Christmas shopping in New York is a bitch–there’s so much, and it’s so expensive, and expectations of wonderful gifts from the Big City are so high that it’s tempting just to throw in the towel altogether. Christmas shops, then, can furnish a partial solution to the problem of finding ten things for ten people in the waning hours before your plane/train/parent’s Subaru departs. And even if you’re not out to buy, the seasonal clusters of small businesses that set up shop at Columbus Circle, Bryant Park, and Union Square every December are worth a gander for their wondrous wares. 

Columbus Circle – 59th and Central Park West



This open-air smorgasord of jewelry, apparel, and other sundries may be overpriced, but it’s a bargain compared to the sticker shockers across the street in Time Warner Center. With the Park next door and the narrow, curved aisles, it feels a bit like a labyrinthine mountain village. This year there is a disappointing lack of food samples.

Bryant Park – 42nd and 6th Avenue 

Moving south, you might choose instead to visit the shops at Bryant Park, a collection of little glass houses that make the Central Park bazaar look comparatively bohemian. Making no concessions to the season, these semi-permanent structures will keep you warm while you browse their semi-precious (and fully precious) offerings. Bryant Park, however, may be worth the trip just for the sideshow: a crowded skating rink, complete with an on-ice putting contest sponsored by the great nation of Canada, with a 20-carat diamond as the prize.

Not to mention the excellent bathroom facilities, and the Darth Vader made of gadgets. 

Union Square – 14th and Broadway

If the shops at Union Square are your third stop, you’ll have noticed by now that the New York Christmas fairs actually have all the same stuff. But here, you can also register to vote, sign a petition, and load up on organic veggies at the year-round greenmarket while you fill your stockings.

– LBD