31 Fun Christmas Events Around New York City 2024
New York City is full of holiday magic, and it’s the perfect place to make Christmas memories with the family! From ice skating under the twinkling lights to cozy holiday markets, there is always something fun to do with the kids. Whether you’re a New Yorker or just visiting, these family-friendly events around the city will bring lots of holiday fun for everyone.
Here’s a roundup of the best Christmas activities for kids in NYC this year.
Psst… Check Out Where to Take Photos with Santa In and Near New York
Here at New York Family, we could not love the holidays more and that’s why we’ve created A Very Merry New York Family Holiday Guide! We’ve got everything you need to make 2024 your family’s best holiday ever: Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa events, tree lightings, holiday light shows, gift guide, holiday shopping ideas, books, movies, elf ideas and so much more!!
Manhattan
Gingerbread NYC Community Day
Museum of the City of New York, 1220 5th Ave., East Harlem
Saturday, Dec. 7, 1 pm
All ages
Free
Ring in the holiday season with a family day of seasonal fun and activities! Snap a memorable photo with Santa Claus in front of the cozy, holiday-themed fireplace, explore Gingerbread NYC featuring spectacular gingerbread displays, and get creative with a hands-on gingerbread cookie decorating activity, featuring delicious cookies and toppings provided by Amy’s Bread.
Holiday on the Hudson
Riverside Park Conservancy, 125th & Marginal Sts., Central Harlem
Saturday, Dec. 7, 4:30 – 6 pm
All ages
Free
Celebrate the season with the holiday tree lighting, live music, decoration making, and hot chocolate.
Holiday Cookie Decorating Class
Revel & Rye Bar and Restaurant – Urban Cabanas at New York Marriott Marquis, 1535 Broadway, Midtown
Monday, Dec. 9, 4 pm & 5 pm.
All ages
$30
Led by a professional pastry chef, you’ll be guided through the art of cookie decorating where you’ll create your very own edible works of art.
Island of Warmth: Caroling Around the Campfire
Manhattan West Plaza, 385 Ninth Ave., Chelsea
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 5 – 7 pm
All ages
Free
Take your selfie with Santa in front of the Island of Warmth while being serenaded by carolers, The Mistletones, and enjoy complimentary hot chocolate from Daily Provisions.
Skyscraper Holiday Cards!
The Skyscraper Museum, 39 Battery Place, Battery Park City
Saturday, Dec. 14, 10:30 – 11:30 am
Ages 3 – 12
Free
Making holiday cards can be a fun way to celebrate the jolly season and show appreciation for our loved ones. Decorate skyscraper-themed cards and spread some holiday cheer!
Coca-Cola Winter Wonderland
The Apollo Stages at The Victoria, 233 W 125th St., Harlem
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2 – 6 pm
All ages
Free
This event is filled with holiday-themed activities including photos with Black Santa, live performances, and opportunities to give back to the community with family and friends.
50th Annual Candlelight Carol Service
St. Peter’s Chelsea, 346 W. 20th St., Chelsea
Sunday, Dec. 15, 6 – 8 pm
All ages
Free
Chelsea Community Church will celebrate the 50th annual Candlelight Carol Service at St. Peter’s Chelsea. The service includes scripture, choir singing, and the highlight, a reading of the famous poem, A Visit from St. Nicholas, this year by Karen Mason, star of Broadway, Off-Broadway, television, and music.
NYSoM HolidayMania 2024
East Harlem Tutorial Program, 2050 2nd Ave. East Harlem
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2 – 5 pm
All ages
Free
Celebrate Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Year 2025 in this jam-packed Holiday extravaganza! NYSoM HolidayMania 2024 will be a holiday extravaganza that features: Hanukkah Town: Upon entry to HolidayMania, hang out with the Dreidelator and all members of Hanukkah Town while enjoying Hanukkah activities and games. New Year’s 2025 Jam: Party with Lady New Year’s, sing karaoke, and get an early start to the 2024 celebrations! Kwanzaa Village: Visit Kwanzaa Village to see Papa Kwanzaa and enjoy Kwanzaa activities and games. Winter Wonderland: Head upstairs where Santa Claus, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, and more of your favorite characters will make an appearance.
Christmas Celebration at CMOM
Children’s Museum of Manhattan, 212 West 83rd St., Upper West Side
Tuesday, Dec. 24, 26, 10 am – 5 pm.
All ages
$17
Celebrate Christmas with Caroling, tradition-inspired ornaments, a communal display, and more.
