Images of Christmas – New York City

Rockefeller Center Christmas, New York City (27 December 2008)

I was born and raised in New York City. Sadly, the Bronx was not Manhattan and I didn’t get to see much of downtown before I escaped Gotham altogether in 1970. In 1974, during the Winter break, I returned from graduate school and spent some time in the city.

When I lived in New York, my biology interests meant more of my limited Manhattan time was spent in the American Museum of Natural History. Directly across Central Park from Natural History is the Metropolitan Museum of Art…a place I learned to appreciate later in life.

Neapolitan Baroque Christmas Tree,

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City (1974)

Since the mid-60’s, after the materials were donated to the Met, a magnificent display of 18th century Italian decorations and a nativity scene is exhibited there during the Holiday season. The link includes individual pages with descriptions for each of the 233 figures in the exhibit.

Creche, Metropolitan Museum of Art (1974)

Amazing Midtown store decorations and window displays draw crowds throughout the holiday season. After all, the po’ folk can’t afford what Tiffany’s, Cartier’s, Bergdorf-Goodman et al are selling but we can ogle the merchandise and their creative settings.

Manhattan Holiday Window Decoration (27 December 2008)

As I write this, it is below freezing here and much of the country is dealing with some serious winter weather…not the time I would want to slowly wander the streets of New York…although it would keep the crowds down. I believe everyone should get to Manhattan at Christmas-time at least once in their lives. See the tree and ice skate in Rockefeller Center, visit the holiday markets…indulge in our national winter festival.

Saks Fifth Avenue Display, New York City (27 December 2008)

Happy Holidays to you and yours.

We’ll be back in 2018.