For as long as I can remember, no Christmas season has ever been complete without a trip to New York City. From elaborate store windows to Rockefeller Center’s towering Christmas tree, the holidays have always been my favorite time to visit the city. However, upholding this tradition was a bit tricky this year, to say the least. Nevertheless, my mother and I found a way to safely enjoy the magic of Christmas in New York. Here’s what we did:

We began the day wandering through Central Park. Even in December, the fall foliage was still present. Children were running around and playing, and there were even some sports camps. During this time, the tight quarters of city apartments have left most struggling, so I loved seeing families out and about, able to get some fresh air.

We then checked out the Bergdorf Goodman home department. We love admiring the extravagant Christmas decorations and the beautiful china, furniture, and other decor items. It is a highlight for me every year! There’s also a lovely restaurant on this floor called BG Restaurant I’d recommend if you’re looking for a more formal lunch or even afternoon tea.

Next, we continued down 5th Avenue to see the store windows. They never fail to disappoint! We finally arrived at Rockefeller Center to see its famous Christmas tree. Though we could not get close to it (the pathways were blocked due to Covid), we still got a great view. Call it touristy, but seeing the tree is an absolute must!

We then headed across the street into Saks 5th Avenue, which was also decorated beautifully. Up on the 9th floor is L’Avenue. The restaurant is a longtime Paris classic, and Saks just opened its second location inside the store. The menu offers some French food, but it also has some Asian items such as curry and dim sum. The restaurant itself is beautifully designed and overlooks Rockefeller Center. On our way out, we grabbed some macarons from the famous Pierre Hermé stand located at the front of the restaurant.

Afterwards, we headed back up 5th Avenue to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the About Time: Fashion and Duration costume exhibition. Though the Met Gala unfortunately did not take place this year, the exhibition is still running, and it was amazing! It highlights sets of fashion items, namely dresses, from throughout time that share similar features, whether it be black bows or corsets. I would highly recommend seeing this exhibit, which is available by reservation only until February 7, 2021.

We also visited Making the Met, 1870-2020, which was neat, but seeing as we did not have cell service, we could not listen to the audio guide that would have helped explain the chosen artworks. Rather accidentally, we also stumbled upon the Met’s beautiful Christmas tree, which contains elements from the nativity scene as ornaments and at the tree’s base.

Lastly, we took a quick trip to the Met rooftop. Most of the time, it has an art exhibit and a food and beverage stand, but even without these things, it offers a beautiful view of Central Park and the whole city. I would definitely recommend heading up here if at the Met.

That concludes our day in New York, but if you have any questions or would like suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below. Be sure to subscribe to my blog and check out similar posts too.

*Note: two of these photos are from Christmases past, hence why you may not see everyone wearing a mask