NYC Christmas bucket list: Important dates to keep in mind

Macy's Santa Clause is ready to kick off the Christmas season in NYC

FOX 5 NY's Richard Giacovas gives us a preview of Macy's Santaland, and even has a conversation with the man in red himself.

NEW YORK CITY - There's only one more month 'til Christmas, and FOX 5 NY has the need-to-know about upcoming festivities in New York City.

November

What we know:

Here are all the events coming up in the next month:

Saks Fifth Avenue Light Show – Monday, Nov. 24
Gridlock Alert Day – Tuesday, Nov. 25
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade – Thursday, Nov. 27

Final preparations underway for Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

FOX 5 NY's Teresa Priolo provides a sneak peek at Macy's 99th Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Black Friday shopping – Friday, Nov. 28
New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) Holiday Train show – Friday, Nov. 28

Children watch a model train during a preview of the Holiday Train Show at New York Botanical Garden in New York, the United States, on Nov. 11, 2025. A preview for the Holiday Train Show, which is open to the public from Nov. 15, 2025 to Jan. 11, 20

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NYBG Holiday Train show – Saturday, Nov. 29

December

Tavern on the Green Christmas Tree Lighting celebration – Tuesday, Dec. 2
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree lighting – Wednesday, Dec. 3

Rockefeller Christmas tree is cut down

The 75-foot-high Norway Spruce was cut down early Thursday morning and hoisted onto a flatbed truck by crane. It will travel 140 miles (225 kilometers) to Rockefeller Center. The wrapped tree will be brought into New York City by flatbed truck and raised into place at Rockefeller Center on Saturday, Nov. 8.

Columbus Circle Holiday Market opening – Wednesday, Dec. 3
Gridlock Alert Day – Wednesday, Dec. 3
Broadway Under the Stars at Columbus Circle – Thursday, Dec. 4
New York Stock Exchange Tree Lighting – Thursday, Dec. 4
29th Central Park Holiday Lighting – Thursday, Dec. 4

NEW YORK, US - JANUARY 16: People are seen during cold weather following snow days at the Central Park in New York City, United States on January 16, 2024. New York received its heaviest snowfall in the last two years, with a snow thickness of 2.54 c

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Gridlock Alert Day – Thursday, Dec. 4
Williamsburg Winter Village opening – Friday, Dec. 5
Gridlock Alert Day – Friday, Dec. 5
NYBG Holiday Train show – Saturday, Dec. 6
Gridlock Alert Day – Monday, Dec. 8
Gridlock Alert Day – Tuesday, Dec. 9
Gridlock Alert Day – Wednesday, Dec. 10
Broadway Under the Stars – Thursday, Dec. 11

NEW YORK, NY - DECEMBER 8: Christmas decorations on display at the Shops at Columbus Circle on December 8, 2020 in New York City. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)

Gridlock Alert Day – Thursday, Dec. 11
Gridlock Alert Day – Friday, Dec. 12
NYBG Holiday Train show – Friday, Dec. 12
SantaCon – Saturday, Dec. 13

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 14: Revelers dressed as Santa Claus characters participate in the annual SantaCon pub crawl on December 14, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Craig T Fruchtman/Getty Images)

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NYBG Holiday Train show – Saturday, Dec. 13
Gridlock Alert Day – Monday, Dec. 15
Gridlock Alert Day – Tuesday, Dec. 16
Gridlock Alert Day – Wednesday, Dec. 17
Broadway Under the Stars – Thursday, Dec. 18

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - DECEMBER 23: People walk through Rockefeller Center two days before Christmas in midtown Manhattan on December 23, 2024 in New York City. The area is one of the nation's most popular destinations for shopping and entertainment during the holiday season. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)