Visiting NYC during the holidays? Check out these awesome Christmas shows!
With the holidays quickly approaching, the city transforms into a more magical place. Christmas markets open, sparkling lights cover the city (even more than usual), and decorations take over. The stages even transform as Christmas shows come for a limited time. Watching a broadway show is a great way to experience NYC, especially when the weather gets cold, so we’ve put together a guide specifically for the seasonal shows this Christmas.
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Last Updated: November 7, 2025
15+ Christmas Shows in NYC to See This Season
We’ve organized the shows by grouping them into two groups. The first is musicals, plays, and concerts, and the second is dance & miscellaneous.
Musicals, Plays, and Concerts
1. Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes →
Radio City Music Hall, 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020, map
Dates: Nov 7, 2025 to Jan 5, 2026
Length: 90 minutes
Purchase Tickets
The Radio City Rockettes have been a part of NYC since 1932. Every year, their Christmas Spectacular is one of the most popular shows and attractions in the city. Set in the iconic Radio City Music Hall, watch them sing and dance in perfect synchronization.
See More: 10+ Amazing Christmas Markets in NYC to Visit
2. A Christmas Carol the Musical
The Players Theatre, 115 MacDougal Street, New York, NY 10012, map
Dates: November 30 – December 30, 2025
Length: 60 minutes
Purchase Tickets
Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale about the joy of community triumphing over selfishness, presented in this fresh musical adaptation by Sgouros & Bell. Follow Ebenezer Scrooge on his emotional journey as he is visited by four forewarning ghosts. Will Scrooge catch the holiday spirit and save himself in the process? Find out by joining us for this special holiday show with a story so warm it will melt the cold heart of even the grumpiest Scrooge! Now in its 16th smash year, featuring updated, British pantomime-inspired scenic design, this holiday event is not to be missed!
3. ‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil →
The Theater at MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: December 4-28, 2025
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It’s the holidays, and this year, things are different. For years, Isabella and her father have read “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” “Twas the Night Before Christmas” together. But this year Isabella feels like she’s outgrown the family tradition. But then the magic of the poem comes to life, and Isabella and her father are unexpectedly separated by a snowstorm that sends them on a fantastical journey.
In a winter wonderland inspired by the poem, they discover whimsical characters, acrobats, children and reindeer who reunite father and daughter in the holiday spirit.
4. The MET Opera: The Magic Flute →
The Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 11, 2025 – January 3, 2026
Length: 102 minutes
Purchase Tickets
Tony-winner and Oscar-nominee Julie Taymor brings this innovative and magical recreation of Mozart’s The Magic Flute to life – complete with dancing bears and giant flamingos! The production is sung in English and shortened to just 100 minutes to form an abridged version perfect for families and a much loved Metropolitan Opera tradition.
5. A Christmas Carol →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: December 14, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Penny-pinching and bad-tempered old miser Ebenezer Scrooge goes on the adventure of his life, from his past to his present and beyond and learns that the value of gold will never equal that of genuine love for his fellow men. See the classic tale, complete with new songs and dialogue that only emphasize why we still love to hear it time and time again!
6. Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of CHristmas Eve →
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Belmont Park, NY 11003, map
Dates: December 18, 2025
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The Trans-Siberian Orchestra is hitting the road once again in 2025, bringing their electrifying holiday rock opera to audiences across North America. Join them for a festive celebration that spans over two decades of Christmas magic! Along with The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, fans can expect some of the band’s greatest hits, making it clear why audiences keep coming back year after year.
As in usual TSO fashion, The Ghosts of Christmas Eve tells a story through lasers, pyrotechnics and music, following the tale of a young runaway who takes refuge in an abandoned theatre on you guessed it, Christmas Eve! Over the course of the show, various spirits appear, helping the lost girl through the power of music.
7. New York Philharmonic – Handel’s Messiah →
David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 10-13, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Conducted by Ton Koopman, the acclaimed New York Philharmonic Orchestra performs George Frideric Handel’s signature oratorio. As one of New York City’s many yuletide traditions, the NY Phil’s annual Messiah concert is a fantastic way to enjoy the season in the company of this world-class collective.
8. Charlie Brown Christmas →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: November 30, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Charlie and the gang are here to show you the true meaning of Christmas in this stage adaptation of the classic TV Special. Debuting in 2013, this theatrical production faithfully recreates the atmosphere of the comic strips and features the jazzy score from the TV show as well as a group of Christmas sing-a-longs at the end. A wonderful way to introduce younger children to the Peanuts gang, and to explore what Christmas is all about Christmas, beyond just the presents!
9. Brett Eldredge →
Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 12-13, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Multi-platinum-selling Country singer-songwriter Brett Eldredge is hitting the road once more this holiday season, bringing his GLOW: Welcome to the Family Tour to you! Named for his 2016 Christmas album, they’ll be festive fancies aplenty, alongside hits from 2021’s record – Mr. Christmas! There’s no better way to get into the holiday spirit!
