The central feature of this holiday experience is the world's most famous Christmas tree at the Rockefeller Centre. The switching on of the lights at the beginning of December marks the start of the festivities. The tradition of the Rockefeller Christmas Tree can be traced back to the Great Depression and the first tree was erected in 1933. It is decorated annually with 700 lights and placed in front of the former RCA building which is now called the GE building.

With the inauguration of the outdoor skating rink which opened on Christmas Day in 1936 a quarter of a million people flock there each year to skate. The rink is 122 feet long and 59 feet wide and can accommodate 150 skaters at one time. It is open from October to April each year. People can also skate on the Wollman rink in Central Park and free skating is available on the Pond at Bryant Park in the middle of Manhatten. It is the only free outdoor rink in New York.

At Christmas the whole of New York City comes alive and puts on a spectacular show during the holiday season. Each year designers transform the famous department store windows into magnificent winter wonderlands. Thousands queue up to Fifth Avenue between 38th and 39th Streets to see what the latest animated scenes are in Lord and Taylor's store. They include figures, vehicles and other creations.One of the most famous is Macy's store in Herald Square which is known as "Santaland".