Rockefeller Center at Christmas, Everything Around the Tree.

Decorating a Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Center is a tradition that dates back to 1933, officially. Unofficially, workers pooled together to buy the first tree in 1931 (amid the crippling Great Depression) when the national unemployment rate crested 23%.

Keen to manifest the holiday spirit, the 20-foot fir was dressed with handmade garlands made by the worker’s families. Two years later, Rockefeller Center decided to make the tree an annual tradition and held the first lighting festival in 1933.

Arguably the most iconic Christmas Tree in NYC, selecting this centerpiece is no easy feat. The tree must be at least 75 feet tall and 45 feet wide (traditionally, a Norway spruce is selected). Once plucked, the famous spruce is decorated with more than five miles of lights and crowned with a breathtaking Swarovski star.

A masterpiece in its own right, the star is composed of three million crystals and measures 9 feet and 4 inches. Admiring the beauty up close is one of the best things to do at Rockefeller Center during Christmas.

Opened Christmas Day in 1936, the ice rink at Rockefeller Center was a temporary solution to attract shoppers to the high-end retail shops in the area during the Great Depression. It didn’t take long for the rink to become the top holiday attraction at the Rockefeller Center (an annual tradition for New Yorkers to this day).

Admission gets you an hour of skating in the shadow of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree and Midtown’s soaring skyscrapers. An iconic experience, select admission packages clock in around $80, making this one of the most expensive rinks in NYC.

But at the end of the day, there’s no denying that a trip to the Rockefeller Center during Christmas should include some time on the ice.

Of all the impressive Christmas decorations you’re bound to see during your trip, nothing compares to the spectacular Saks 5th Avenue Light Show that takes place during Christmas at the Rockefeller Center.

The elaborate display and synchronized lights play in tandem with classic Christmas music, dazzling children and adults alike. Stick around and enjoy a few rounds. Admiring the light show is one of my favorite free things to do at the Rockefeller Center during the holidays.

Details The light show starts at 5pm and runs in 10-minute intervals until 11pm. Each show lasts 3 minutes and features a mashup of 2-4 popular Christmas songs, which is followed by a five minute break.

Come December the luxury department stores along Fifth Avenue unveil impressive window displays and turn the popular shopping corridor into a runway of holiday spirit. Meticulously crafted, the displays take up to a year to design.

Drawing millions of visitors during the holidays, this is undoubtedly one of the most popular Rockefeller Center Christmas activities, so brace for crowds.

Lotte New York Palace is a luxury Midtown hotel known for being a favorite of President Obama and a slew of celebrities. Or perhaps it looks familiar to you from Gossip Girl?

Regardless, during the holiday season the real star of the show is the embellished tree in the hotel’s courtyard. Ornate and majestic, the Christmas tree is a scenic five-minute walk from the Rockefeller Center, making it an easy addition to your holiday itinerary.

If you’re a die hard Gossip Girl fan and are looking for the full holiday experience consider booking a night at Lotte New York Palace.

Located across the street from Rockefeller Plaza, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is surrounded by a sea of Christmas decorations. Built between 1858 and 1879, the majestic Neo-Gothic cathedral is a tour de force of craftsmanship that took 21 years to complete because construction halted during the American Civil War.

As the seat of the Archbishop of New York, St Patrick’s attracts 5 million visitors a year, making it the most visited church in New York City.

Better still, if you’re visiting in December try scoring tickets for Christmas Mass. Attending mass is one of the most unique things to do at Rockefeller Center during the holidays. Whether you’re a devout believer or trying to appease your mother-in-law, the moving service is a once-in-a-lifetime experience you won’t forget.

But take note, attending Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral is one of the most popular holiday events at Rockefeller Center, so tickets are awarded via lottery. You can learn more here.

The talented Rockettes have been performing at Radio City Music Hall since 1930. It’s hard to think of a more iconic holiday tradition in New York City at this point. Expert choreography coupled with wildly talented dancers performing gravity-defying kicks, the 90-minute performance is leaves children awe-struck from beginning to end.

I highly recommend catching the performance if you’re visiting the Rockefeller Center during Christmas with kids. I took my 4-year-old niece to see the show last year and she raves about it to this day.

Visiting the Rockefeller Center for Christmas with kids is a blast for many reasons, chief among them are the iconic toy stores concentrated in the area. My favorite children’s store in the area is FAO Schwarz, the oldest toy store in the country.

The original location closed in 2015 before reopening in a 20,000-square-foot location at Rockefeller Plaza. Thankfully, all the top attractions made the move, from the popular dance-on piano (made famous by Tom Hanks in Big) to the beautiful clock tower.

My advice If you’d like to go on a shopping spree while visiting Rockefeller Center at Christmas, pop into the American Girl Store and Lego Store, both make an appearance on our roundup of the best toy stores in New York City.

While celebrating Christmas at the Rockefeller Center you’re going to want to visit Top of the Rock, the best observation deck in New York City.

The reason I like this New York City viewpoint so much is because the large glass panels offer unobstructed views the NYC skyline, unlike some of the other observation decks that use fencing. It makes sense to use clear glass panels here because the sweeping view of Central Park is downright breathtaking and obstructing that view would be a crime!

From Top of Rock you’ll see the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, Flatiron Building and the One World Trade Center.There’s a reason this New York City viewpoint attracts people in hoards. It’s definitely worth a visit while exploring Rockefeller Plaza during the holidays.

Since Rockefeller Center is located right off Fifth Avenue, I suggest starting your shopping spree at the southeastern corner of Central Park. From there, make your way south until you hit Rockefeller Center.

Rockefeller Center itself is home to a ton of great stores like Anthropologie, Alo Yoga, Aritzia, Brooks Brothers, Catbird Jewelry, Banana Republic and many more. Doing a little retail therapy is half the draw of visiting the Rockefeller Center during Christmas!