The holiday season is here, and in international New York, there are plenty of celebrations going on. From now through the new year many different cultures and countries mark special religious, historic, and cultural festivals – and this being New York City, you can celebrate them all right here.
European Holiday Celebrations
December 6 is Saint Nicholas’ Day, and is special among Christmas traditions. It is celebrated in several countries in honor of Saint Nicholas or, as many know him, Santa Clause. Originally from Turkey, Nikolaos of Myra is credited with miracles and venerated by Christians around the world. He’s also known as Sinterklaas in the Netherlands. Keep an eye out for his many appearances throughout the city which delight and amuse children and adults alike. The 13th St. Nicholas Day returns to Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum this year on December 6 with rich Dutch traditions. Visitors can feed St. Nicholas’ horse, sign the Red Book, listen to traditional stories, and decorate a Dutch clog. Also in Dutch culture, The Netherland Club of New York has several Christmas events for adults and children.
Scandinavia House, the Nordic Center in America that brings together Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Finnish and Icelandic cultures, has a few special holiday events going on. As part of their always popular Kids & Families Series, they have “Enchanting Holiday Stories” from Norway and Sweden on December 13. On December 14, in a holiday concert which includes a Saint Lucia procession, Patrick Guetti will perform a variety of festive holiday classics.
Asian and African Holiday Celebrations
The Asia Society is hosting its own holiday celebration, with live music, free tours, tea tasting, and even discounted membership and items from the Asia Store. Looking ahead to January 2015, the Japan Society’s New Year’s Celebration: Oshogatsu will see traditional taiko drumming, lion dancing, and other fun activities including rice pounding, calligraphy, and kite-making all come to NYC.For African gifts, the Malcolm Shabazz Harlem Market – the “African Market”—is packed with food, clothes, handmade crafts, and urban wear. There are also plenty of Kwanzaa celebrations, including the Regeneration Night at the Apollo Theatre, and the American Museum of Natural History’s Kwanzaa 2014: Our Brightest Lights.Religious Services in Other LanguagesIf you’ll be going to church this Christmas, there are plenty of options no matter the language you need. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, for example, is holding Christmas Day mass in Spanish from 4 p.m. St. Paul’s German Evangelical Lutheran Church holds weekly German language service, as does the Catholic Church of our Lady of Good Counsel. St. Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral, on East 97 Street holds Russian language services, and the First Chinese Presbyterian Church meets the needs of Chinese speakers in New York City’s Chinatown. Throughout Holy Week, the French Church Du St Esprit is holding special celebrations, including lighting the advent wreath, French carols, and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. Whatever the language you want to celebrate in, you can be sure New York City has a gathering for you.Whatever your own traditions, NYC during December has so much to offer. Just wrap up warm – or buy your tickets if you’re heading to an indoor event – and have fun out there, New York! Article updated December 2014