- There’s something magical about the holiday season in New York City.
- Symbols of the holidays in the city, like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and the Rockettes’ “Christmas Spectacular” show, have been around for decades.
- Other traditions, such as holiday shopping, look a little different today.
- Here’s how the winter holiday season has changed over time in New York City.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
The Big Apple draws millions of people around the world during the holiday season to partake in traditions like ice skating in Central Park and browsing iconic department stores’ decorative windows with hot cocoa in-hand.
While some features of the holidays in the city have stayed the same over the past 100 years, many others have changed. Here’s what the holidays used to look like in New York City, and what they’re like now.
There has been a Christmas tree on the Rockefeller Center grounds since 1931.
The first Christmas tree on the Rockefeller Center grounds was put into place in 1931, but the official Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree tradition started in 1933. Pictured here is the famous tree in 1934.
From 1942 until 1944, the Rockefeller Center tree went unlit due to World War II.
Pictured here is the tree arriving in its spot in 1946.
In 1949, the tree was painted silver to give it a more "wintry" look.
The tree was only silver for the year 1949, according to the New York City's Official Convention & Visitor's Bureau.
The famous tree continues to be a symbol of holiday festivities in Manhattan.
In November, the tree is put in its place. Crowds swarm the area and line up to skate at the nearby ice rink and enjoy the festive decorations.
This year, the tree will be lit on December 4, and on Christmas Day, its lights will shine for a full 24 hours.
Even decades ago, people still waited until the last minute to shop for gifts ...
Here, a woman and her daughter carry bundles of gifts after shopping at Macy's on Christmas Eve in 1946.
... and holiday crowds existed even in the 1920s.
Here, Christmas shoppers flood 42nd Street in New York City in 1929.
Today, last-minute retail crowds still exist, but the commercialization of the holidays has extended to Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.
The holiday season music and store sales seem to start earlier and earlier each year.
Lines at the post office were especially long during the holiday season, as people waited to send cards and gifts to loved ones.
Waiting in line at the post office was once the only way to send notes and presents. Here, people wait at a post office in New York City in the early 1900s.
Oh, how times have changed. Snail mail is undoubtedly still an important part of the winter holidays, but in a different way, thanks to online shopping.
The upcoming Cyber Monday, the Monday following Thanksgiving, is expected to be the biggest online shopping day in US history, according to a report from eMarketer.
Ice-skating was a favorite pastime during winters in the city.
The Lake in Central Park was one of the earliest homes to ice-skating in New York City. It opened in the 1870s and quickly became a top attraction, according to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
Ice-skating in Central Park is still popular — but at new locations.
When ice skaters first used Central Park, the Lake and the Pond would be drained to a level that would easily freeze for skating. But the park's ice-skating location moved to what is now known as Wollman Rink in 1950. Lasker Rink opened in 1966.
The Macy's flagship store in New York City featured its first Santa Claus figure during the holiday season in 1864.
According to Macy's, the New York City flagship was the first to feature a Santa Claus during the holiday season.
Santa Claus has become a mainstay at the Macy's Herald Square store.
Macy's Santaland has become an iconic attraction since it opened in 1980 at the Herald Square store, drawing more than 200,000 guests each year.
The city has also seen record-breaking Hanukkah commemorations, such as the lighting of a massive menorah in both Brooklyn and Manhattan's Grand Army Plazas.
Pictured is the 2012 lighting of what's dubbed the world's largest menorah. That year, former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg illuminated the 32-foot-high menorah at the front of Grand Army Plaza in Central Park.
Annual lightings of the massive menorahs take place in Brooklyn and Manhattan each Hanukkah.
The Radio City Rockettes are also an iconic part of New York City in the holiday season.
The Rockettes' famous "Toy Soldier" number in the group's "Christmas Spectacular" show is a must-see during the winter holidays.
Here, the Rockettes performed the eye-catching "Toy Soldier" number in 1988.
Today, the Radio City Rockettes continue to dazzle with sparkly outfits, high kicks, and pointed toes.
The Rockettes' "Christmas Spectacular" show is a 90-minute production that has been captivating audiences since 1933.
"The Nutcracker" performed by the New York City Ballet is another famous symbol of the holidays.
Choreographed to music by famous composer Tchaikovsky, the New York City Ballet's "The Nutcracker" at Lincoln Center is a quintessential holiday tradition.
Here, ballet dancers in the show perform in 1954.
The famous show by the New York City Ballet will turn 65 this year.
The 2019 performance of "The Nutcracker" will include 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 40 stagehands, and more than 125 children, according to the ballet company's site.
Many of the city's most famous department stores deck the halls with ornate window displays and exterior decorations.
Here, shoppers gathered outside Saks Fifth Avenue in 1960 to admire the decorative displays.
Over the years, stores' holiday decorations have gotten even more elaborate, thanks to LED lights, screens, and other advancements.
Here, snowflakes glow at Saks Fifth Avenue's flagship store in 2009.
Today, department store holiday displays continue to dazzle passers-by.
The holiday window decoration tradition is one that has withstood the test of time for many iconic department stores.
Times Square has been home to arguably the world's most famous New Year's Eve celebrations for more than a century.
It's said that people celebrated the new year in Times Square since 1904.
There have been seven versions of the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball over the years.
In 1907, the New Year's Eve ball made its first descent from the flagpole atop One Times Square, and it's been lowered each year since then - except for 1942 and 1943, when the New Year's Eve ceremony was halted during World War II.
The current ball is made of Waterford crystal triangles and has 32,256 LEDs.
Times Square continues to be a popular place of celebration for the new year, despite many native New Yorkers not understanding the hype.
Since 1972, "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" has been televised from Times Square, furthering the location as a symbol of the holiday spirit and new year.