The classic Charlie Brown Christmas Tree in the Macy's Herald Square window display
(click on any image to enlarge)
Every holiday season, New York comes alive with the Christmas spirit. From gorgeous window displays and ice rinks to hot chocolate and last minute shoppers, nothing says Christmas quite like the massive trees set up around New York.
Last weekend while trying to avoid the hilarious yet crazy Santacon goers, I met up with a friend to try and find some holiday spirit while walking around in 50-60 degree weather. I love warm weather, but around Christmas nothing really compares to waking up with flakes coming down outside your window.
With Christmas on the brain and a little bit of shopping left to do, we set out to find a few things at the Bryant Park Winter Village. We got sidetracked on the way there by the open doors to the New York Public Library. This building is definitely one of the most magical in the city with lions to greet you and endless marble hallways. A nice surprise to find was the Christmas tree in the main foyer, Astor Hall. This tree has all of the trimmings and even a dusting of "snow" which added a beautiful glow to the whole room.
After our welcome distraction in the library, we actually did make it into Bryant Park. We were successful in finding a few gifts for friends and family, and maybe even a thing or two for ourselves. Before heading off to enjoy even more Christmas decorations elsewhere, we stopped to admire the tree next to the ice rink. This one has a multitude of shiny ornaments that really light up under the floodlights. If you are only in the city during daylight hours I would recommend this tree for a photo backdrop because the lack of lights on the tree itself to give it sparkle isn't an issue.
Before heading uptown to see the big tree in Rockefeller Center, we decided to walk in the opposite direction to see the Charlie Brown themed windows at Macy's. After being amazed by the gorgeous and sparkly displays at Bergdorfs (see my post about them here), the Macy's windows were completely different but just as wonderful. All of the characters were set out to depict scenes from the classic movie. My favorites were the interactions between Charlie Brown & Linus, and of course Lucy's classic "Doctor is IN" sign.
No holiday season in New York is complete without taking time to see the tree at Rockefeller Center. I don't know where they find these monstrous trees, but wow are they huge. Sadly, of the three trees I saw that day, this was my least favorite. Yes it's huge, but the entire thing is only decorated with lights. The library tree had a snowy, soft-glow ambiance and the bryant park tree had lovely ornaments. This one is just there to sparkle and be the biggest it can be. Worth the view, but maybe not worth the crowds you have to wade through to get there.
Unlike the crowds at the Rockefeller Tree, the crowds around Saks Fifth Avenue (across Rockefeller Plaza) awaiting the light show were definitely worth it. My friend and I were lucky enough to catch a spot along a wall across the street so we could see the entire show. I shot this video while hand-holding my DSLR so it's a bit shaky. With that being said, definitely make time to see this amazing effect in person, it is really something! This was our last stop before heading home for the night, and it was a perfect way to end a day full of holiday spirit.
Thank you for coming with me to visit more of the christmas sights in New York (see my previous post about them here). I hope this inspires you to go out and take them in for yourself!
~ V
Date & Locations: Saturday, 12 Dec 2015 - New York Public Library (Main Branch, 5th Ave between 40th & 42nd Streets), Bryant Park Winter Village (6th Ave between 40th & 42nd Streets), Macy's (Herald Square, 151 W 34th St, NYC), Tree at Rockefeller Center (45 Rockefeller Plaza, NYC), Saks Fifth Avenue (611 5th Ave, NYC)
Photos taken with: Nikon D5300, Nikon 18-140mm f3.5-5.6 DX Lens
Photo credits: Myself
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