Bronx
Spread the Holiday Spirit Coloring Sheets
The Mall at Bay Plaza, 200 Baychester Ave., Eastchester
Mondays – Saturdays, 10 am – 9 pm, Sundays, 11 am – 7 pm, through Dec. 10.
All ages
Free
Children are invited to share their creativity and kindness by making heartfelt drawings to brighten the day of the wonderful senior citizens from the R.A.I.N. Senior Center with one of five festive coloring sheets and a packet of FREE crayons (while supplies last).
Winter Wonderland at The Bronx Museum
The Bronx Museum, 1040 Grand Concourse, Morrisania
Saturday, Dec. 7, 1 – 4 pm
All ages
Free
Winter Wonderland includes art activities inspired by The Bronx Museum’s current exhibition, FUTURA 2000: BREAKING OUT, and by the winter holidays! A holiday-themed backdrop for photos with family & friends A musical performance by a parranda group at 3 pm. StoryTime with Bronx Museum Educators at 2 pm. Hot chocolate, treats, and more!
Movie Club: Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Van Cortlandt Library, 3882 Cannon Place, Riverdale
Thursday, Dec. 19, 3 – 5 pm
All ages
Free
See this lavish live-action version of the classic tale, starring Jim Carrey as the coldhearted creature trying to thwart Whoville’s Yuletide celebration.
Holiday Cookies & Crafts
Bartow-Pell Mansion Museum, 895 Shore Road, Pelham Bay Park
Dec. 21-22, Saturday and Sunday, 10 am – 1 pm
Ages 3 – 8
$15; free for adults when accompanied by a child
Drop in with your little ones to decorate a holiday cookie and make a craft to take home after exploring the mansion decked out for the season.
Brooklyn
Cookies with Santa 2024
FourFiveSix, 199 Richardson St., Greenpoint
Saturday, Dec. 7, 10 am – 3 pm
All ages
$30 per child at the door; $20 per child online; $15 at the door; $10 per parent online
Ready your list with all your wishes, to whisper to Santa with all your kisses! Delicious hot chocolate, homemade cookies to decorate, live music and, of course, precious moments and photos with Santa!
Marine Park Alliance Presents: Festival of Lights – Santa in the Park!
Carmine Carro Community Center in Marine Park, 3000 Fillmore Ave., Marine Park
Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 am – 2 pm
All ages
Free
Make holiday crafts and take a family photo with that famous jolly old man in red!
22nd Annual Sinterklaas- St. Nicholas Day Celebration
Wyckoff House Museum, 5816 Clarendon Road, East Flatbush
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2 – 4 pm
All ages
Free
Enjoy a fun-filled day of craft activities, tree lighting, and a special visit from St. Nick. Children will enjoy a visit from St. Nicholas as he arrives on horseback around 2:30 PM. St. Nicholas will tell the traditional tale of The Bakers Dozen and children are invited to sign the Red Book. Sip hot cider, try your hand at colonial games, create a holiday pomander, decorate a Dutch clog for Sinterklaas, and dress the tree for the tree lighting that will close the day as the sun goes down.
BRIC’s Winter Wonderland 2024
BRIC House, 647 Fulton St., Park Slope
Sunday, Dec. 8, 12 – 4 pm
All ages
Free
BRIC House unveils a wintry realm brimming with family fun, where art, music, dance, and interactive media weave a magical tapestry. Enjoy a cozy cup of hot chocolate, live musical performances, and festive artmaking activities. Design a luminous snowflake lantern, write a special holiday message or paint a wintery watercolor landscape to give someone special, and test your building skills in the family Gingerbread House Competition.
Holiday Wreath Making
Shirley Chisholm State Park (Hendrix Creek Patio), 1750 Pennsylvania Ave., Spring Creek
Saturday, Dec. 21, 1 – 3 pm
Ages 10 and older
Free
Advanced registration required
Make a festive holiday wreath to decorate your home.
Kids Create: Make Your Own Christmas Tree
Rugby Library, 1000 Utica Ave., East Flatbush
Monday, Dec. 23, 4 – 5 pm
Ages 6 – 12
Free
The Library will supply the materials, you bring creativity & imagination to create your own festive tree.
Queens
Gingerbread House Party
Art Strong, 43-67 11th St., Long Island City
Saturday, Dec. 7, 9 – 10 am, 10:30 – 11:30 am & 12 – 1 pm.
All ages
$50
Children are invited to design & create their very own gingerbread house to take home! There will be lots of colorful candy, frosting and other extras to make your dream gingerbread house complete! Enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate while you create.
