Hi friends, welcome back! It’s time to officially kick off the holiday season on my blog! I am SO excited to make the most of this Christmas season in NYC and share it all with you 🙂 I created this Christmas bucket list for myself and you all to help get into the spirit. I didn’t make a bucket list or see the trees last year, so I’m making up for it big time this year!! I’m breaking the list up into NYC specific and general Christmas activities so that everyone can join in on the fun and start crossing activities off. I hope to bring a little extra joy and cheer to your holiday season with all my posts to come 🙂 (All pictures from 2019 and prior)
- NYC Bucket List
- Visit Rockefeller Tree
- Visit Bryant Park and eat a chimney cake
- See all the NYC trees
- Go ice skating at Central Park, Bryant Park, or Rockefeller Center
- Stroll through Central Park sipping hot chocolate
- See the Dyker Heights lights in Brooklyn
- Visit the Macy’s on 34th Street and pick out a new ornament
- See the festive holiday window displays on Fifth Avenue
- Visit the New York Botanical Gardens Train Show
- See the lights at Hudson Yards
- Have drinks at a pop-up holiday bar (Sippin Santa & Miracle on 9th Street)
- Browse through the Union Square Christmas Market
- See the Christmas decor at Chelsea Market
- See Christmas Spectacular featuring the Rockette’s
- Watch the light show at Sak’s Fifth Avenue
- Christmas Bucket ListStock up on Trader Joe’s holiday goodies
- Decorate a gingerbread house
- Bake Christmas cookies
- Send a Christmas card
- Watch a cheesy Hallmark movie
- Deck your halls
- Get a Starbucks holiday cup
- Have a Christmas movie marathon
- Listen to Christmas music
- Buy a chocolate advent calendar
- Light a holiday scented candle
- See Christmas lights
- Read ‘Twas The Night Before Christmas
- Hang stockings above the fireplace
- Drink hot chocolate while watching a Christmas movie
- Wrap Christmas presents
- Wear an ugly Christmas sweater (mine is awesome!)
On a more serious note, I feel it would be remiss not to share a holiday charity near and dear to my heart. Since 1921, USPS Operation Santa collects letters from children and parents from low-income homes all over the country with their wish list for Santa. The letters are now posted online for people to read through and pick one that speaks to them. Many of these letters have requests for necessities such as blankets, coats, shoes, clothes, toilet paper, etc. in addition to toys. This program provides the opportunity to spread some holiday magic and help make someone’s Christmas special. In addition to adopting a family through the post office, beanelf.org is a non-profit that helps support the USPS and raises money to fulfill as many letters from the USPS as possible. This is how I donate and a great way to support the mission if you are unable to buy and mail presents. These last two years have been especially difficult for people, so if you’re looking for a charity to donate to this holiday season, I’d strongly encourage you to check out USPS Operation Santa and beanelf.org. It’s a little way to help a child experience the magic of Christmas.
Let me know if I missed anything or what you’re looking forward to most this holiday season!
I Need an ugly sweater! lol. ahhh xmas in NYC…so.much.fun.
I got mine at a consignment store for like $5 and the lady ringing me up was like this is so cute ha. I am sure it used to be some sweet old lady 🙂
Lol
Those are really great lists, and I like your suggestion for a way to spread some joy to those needing a little Christmas cheer. As a Home Alone fan, I might add a visit to FAO Schwartz. 😊
Thank you! That is a great addition, I always walk by FAO Schwartz but I’ve never been inside. Home Alone is one of our favs 🙂
Great list!
Thank you!
Pleasure
Looks like you are going to be busy Lyssy. So nice to see the stores and buildings all decked out. We are lining up our Christmas movies right now. The Hallmark ones are a bit to saccharine. Hope the new ones on Netflix are a b it better. Stay well and go achieve that bucket list. Allan
Thank you, very busy indeed! I prefer the classic Christmas movies, but I’ve got a lot of catching up to do! Im hoping there are good new ones on Netflix too.
Need to be down there at night sometime in the next several weeks. I hope they brought back that French Christmas market they had before Covid.
I hope they have that, it’s not far from where we live. Hopefully you make it down to nyc to see the decorations!
The decorations are always nice. The food at the French market is certainly a draw.
Thank you for sharing those two charities; I’ve made it my goal to donate to one organization every month and now I have one for December!
That is such an awesome goal and it makes me so happy you like the one I shared 🙂
So festive and I’m excited to get in to the Christmas spirit with you 🙂
Yay!!! We all need a little Christmas, especially this year 🙂