Wow, I cannot believe that the last month of 2016 is already upon us! December in New York City is one of the most magical months to be here as we celebrate Christmas and Hanukkah.
Visit the beautiful tree and ice skate at Rockefeller Center. Take a stroll and admire the amazing windows at Bloomingdale’s, Barneys New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, and Bergdorf Goodman. Have some deLysscious roasted chestnuts, hot chocolate, and other holiday sweet treats.
There are also many Santa Claus brunches and teas around the city. (I personally love the Santa Tea at The Plaza and for little ones, dining at the American Girl Store.) Everyone loves a photo with Santa. Make sure your iPhone is charged and you are ready to capture the memories!
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Speaking of Santa, Macy’s Santaland is open now through Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. Pick a day where you can get there early, since weekend waits can get very long. On weekends, parents should expect to wait 90 minutes or more to see the big guy in red, which can seem like an eternity when you have very little children.
Macy’s Santaland is a magical holiday experience that features a 13,000-square-foot display that makes your children feel like they’ve entered the North Pole! You’ll find singing snowmen, reindeer, twinkling lights, and trees. The winter wonderland-esque path to Santa is worth it: Kiddos can sit on his lap and share their ultimate Christmas wishes. Your kids will feel like they’ve entered the North Pole.
Then you can head over to the Bryant Park Winter Village for holiday shopping and more festivities. My boys love to go ice skating on the Bryant Park Winter Rink.
Macy’s Herald Square Santaland (151 W. 34th St. between Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Herald Square, http://social.macys.com/santaland). Families can access Macy’s Santaland on the eighth floor during regular store hours: Daily, 10 am–10 pm; Sunday, 11 am–9 pm.
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What would Christmas be without the “Christmas Spectacular” starring the Radio City Rockettes? This show is a delight for the entire family. Another great family holiday show is “Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer” at Madison Square Garden.
“Christmas Spectacular” at Radio City Music Hall (1260 Sixth Ave. between 50th and 51st streets in Midtown, www.rockettes.com/christmas). Now through Jan. 2.
“Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical” at the Theater at Madison Square Garden (4 Pennsylvania Plaza between Eighth and Seventh avenues, www.theateratmsg.com/events/2016/december/rudolph.html). Dec. 1–18. $39–129.
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How excited are we to finally have the new fabULyss iPic Theater here in New York? “Your Night, Your Way” is more than a phrase; it’s the iPic Entertainment philosophy. From the moment you walk through the doors, you are in complete control of your experience, whether you want to catch the latest blockbuster film in one of the plush auditoriums, or taste the deLysscious gourmet dining-in-the-dark, chef-driven cuisine. My kids wish they could go see movies all the time at iPic Theaters.
iPic Theater [11 Fulton St. between Front and South streets at Fulton Market, (212) 776–8272, www.ipictheaters.com].
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Wishing you a wonderful holiday season filled with lots of good cheer! I look forward to sharing many of my New Year’s FabULyss Finds with you in January. My new year’s resolution — to power down more often. I hope you made a resolution that you love for the start of the new year!
Lyss Stern is the founder of DivaLysscious Moms (www.divam
Gingerbread trees with lemon icing
INGREDIENTS
For the cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/4 cup unsulfured molasses
For the icing:
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
Sanding or coarse sugar (optional)
DIRECTIONS: To make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until creamy, about three minutes. Add egg and beat to combine. Add molasses and beat to combine, scraping down bowl as needed. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined. Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, 1 hour (or up to 3 days).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to a 1/4-inch thickness. With a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut dough into small, 2-inch-wide triangles. Arrange triangles, 1 inch apart, on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are firm and golden at edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
To make the icing: In a small bowl, combine lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar and whisk until smooth. Drizzle icing over cooled cookies and sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.
Courtesy Martha Stewart, www.marthastewart.com/326911/gingerbread-trees-with-lemon-icing
