Dreaming of a White Christmas

By BRIAN JOHNSTON

I'm standing in Times Square in downtown Manhattan where barely a pedestrian is in sight.

A woman shuffles carefully along in a heavy overcoat with a red scarf pulled tightly around her neck. A dishevelled Santa Claus heads for home.

As snowflakes fall, sensible New Yorkers have abandoned the sidewalks for heated taxis and subways. No wonder. Like everything else in this city, the weather is big and bold and doesn't care for half measures.

Snow has blanketed trees and hydrants, and muffles the city's noise into a dreamlike hush. Even the iconic yellow taxi-cabs seem to fall silent, swishing along the road under thick caps of snow.

The splash of neon lights seems like just another part of the Christmas decorations that brighten the snow-filled city. Below, steam hisses from a sidewalk vent. I stand over the grate and warm my feet. Jack Frost has been nipping at my toes.

Most people would think this kind of weather is frightful, but winter in New York is delightful, because suddenly you're inhabiting all those Christmas carols of your childhood right down to sleighbells in the snow and chestnuts roasting on open fires.

With appropriate clothing anyone brave enough to endure the cold is in for a treat: a softer and more gentle Manhattan, where you can build a snowman in Central Park and marvel at the ice floes on the Hudson River.

The Santas on every street corner are guaranteed to bring a smile to your festive face. Even the brash New Yorkers seem more mellow than usual. Add to this an endless choice of cosy cafes and restaurants, a fascinating collection of heated museums and 1000 shops decked out in their Christmas finery, and you may find New York one of the most engaging places in the world in which to spend a white Christmas.

The hub of Christmas activity is the Rockefeller Center. To many, the lighting of the giant Christmas tree here in early December (on the first Wednesday after Thanksgiving) signals the start of the festive season in New York.

The plaza leading towards the tree is decorated with angels blowing horns, and horn-blowing also features at the Tuba Concert, during which carols are played with resounding energy by 300 musicians full of Christmas goodwill.

Best of all is the sunken ice-rink at the heart of the Rockefeller complex. An hour spent skating in the heart of Manhattan under the gold-coloured statue of Prometheus and a symphony of Christmas lights is one of the quintessential New York experiences.

The Radio City Music Hall at the Rockefeller Center is home to the most spectacular Christmas show in the city, which runs throughout November and December and features the Rockettes, chorus girls in skimpy Santa suits. There are also dancing rag dolls, marching "wooden" soldiers and even Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer.

More grown-up entertainment can be enjoyed at the Lincoln Centre, where the Nutcracker Suite is performed by the New York City Ballet and there's also a traditional Messiah singalong.

A musical version of A Christmas Carol at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden is another seasonal revival that has become a New York institution.

From the Rockefeller Center you can walk along Fifth Ave to admire the lights and decorations. The giant menorah (the world's largest) at the corner of 59th St is a reminder that not all the lights are for Christmas; the menorah is lit each night of Hanukkah in early December.

There's also a traditional giant snowflake on the corner of 57th St. Adding to the festive glow are the window displays of major department stores featuring animated puppets, mechanised plush animals, breathtaking toy train models, dancing dolls and fairytale landscapes.

There are lights all over the city at this time of year, giving New York a magical atmosphere.

The soaring tree at South St Seaport is decorated with white lights and is the venue for carol singing by the St Cecilia Chorus on Friday evenings and weekend afternoons. Even the Bronx Zoo breaks out in illuminated sculptures and snowflakes and 13km of tree lighting.

Perhaps the most beautiful lights of all are those strung up on the cherry and hawthorn trees lining 3km of Park Ave.They are a memorial to peace and those who have sacrificed their lives for the country.

To get an overview of all this bedazzlement, ascend to the observation deck of the Empire State Building, from which you can see all of Manhattan and beyond, spread around you like a map. It's a good spot to get your bearings; the snow-covered roofs and Gothic skyscrapers are a photographer's delight, and the twinkling lights below are glorious.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is another place to admire Christmas decorations, including a tree that is ceremoniously lit every Friday and Saturday at 7pm. The museum is a warm haven where you can sit and have coffee while looking over the snowfields of Central Park.

Although the snowy streets of Manhattan soon turn to slush, the great expanses of Central Park remain sparkling white for weeks, and walking in the park is one of the real treats of New York in winter.

Statues with helmets of ice, white tree branches frozen against a blue sky and great drifts of snow provide a beautiful foreground to the towering skyscrapers. There are also two skating rinks here, allowing you to swoop across the ice with the Manhattan skyline as your backdrop.

For another fine winter's walk, head along the promenades of the Hudson River to the tip of Manhattan Island. Parts of the river are regularly frozen, and as you crunch through the powder drifts of Battery Park you could almost imagine yourself in Alaska but for the Statue of Liberty looming out on the harbour.

One thing is certain: days spent sightseeing in the bracing winter weather can work up an appetite.

If you want to tantalise your tastebuds, Zabar's gourmet grocery on Broadway is a good place to start. This enormous emporium stocks everything from smoked fish and French cheeses to fragrant-smelling teas and coffee beans, and goes all out in the winter with a dazzling array of plum puddings, seasoned turkeys, candied fruit and all the other trimmings of an American Christmas.

Its main rival is Balducci's on Sixth Ave, where the ceilings are hung with braided garlic, and pasta is a speciality; you can pick up Italian seasonal treats such as panettone, a dry cake served at Christmas.

Then wander down to Union Square, where on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings the Farmer's Market offers homemade breads, fresh fruit and last-minute Christmas gift ideas.

Stamp your feet and have mulled wine and a warm mince pie under the fairy lights. It is sure to warm the cockles of the heart, and is just the thing to fuel up on before you set off again into the winter wonderland.

Getting there

Flight Centre packages to the Big Apple start from $3869 a person (twin share) including return airfares from Auckland to New York, airport transfers and five nights accommodation at the Holiday Inn Manhattan.

This deal is valid for sales until December 15, but for travel from December 12 to January 31. Airport taxes are additional.

Getting around

Despite the subway's reputation, it's cleaner and safer than you might think, and the fastest way to get around Manhattan during the day.

Stations are usually named after the streets on which they're located, making it easy to find your way around.

Seven-day unlimited-ride MetroCards cost US$21 ($33). Cabs (taxis) are also reasonably priced. The average fare for a 4km ride is up to US$8 ($12.50) plus tip, depending on the traffic and time of day.

Where to stay

All kinds of deals are available. Watch for special offers _ it pays to shop around.

The average double is around US$160 ($250) a night, rising to US$300 ($470) for the likes of the Hilton and US$550 ($865) for the luxury Waldorf-Astoria.

Make sure the price you are quoted includes the 16.25 per cent GST, plus the US$2 a night occupancy tax.

For large families, it's more economical to book one hotel room, as extra beds for kids come as cheap as US$10.

Booking ahead is strongly advised over the Christmas period.

Tipping

Remember to factor the cost of tipping into your budget; just about everyone expects it in New York.

Count on 15-20 per cent for waiters and taxi drivers. Bellhops and bar staff should be tipped $1-$2 and hotel maids expect $2 each day.

Safety

New York's crime rate has fallen significantly over the past decade and doesn't even rank in the top five most dangerous US cities; most crime takes place at night in the poor ghetto neighbourhoods. However, beware of street hustlers and pickpockets.

New York City Tourism