Annual New York City at Christmastime (with young children)

For five out of the last six years (all except when I was 7 months pregnant), I have enjoyed visiting New York City each December.  We only go for a short day, but it is always a great trip and gets us all in the holiday spirit.  This year we went a little earlier in the month, and were rewarded with much less traffic (normally it is backed up outside the Lincoln Tunnel)  and no line at all at F.A.O. Schwartz (even though we know the secret to skipping the line is bringing a stroller).  We normally keep it simple, with walking around Central Park (sometimes taking a ride on the Carousel or a trip into the Central Park Zoo if time allows and they are open), through the Columbus Circle Holiday Market, to Rockefeller Center to view the tree and finding the huge nutcrackers nearby, and viewing the gorgeous storefronts on 5th Avenue.  We normally grab a bite to eat wherever we happen to be when we get hungry, and enjoy hot chocolate when we get chilly.  And the trip is not complete until we get sugared almonds from a street vendor (even if I have to jump out of the car at a stop light to do so).

These are some of our favorite photos over the last few years:

2013

Climbing Rocks in Central Park (a good way to stretch our legs after the long car ride)

This year we found a train on water!

Always Theo's Favorite Part

Store Front Windows

Theo in awe of the Thomas and Chuggington selection at the toy store.

 *This year there was a neat laser light show taking place every four minutes at Saks 5th Avenue.  We ended up watching several times, and it delighted a tired (fussing) Eli and enraptured Theodore.  Something not to miss if you're walking by Rockefeller Center anyway.*

2012

There are so many beautiful store windows.

With the Rockefeller tree 2012

2011

At Central Park Zoo

Enjoying the singing doorman.

With the Rockefeller tree 2011.

Our first ever trip was a bit easier, since it was before we had kids, back in 2008.  You can read about that one here: 2008.

And Theo's first trip was in 2010, where we visited one of NYC's best museums.  You can read about that one here: 2010.