New York City’s holiday magic

New York City during the holidays is magical. This video captures several of the highlights such as the department store window displays, the ice-skating and tree at Rockefeller Center, and the train at the Botanical Garden.

The sounds are the natural background noises of people talking and the hum of city life. The viewer, in essence, is invited into the scenery.

One of my favorite holiday things to do in the city is to pop into St. Patrick’s Cathedral across from Rockefeller Center. There’s a quietness that’s a pleasant contrast to the bustling crowds, although I love those too.

Next year, I plan to take my son to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes in the Christmas Spectacular. Sure, we could have seen the traveling show, but there’s nothing like seeing the Rockettes in the theater that made them famous. I just checked. There are still tickets available. The show goes through December 30.

Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden

This charming video showcases the New York Botanical Garden’s Holiday Train Show currently on view through January 11 in The Bronx section of New York City. Last week, I had the wonderful experience of visiting Paul Busse, the creator of the display, at his workshop in Kentucky. I’ve been a fan of Busse’s work for years. This particular masterpiece takes five 8-hour days and several people to complete.

If you ever get the chance to see Busse’s work where all but the trains and the tracks are mostly made out of natural elements, do. You’ll be enthralled. In the meantime, enjoy some of the magic here.

This clip is from a larger PBS documentary. It can be purchased at the Botanical Garden’s gift shop.