Winter Wonder
Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St., Flushing
Saturday, Dec. 7, 12 pm– 5 pm
All ages
Included with Admission: $6; $4 for seniors, students with ID, and individuals with disabilities; $2 for children ages 4-12; free for members and children under 3.
Celebrate the best of December with live musical performances, tree lighting, holiday crafts, selfies with Santa, and sales at the QBG Shop and outdoor Holiday Market! Enjoy a selection of beverages at the Holiday Bar for purchase.
Winterfest
Roy Wilkins Recreation Center, 177-01 Baisley Blvd., Springfield Gardens
Saturday, Dec. 7, 1 – 3 pm
All ages
Free
Celebrate the holiday season with tree lighting, holiday market, large decorations and various other winter activities.
Parade on Rockaway
Parade on Rockaway, 130th St – 143rd St on Rockaway Blvd., Jamaica
Saturday, Dec. 7, 5 pm
All ages
Free
Parade on Rockaway is celebrating ten years as the largest parade in Queens bringing joy, hope, and Christmas to everyone with festive floats and an appearance by Santa!
Family Holiday Celebration at The Castle
Bayside Historical Society, 208 Totten Avenue, Fort Totten, Bayside
Sunday, Dec. 15, 2 – 5 pm
All ages
$10; $5 children
Bayside Historical Society is ringing in the holidays with a festive day of seasonal crafts for kids, music, games, snacks, storytelling, and of course, a visit from Santa! The beautiful Castle will be decorated for the holidays.
Holiday Show with Mitch Matlock
Queens Public Library at Baisley Park, 117-11 Sutphin Blvd., Jamaica
Thursday, Dec. 19, 4:30 – 5:30 pm
All ages
Free
The whole family will enjoy familiar Christmas classics such as “Winter Wonderland,” “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” “The Christmas Song” and more!
Staten Island
Christmas in Historic Richmond Town
Historic Richmond Town, 441 Clarke Ave., Richmondtown
Saturday, Dec. 7 & Sunday, Dec. 8, 12 pm– 5 pm
All ages
General Admission: $10, children 11 and under Free
Guests can enjoy living history demonstrations, shopping for gifts, crafts, and commemorative items made by historic tradespeople, holiday performances, a visit from Santa and his helpers, an old-fashioned horse-drawn carriage, sweets, treats, local eats, and much more!
Decorate a Gingerbread House
Dongan Hills Library, 1617 Richmond Road, Dongan Hills
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 4 – 5 pm
Ages 10-15
Free
Join the library to decorate a gingerbread house that will be displayed in the branch for the whole month of December! This will be a great opportunity to work with your friends to show your creativity. Participants will also be given a gingerbread man to decorate and take home.
Spinning Snowflake
N.W. Staten Island Lowe’s 2171 Forest Ave., West New Brighton
Saturday, Dec. 14, 10 am – 1 pm
All ages
Free
Join DIY-U for a magical experience where mini-builders will craft their own mesmerizing snowflake ornaments. Spark creativity assembling this enchanting decoration that captures the spirit of the season. From intricate snowflake patterns to shimmering embellishments and a spinning mechanism, every detail adds to the charm of this festive project. Budding engineers will learn about symmetry, motion, and the beauty of winter in a fun and interactive setting.
McDonald’s Playground Cookies, Cocoa, and Crafts with Santa
Austin J. McDonald Playground, Forest Ave., Myrtle Ave., Broadway, N. Burgher Ave., West New Brighton
Saturday, Dec. 14, 12 – 2 pm
All ages
Free
Unleash your inner artist and decorate delicious sugar cookies with a variety of colorful toppings and sprinkles, get crafty and create unique ornaments, enjoy a warm and comforting cup of hot cocoa, and meet Santa Claus himself and take a picture.
Holiday Fair & Coat Drive
3JsCreation, 2220 Forest Ave., West New Brighton
Sunday, Dec. 15, 1 – 6 pm
All ages
Free
Enjoy food, drinks, vendors, a kid’s painting table, free games, and more! There will be various specialty drinks and snacks available for purchase. Find special gifts for everyone in your life!
De Matti Tiny Tot Cookies, Cocoa, and Crafts with Santa
De Matti Park, Tompkins Ave., bet. Chestnut St. and Shaughnessy La., Rosebank
Friday, Dec. 20, 10:30 am –12 pm
All ages
Free
Decorate sugar cookies with a variety of colorful toppings and sprinkles, get crafty and create unique ornaments, enjoy a warm and comforting cup of hot cocoa, and meet Santa Claus himself and take a picture.
Psst… Check out NYC Christmas Tree and Holiday Tree Lightings 2024
