Let's face it: New York City knows how to do the holidays like no other city in the country.
Even before the first snowflakes fall, the city transforms into a magical winter wonderland. Skaters do figure-eights in Central Park, the Rockettes kick up their heels at Radio City Music Hall and Sugar Plum Fairies drift across the stage at Lincoln Center.
So if the Big Apple is beckoning you this holiday season, here are a few things you might want to put on your to-do list.
PARADES, PAGEANTS AND LIGHTS
The Radio City Rockettes: Through Jan. 2, the Rockettes line up to kick off the 73rd Annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (1260 Avenue of the Americas, 212-307-1000, www.radiocity.com).
The Lincoln Center Tree Lighting Celebration: Nov. 28, at 64th Street and Columbus Avenue (212-875-5456, www.lincolncenter.org), features live performances.
Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting: Nov. 30 at Rockefeller Center (47th to 51st streets).
Holiday lights: Colors top the Empire State Building, lit red and green for Christmas and blue and white for Hanukkah. Two miles of holiday trees illuminate Park Avenue, and a Giant Snowflake glitters overhead at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 57th Street. Starting Dec. 25, the first night of Hanukkah, a flame will be lit atop the world's largest Giant Menorah (Fifth Avenue at 59th Street).
The Grand Central Terminal Holiday Laser Light Show: The restored Sky Ceiling comes to life with a five-minute seasonal light and music celebration every half hour from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Nov. 21-Dec. 31 (East 42nd Street at Park Avenue).
Christmas in Little Italy: From noon to 5 p.m., Dec 13-15 and Dec 20-22, parades, free entertainment, street vendors and holiday lights on Mulberry Street between Canal and Broome Streets.
MUSEUM EVENTS AND MORE
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Nov. 22 to Jan. 28, a Neapolitan Baroque creche adorns a candlelit spruce tree in the Medieval Sculpture Hall (Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, 212-535-7710, www.metmuseum.org).
The Cloisters: Christmas choral performances are held throughout the season (Fort Tryon Park, 212-923-3700, www.metmuseum.org).
The American Museum of Natural History: Noted for its origami tree, decorated with more than 1,000 brightly colored, intricately folded paper decorations representing objects in the museum's collection (Central Park West at 79th Street, 212-769-5100, www.amnh.org).
PARKS, GARDENS AND ZOOS
The Central Park Conservancy: Mark the African American "first harvests" holiday with a musical Kwanzaa Celebration at the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center (830 Fifth Ave.) from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. . Dec. 26.
Central Park Zoo Wild Holiday Party: Polar bears get presents on Saturdays and Sundays (except Christmas weekend) in December (64th Street and Fifth Avenue).
New York Botanical Garden Holiday Garden & Train Show: More than 100 replicas of historic New York buildings, railway trains, and trolleys, through Jan. 8 (200th Street and Southern Boulevard, Bronx).
Staten Island Zoo: See Dasher and Dancer and other reindeer at "A Dickens of a Christmas," 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 10 (614 Broadway).
ICE SKATING
The rink at Rockefeller Center (50th Street off Fifth Avenue) is a little gem. The two rinks in Central Park -- Lasker Rink (107th Street) and Wollman Rink (63rd Street) -- are gorgeously scenic as the new Ice Skating Rink at Bryant Park (42nd St and 6th Ave). Do not forget the 25,000-square-foot Kate Wollman Rink (Lincoln Road) by the lake in Brooklyn's Prospect Park.
CULTURAL CELEBRATIONS
The New York City Ballet (20 Lincoln Center Plaza, 212-870-5660, www.nycballet.org) will perform The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center's New York State Theater through Dec. 30. New York Pops Holiday Celebration at Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Ave., 212-247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org), Dec. 16-17.
Vienna Boys Choir pays its annual visit to Carnegie Hall (881 Seventh Ave., 212-247-7800, www.carnegiehall.org) on Dec. 18.
Holiday on the Hudson: Dec. 9 at the Sky Rink at Chelsea Piers (23rd Street and West Side Highway, 212-336-6666, www.chelseapiers.com). Includes a figure-skating exhibition and holiday music.
Handel's Messiah tops the list of performances at several churches. Catch a performance at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave., 212-932-7314, www.stjohndivine.org), St. Bartholomew's Church (109 E. 50th St., 212-378-0200, www.stbarts.org) and St. Patrick's Cathedral (Fifth Avenue and 50th Street, 212-753-2261).
NOT JUST FOR KIDS
Macy's Santaland (151 W. 34th St.) is a wonderful world of elves, reindeer, toys and, of course, Santa himself.
The Big Apple Circus comes to Lincoln Center (62nd Street at Columbus Avenue) for a fun show for kids of all ages through Jan. 8.
HANUKKAH
Hanukkah will be celebrated at The 92nd Street Y (1395 Lexington Ave., 212-415-5500, www.92y.org) with events including "Make a Menorah," for families with children 2-4 years old, on Dec. 15 and a Family Hanukkah Festival on Dec. 18. On Dec. 23, David Broza performs in "World Music >From Israel."
WINDOW WONDERLAND
From the red awnings and understated elegance of Saks Fifth Avenue (611 Fifth Ave.) to the lavish yuletide glow of Macy's Herald Square (151 W. 34th St.), New York's legendary department stores offer a window wonderland at holiday time. Animated figures carry out imaginative themes that range from best-loved ballets to Dickensian characters and modern-day Muppets. Lord & Taylor (424 Fifth Ave.) is known for its extravagant windows and magical animation. The windows at Bloomingdale's (1000 Third Ave.) are a study in urban chic. Displays at Tiffany & Co. (727 Fifth Ave.) have a holiday sparkle all their own. And, of course, look for a toyland theme from the newly renovated FAO Schwarz (767 Fifth Ave.). Hint from savvy window shoppers: Wait until after closing hours to take in the displays -- the lines will be shorter.
BIG DEALS IN THE BIG APPLE
The city's annual Paint the Town promotion offers hundreds of savings offers on everything from hotels, restaurants and Broadway shows to the museums and attractions. The annual Winter Restaurant Week is actually two weeks next year, Jan. 28 through Feb. 8 (excluding the weekend of Feb. 2-3). More than 150 of the city's top restaurants will offer $20.02 prix fixe lunches and $30.02 prix fixe dinners. For information on both: 212-484-1222, www.nycvisit.com.
STUFFING FOR STOCKINGS
Find unusual gifts from artists, craftsmen and importers at Grand Central Terminal (Nov. 21-Dec. 24, 15 Vanderbilt Ave.), Bryant Park (Nov. 25-Jan. 1, 42nd Street Sixth Avenue) and Union Square (Nov. 25-Dec. 24, Broadway and 14th Street).
NEW YEAR'S CELEBRATIONS
Join hundreds of thousands of people ringing in 2006 in Times Square at the annual Times Square New Year's Eve Celebration & Ball Drop (212-768-1560, www.timessquarealliance.org). Fireworks blaze over Prospect Park in Brooklyn (718-965-8999, www.prospectpark.org) and Central Park (212-360-3444, www.centralparknyc.org), where they will signal the start of the New York Road Runners Midnight Run (212-860-4455, www.nyrrc.org).
Hopes for a peaceful year will be voiced at the Annual New Year's Eve Concert for Peace at the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave., 212-662-2133, www.stjohndivine.org).
