Now that finals are over and winter break has started, it's time to enjoy yourself. Fortunately, New York City is full of fun things to do around holiday time. Many of them are low-budget – perfect for broke college students. Here are some of the best free things to do in the city this winter:
1. Go ice skating in Bryant Park.
Manhattan has a few permanent ice skating rinks and a few pop-up rinks that appear around holiday time. Some of these rinks, like the one in Rockefeller Center, can get a little pricey. The Winter Village at Bryant Park offers free general admission. Note that there's a fee for skate rentals, but if you have your own skates to bring, this is a fun (and entirely free) way to spend a few hours.
2. Visit the Union Square Holiday Market.
Yes, it's a market, and yes, it's meant for shopping. Even if you don't buy anything, though, it's still fun to walk around and look. It's full of cute little stores that sell all sorts of clothes, trinkets and food, and it's probably one of the best places to window shop in the city.
3. See some holiday windows.
Take a walk down 5th Avenue or a surrounding street and you'll see plenty of elaborate window displays set up for the holidays. Many of these windows have animated mannequins and scenery, telling a story in the most charming of ways. Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue – these and many more have window displays that are a joy to watch.
4. Watch the lighting of one of the world's largest Menorahs.
Visit the Grand Army Plaza in either Manhattan or Brooklyn and see the lighting of a 32-foot-tall steel menorah. Starting on December 24th and ending on January 1st, the menorah remains illuminated for all eight nights of Hanukkah. Though lighting times vary on Fridays and Saturdays due to Shabbat, the menorah is generally lit at 5:30 pm in Manhattan and 6 pm in Brooklyn.
5. Go to the Firecracker Ceremony and New Years' Parade in Chinatown.
Chinatown celebrates the lunar new year with a firecracker festival, lighting thousands of firecrackers each year and celebrating with dancing, decoration giveaways, and street vendors. This year, the festival will take place on January 28th. In addition, on February 5th, Chinatown will host its annual New Years' Parade, full of elaborate costumes, floats, and dragon dances.
6. Visit the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
The lighting of the Christmas tree already took place at the end of November, but it is still beautiful to look at, and an iconic New York experience. Don't miss it, though – the tree will only remain lit until January 7th.
