Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13
The twinkling little lights, the old guys in faux-fur trimmed red hats, the Christmas ditties sounding from every store front...I admit, I'm a sucker for all things holiday. 'Tis the season and what better place to be than NYC? There are, of course, the classic New York holiday tour stops: the towering tree at Rockefeller Center, moonlit ice skating at Central Park, and a night with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. Lesser known attractions, though, are the city's grand menagerie of holiday markets. These pop-up shopping meccas can fulfill all your holiday shopping needs. Take a ride on the 1 and hop off at the Columbus Circle Holiday Market.Winter accessory boutiques and holiday ornament vendors abound, as do mini jewelry boutiques. At Kanari Designs, you'll find statement rings with artsy gold and stone details for $50-55. Or explore the one-of-a-kind metal-dipped leaf pendants ($25-40) at Friction Jewelry.
Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13
For the friend with a sense of humor, go for a handmade animal hat - ear flaps and all. The $30 may seem a bit over-the-top, but at least the money goes to a good cause - supporting the poor in Nepal.
Credit: Allison Malecha, CC '13
With all this holiday gift hunting, your stomach will be surely be rumbling. Stop off at Josephine's Feast for a piece of Absinthe Cake ($12/cake) or the big brown house of "Homemade Gingerbread Boys and Girls" for a gingersnap glittering with sugar ($3). You'll return to campus with a full belly and an arm full of shopping bags. An afternoon well spent.
Columbus Circle Holiday Market, 59th St & Columbus, open Mon-Sat 10a.m.-8p.m., Sun 10a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th.
For a slightly more breathable atmosphere, head down to Bryant Park. Here the vendors are the dizzying candy-striped vending stands are swapped for cool green ones and the shoppers' frenzy is broken up by a great white stretch of ice. It's also the city's largest holiday market, with over 100 vendors. While many of the 100 have similar wares to the ones at Columbus Circle, there are also a few new stand outs to add to the list. Treat yourself to a silky-smooth hand scrub at Sabon, where you can find Israeli lotions and candles for all your favorite ladies. For gifts on the cheap, find the tent filled with prints - covers from Vogue & The New Yorker, celebrity shots, New York City in every light and season. Your giftee will never guess it only cost you $5. The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, btwn 5/6th Aves & 40/42nd Sts, open Mon-Fri 11a.m.-8p.m., Sat 10a.m.-9p.m., and Sun 10a.m.-6p.m. until January 3rd.
Other Holiday Markets worth checking out:
-Gifted, 20 E 4th St & Lafayette St, open December 16-24th, the go-to market for vintage items
-Grand Central Holiday Fair, Lexington Ave & 42nd St, open Mon-Sat 10.m.-8p.m., Sun 11a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th, an indoor and perhaps more elegant experience
-Union Square Holiday Market, W 14th St, open Mon-Fri 11a.m.-8p.m., Sat 10a.m.-8p.m., Sun 11a.m.-7p.m. until December 24th, a market abounding in eco-friendly wares
