks the subway stop or the MetroNorth stop is from the Bronx Botanical Gardens. Thanks for your help.