15 completely free things to do in NYC this December

New York City in December is magical. The streets are packed with tourists; every corner creates a new icy wind tunnel to blast you in the face; and you have to spend even more money than usual because of travel, parties, gifts and so on. Simply magical!

While nothing can be done about the tourists or the wind, we can help on the money front. This list of free things to do will keep you entertained during the dark days of December without further depleting your bank account. The usual New York holiday suspects are there, but there are also some off-the-beaten-path ideas to help you avoid the holiday crowds.

See the Grand Central Holiday Train show

Whether you’re just passing through, or want to make a special trip of it, Grand Central’s Holiday Train Show is a worthwhile excursion. Set up in the Transit Museum within the station’s Shuttle Passage, the miniature replica of Grand Central sends model trains on Metro North lines all the way to the North Pole. True train fans who can’t get enough holiday train action can also plan a ride on the Nostalgia Train, the 1930s-era train that runs up and down Second Avenue every Sunday in December, for the cost of a subway ride.

Get a unique holiday vibe at Pink Metal’s Discipline Burlesque

Depart from tradition and go to a burlesque show in Bushwick! Pink Metal’s Discipline Burlesque nights happen every Tuesday starting at 9 p.m. and there’s no cover. Lydia Vengeance hosts the evenings, which usually have a rotating cast of other performers. While it’s free, you’ll want to bring some cash to tip the performers. Burlesque is hard work!

Attend Jazz Vespers at St. Peter’s Church

Since 1965, St. Peter’s Church has featured a Jazz Vespers program, which combines the art of jazz with the solemnity of prayer. Everyone is welcome to attend the Jazz Vespers evenings, which happen every Sunday evening starting at 5 p.m., featuring a variety of performers – some of whom play on the legendary Billy Strayhorn piano at the church.

Head to Dyker Heights to see stunning holiday-themed lights.

Explore the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

After Thanksgiving, Dyker Heights transforms its residential buildings into a stunning public light display. It’s an informal tradition that has turned into an institution thanks to the commitment of the locals, and you can see the show starting around nightfall through 9 p.m. during December and into the first week of January. For more tips, check out our guide to the Dyker Heights Christmas lights.

Hang out at the Shops at Columbus Circle (and see some Broadway)

The Shops at Columbus Circle are decorated for the holidays with a huge installation of stars and lights illuminating the entranceway. Parents have the option of bringing their kids to Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Webop Holiday Jazz Jam, which is designed for children 8 months to 8 years old. The 45-minute shows are happening on the second-floor stage Dec. 13 and 17 at 3 p.m. and Dec. 18 and 20 at 11 a.m. Broadway fans can get a taste of some of their favorite performances by going to Broadway Under the Stars throughout the month. Broadway stars will sing hits from some of the most popular musicals on stage, including "Wicked," "The Lion King," "Book of Mormon" and more.

Rock out at Unsilent Night

Composer Phil Kline’s annual holiday tradition is expanding – grab your Bluetooth speaker and blast your way through the night with fellow revelers. This year’s Unsilent Night has two New York City dates – one in the Bronx at Lehman College on Dec. 12 starting at 5 p.m. and the flagship event led by Kline himself. It starts at 6 p.m. on Dec. 15 at the Washington Square Park arch.

Check out comedy nights in Prospect Lefferts Gardens

What is there to laugh about? Hopefully plenty! If anyone can find a way to extract humor from 2024, it’ll be the comedians who appear at Bar Bayeux every Sunday night for Post Moves Comedy. Comedians from HBO, Netflix, SNL and more have been known to appear at Post Moves, which goes down every Sunday at 8:30 p.m. If comedy isn’t exactly your thing, Bar Bayeux also has a robust lineup of no-cover jazz shows.

See closing exhibitions at The Met before it’s too late

Many of the exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art will turn over just after the new year, so don’t miss your chance to see them. The Mexican Prints at the Vanguard and Mandalas: Mapping the Buddhist Art of Tibet both close at the beginning of January, while Siena: The Rise of Painting is on display until the end of January. As always, The Met is pay-what-you-wish for New York residents, and you may wish to pay zero dollars. Wishes do come true!

Look for seals in Pelham Bay Park

Truthfully, the seals will probably be in and around the water, not exactly “in” the park. But winter is a great time to try to spot them in the Long Island Sound off Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. Join the Urban Park Rangers on Dec. 7 at 10 a.m. at the Orchard Beach Nature Center to get tips on how to spot these cute marine mammals.

Go to open hours at the Brooklyn Bridge Park Environmental Center

Can’t get enough urban waterway exploration? Good news: Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Environmental Center hosts free open hours Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. It features a 250-gallon tank filled with East River “critters” – basically a free aquarium for New York’s finest river-dwellers! You can also learn about the ecology and history of the Brooklyn Bridge waterfront, and the center offers crafts and themed months. It’s another great option for anyone with kids.

Paint and sip at Poe Park in the Bronx

Making art and drinking booze is exactly the way Edgar Allan Poe would have wanted future generations to celebrate the house where he wrote “Annabel Lee.” NYC Parks is hosting this free paint and sip at the Bronx’s Poe Park on Dec. 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Supplies and refreshments will be provided – what’s not to like?

Participate in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count

For the 124th year, birders around the country will take part in the Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count, which has several official locations around the city and state. The Urban Park Rangers lead bird count groups at parks around the city – on Staten Island, in Queens, and, of course, in Central Park. Beginners and advanced birders are welcome, though you should bring your own binoculars. This year’s bird count starts Dec. 14 and goes through Jan. 5, so even if you can’t make any of the above dates, there’s a good chance you can find another one nearby.

Go to a live Trad session in Queens

Traditional Irish music in a cozy Queens Christmas setting? Yes, please! Will there be a live reading of James Joyce’s "The Dead?" Probably not. But you will be more than satisfied by the stylings of John Henshaw, who will be leading the sing-a-long, come-one-come-all session at the Wolfhound in Astoria. It’s Sunday, Dec. 29, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Visit Santa at Macy’s

It wouldn’t be the holidays without a visit to Santa at one of the nation’s most iconic retail stores, would it? As usual, Macy’s will host St. Nick at its flagship 34th Street location. You’ll need to book a reservation in advance and slots tend to fill up fast. New spaces open up every day at 6:30 a.m., so wake up early and book your date with the jolly, bearded big man as soon as possible.

Pay your respects to the tree(s)

Without a giant, decorated evergreen to admire, the season doesn’t really say “holidays” at all. Fortunately, New York City has plenty of big trees to gawk at and pose for pictures with. There’s Rockefeller Center, of course. The New York Public Library has one, as does the adjacent Bryant Park (which has a free tree-lighting ceremony on Dec. 3). The New York Stock Exchange will put on its annual tree-lighting show on Dec. 5, and if downtown is more your jam on Dec. 3, South Street Seaport will light its tree then. You can walk right up to the Met’s Christmas tree while you’re en route to the Tibetan mandalas, or wait until Dec. 11 for the tree-lighting ceremony at Washington Square Park. It’s the 100th anniversary of the latter’s tree, making it the city’s second-longest-running lighting ceremony.

The point is: There are a bunch of trees to check out in New York. You'd better see at least one.

Correction: this article has been updated to clarify that Bar Bayeux is in Prospect Lefferts Garden.