Hi friends, welcome back! It’s probably no surprise my holiday season starts the first week of November, but I resisted posting about it as long as I could. I just love this time of year, especially in NYC! Everything seems so magical and the air feels filled with holiday cheer and anticipation. The season always goes by way too fast, so that’s why I like to get a head start. My halls are decked, I’ve got my calendar filled with all the NYC Christmas activities and window display openings, and I’m listening to all the holly jolly Christmas songs. I know I won’t always live in NYC so I’m taking full advantage of seeing all the decorations while I can. I’ll be sharing all the Christmas cheer along the way and I hope it brings some joy into your day 🙂 I like to start off each season with a Bucket List and I’ll be updating it throughout the season as I make my way through it. If you’re visiting NYC this holiday season, I recommend checking out my 2022 NYC Bucket List along with my NYC Christmas Decor Master List Part One and Part Two. (All pictures in this post are from 2022)
- NYC Bucket List
- Visit Rockefeller Tree
- Visit Bryant Park and eat a chimney cake
- See all the NYC trees
- Wall Street, Washington Square Park, Seaport District, Bloomberg, Peninsula Hotel, Louis Vuitton, Oculus, Brookfield Place
- Go ice skating at Central Park, Bryant Park, Seaport, or Rockefeller
- Stroll through Central Park sipping hot chocolate
- See the Dyker Heights lights
- Visit the Macy’s on 34th Street and pick out a new ornament
- See the festive holiday displays on 5th Avenue
- View the department store holiday windows
- Visit the NY Botanical Gardens Train Show
- Have drinks at a pop-up holiday bar
- Browse through the Union Square Christmas Market (avoid weekends if you can!)
- See the Christmas décor at Chelsea Market
- Watch the light show at Sak’s Fifth Avenue
- See the light display at Hudson Yards
- Christmas Bucket List
- Stock up on Trader Joe’s holiday goodies
- Decorate a gingerbread house
- Bake Christmas cookies
- Send a Christmas card
- Complete a holiday puzzle
- Deck your halls
- Get a Starbucks holiday cup
- Have a Christmas movie marathon
- Enjoy a holiday themed beverage
- Listen to Christmas music
- Make a Christmas themed charcuterie board
- 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
- Watch a cheesy Hallmark movie
As with my prior Christmas Bucket Lists, I’m resharing the USPS Operation Santa, a holiday charity that I love. Since 1921, USPS Operation Santa collects letters from children and parents 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 an easy way to support the mission if you are unable to buy and mail presents. These last few 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 I can help a child experience the magic of Christmas this year.
Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving!! What are you looking forward to this holiday season?
Two great lists and some worthy causes to support. I look forward to seeing all the fab photos.
Thank you! I’ve got my checklists and calendar all ready for the season 🙂
Atta girl!
I appreciate your list including Operation Santa. I give my donations to the Wayne State U. students aged out of foster care. It is hard to believe that they have NO FAMILY as no one ever adopted them and they spent their lives in foster care. I delivered 25 Amazon gift cards and presents for the children of the two moms struggling to finish college yesterday. Wishing you the best holiday ever.
You do a lot of great work for foster kids! I know you made those moms holiday extra special 🙂 hope you have the best holiday ever!
I love your NYC Christmas posts Lyssy. So many beautiful festive sights and your enthusiasm reminds me of that of my son and his partner. They have already watched a dozen Hallmark Christmas movies, I am sure. We are not sure if we will be back home for Christmas this year, as we continue to help our other son and partner adjust to the busy life of parents to a new born. Christmas is a spirit, not a place, so we are OK with that. Thanks for sharing. Happy Wednesday. Allan
So glad you love them! I call it my blogger busy season 🙂 We have only watched one movie this year, we are very behind! The new one on Netflix with Heather Graham and Justin Long, it was the quality of a Hallmark movie. Christmas is extra special with kids around. I agree Chris’s is a spirit not a place.
These are amazing Christmas Lights .
Thanks Anita
The city really sparkles at Christmas!
Beautiful displays!
The city really does a great job!
I memorized “The Night Before Christmas” as a child, and can still recite it in more or less the right order today, many decades later.
My dad always reads it to us on Christmas Eve, I think I know about 70% of it 🙂
Sounds like the most wonderful time of the year! And what better way to enjoy it than in NYC? I hope you get to all on the bucket list, and happy holidays!
It is definitely the most wonderful time of the year, just need a pretty snowfall! NYC is really the place to be and I’m so lucky I can see it all season long and not have to cram everything into a few days.
If you make it to Bryant Park and “eat a chimney cake”, I hope you’ll post photos and/or a description. I have no idea what chimney cake is but I’ll forego Google and hope to learn about it from you instead 🙂
It is kind of like a churro/doughnut shaped like a cone that has cream in the middle, very delicious!
Eeeeeek it’s nearly festive season 🙂
Such an exciting time of year!
New York puts so much effort into making the festive season a wonderful time for its residents and visitors alike. New York isn’t exactly a pretty city, but with all the decorations it’s easy to forget that you’re being overwhelmed by such tall glass buildings.
They really do put in a lot of effort! I agree, all the decorations make NYC look a lot prettier than it really is.
I love the holidays too and have already had my Christmas decorations up for a couple of weeks now. This sounds like a fabulous bucket list to make the most of the holidays.
Me too! It’s a lot of work so I like enjoying it longer 🙂
I always look forward to your holiday posts. Hope we get to see your Christmas home decor again this year!
Aww thank you!! Just posted my home decor 🙂
New York looks so gorgeous during the holidays, and it seems like they really go all out for it!
Loving all those lights, so pretty
Stunning pictures.
Nice shots! You captured them well.