10. Home Alone in Concert →
David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center, 10 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: December 17-20, 2025
Purchase Tickets
This holiday season, experience a holiday classic like you’ve never seen it before, as Home Alone is transformed into a live concert with an orchestra. The movie is shown on a big screen accompanied by a live orchestra, performing the wonderful score composed by John Williams in a unique experience that brings new life to an essential Christmas movie.
11. Pentatonix: CHristmas in the City →
UBS Arena, 2400 Hempstead Turnpike, Belmont Park, NY 11003, map
Dates: December 7, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Bring in the holiday season with three-time Grammy winners Pentatonix! The powerhouse four-piece who found success through NBC’s The Sing-Off, have been at the forefront of the recent acapella revival. With record-breaking albums behind them, the kings and queen of acapella sprinkle their harmonies across the country on their ‘Christmas In The City Tour’!
12. Taylor Mac’s HOliday Sauce →
Town Hall Theater, 123 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036, map
Dates: December 19-20, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Taylor Mac, a 2017 MacArthur Fellow and Pulitzer Prize finalist, brings you the latest installment of his ‘A 24 Decade History of Popular Music’ project. Taking the Holiday season head-on Mac explores the season in all its dysfunctional glory. From the music you love to the holiday you hate, Taylor Mac and his long-running collaborators (designer Machine Dazzle and music director Matt Ray) bring you a night full of special guests that will reframe the Holiday season.
13. A Christmas Carol →
Mccarter Theatre Center, 91 University Pl, Princeton, NJ 08540, map
Dates: December 9-28, 2025
Purchase Tickets
An integral part of McCarter’s theater season every year, A Christmas Carol is the definitive holiday show for all the family. Based on the book by Charles Dickens, this celebration of humanity and openheartedness follows the story of Ebeneezer Scrooge, a cranky, penny-pinching businessman who’s taught the true meaning of Christmas by three spirits – the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future – who visit him on Christmas Eve.
14. Jingle Ball →
MSG, 4 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10001, map
Dates: December 12, 2025
Purchase Tickets
It’s back! The biggest touring concert of the year has returned once again, stuffed with more pop talent than you can shake a sprig of holly at. Featuring appearances from Katy Perry, Tate McRae, Teddy Swims, The Kid Laroi and many, many more, this year’s iHeartRadio Jingle Ball looks set to be the best ever!
Dance & Misc
15. New York City Ballet: The Nutcracker →
David H. Koch Theater, 20 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, map
Dates: November 28, 2025 – January 3, 2025
Length: 120 minutes
Purchase Tickets
This is one the most magical performances of the classic there is. 90 dancers, 62 musicians, 32 stagehands, and 50 students from the School of American Ballet bring this story to life. There’s even an onstage blizzard and a Christmas tree that grows from 12 to 40 feet.
16. Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet →
United Palace, 4140 Broadway, New York, NY 10033, map
Dates: November 28, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Featuring spectacular sets and beautifully costumed dancers, the Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet is an annual treat for the whole family. Whimsical and imaginative storytelling blends with the richness of classical dance, dazzling costumes, soaring birds, giant puppets and a grand stage design to make this particular Nutcracker a unique holiday treat not to be missed!
17. New Jersey Balley – THe Nutcracker →
Bergen Performing Arts Center, 30 N Van Brunt St, Englewood, NJ 07631, map
Dates: December 6-7, 2025
Purchase Tickets
Now for five decades, New Jersey Ballet’s Nutcracker has been a cherished holiday tradition for many generations of families in NJ.
18. Company XIV: Nutcracker Rouge
Théâtre XIV, 383 Troutman St, Brooklyn, NY 11237, map
Dates: November 13, 2025 – January 31, 2025
Length: 150 minutes
Purchase Tickets
Leave the kids at home if you’re headed to see this risqué version of the classic tale. The erotic reimagining of the story uses dance, circus performers, singers, and partial nudity to spice things up.
Essential Tips
- NYC gets extremely busy during the holidays so pick up tickets as soon as you know you want to go to one of these shows.
- Looking for other Broadway shows? Check out our post.
- Trains tend to run slow or late when the weather is bad. If it’s snowing, give yourself plenty of time to get to the venue.
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Planning Checklist
- Get comprehensive insurance for your trip.
- Download these helpful language apps.
- Find a great deal on NYC hotels.
- Arrange a rental car for your trip.
- Book a tour for your visit.
- Get airport lounge access.
- Buy a travel charger to keep your devices charged.
- Get a new backpack for your trip.
- Buy a New York travel guide.
- Pack the appropriate shoes for your trip.
- Don’t forget your in-flight essentials.
- Save money on attractions with City Pass.
Have you seen any of the Christmas shows in NYC?
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Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
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