10 Reasons You Should Visit New York City This Christmas Season

Although the lighting ceremony has now passed, the Christmas tree will stay lit at the Rockefeller Center, accompanied by an ice rink and other glittering trees lining the promenade.

Stroll down Fifth Avenue for some spectacular window shopping (just avoid the area around Trump Tower). Whether you'll actually be doing any shopping or not, you can't miss the detailed window displays of the department stores, such as Macy's or Saks, to name just a few.

Columbus Circle Holiday Market, Union Square Holiday Market, and Bryant Park's Winter Village are a few of the markets you can explore during the Christmas season to shop for gifts or personal souvenirs and sample the city's best bites. 

If you can get tickets to see the Rockettes during the holiday season in NYC, it's definitely worth your time. Radio City's "Christmas Spectacular" runs all season long, five nights a week. 

There are ice rinks set up across the city, not just at Rockefeller Center, but also in Central Park, and Bryant Park and at Brookfield Place, to name a few. Ice skating is a fun, seasonal activity that families, couples, and friends can enjoy.

You won't have to go too far to see some residential Christmas light madness. Dyker Heights in Brooklyn has a radius of several blocks and avenues where residents deck out their homes in Christmas lights and decorations that are worth making the trip to see. 

If you'd prefer to be indoors watching a wonderful ballet, you'll want to get tickets for "The Nutcracker," which is performed at Lincoln Center throughout the month of December. 

The New York Botanical Garden is hosting its 25th annual Holiday Train Show this year, with a nearly half-mile train track to watch and models of NYC landmarks that are incredibly detailed. This is a great activity to take kids to as well. 

Just a few days after Christmas, but still in the season's spirit, the New Year's Eve event in Times Square is a must-see bucket list event for anyone who can stand the craziness. 

If the season is white with snow, you'll find locals heading to the parks with their families to go sledding on fresh snow in Central Park. This activity obviously depends on the amount of snowfall during the season.