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The New York Public Library Christmas tree. There is a wall behind the tree which is tan brick with an archway. There are people walking in front of the tree. Photo courtesy New York Public Library

Where to find 14 of New York City's festive Christmas trees

'Tis the season for gawking at festive spruce trees

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If you're a fan of Christmas with a capital C, New York City is the place to be. This time of year, the city bristles with more giant evergreens than a forest in the taiga. Rockefeller Center's enormous Norway spruce is already lit, but it's far from the only evergreen game in town—read on for a handy guide to the biggest and brightest holiday trees in the city.

Looking for more things to do in NYC this season? Check out our pocket guide to New York City.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

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It's no surprise that the Met's tree is probably the city's prettiest. This year's 20-foot-high blue spruce is hung with ornate Neapolitan angels, and the base of the tree is the setting for an elaborate Italian Nativity scene. As if that weren't enough, it's backed by an 18th-century choir screen that originally resided in Spain's Cathedral de Valladolid. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Holiday Tree. There is an elaborate nativity scene at the base of the tree. There are angel figurines and candles decorating the tree. Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art

American Museum of Natural History

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This venerable American Museum of Natural History goes all-out with a nondenominational holiday tree decorated with origami animals. This year's tree is laden with 800-plus folded-paper critters.

A child looks up at the American Museum of Natural History holiday tree. The tree is decorated with origami animals. NY Daily News via Getty Images

South Street Seaport

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This lower Manhattan waterfront district celebrates the holidays with an outdoor light installation, an on-site Santa and a 30-foot tree festooned in gold, white, and silver ornaments, with a giant star on top. 

The South Street Seaport Christmas tree. The tree is tall and decorated with lights and ornaments. On both sides of the tree are various buildings. FilmMagic

New York Public Library

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For the most literary Christmas celebration in town, head to the NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The library displays an old-school tree framed by an archway in Astor Hall, and in the McGraw Rotunda, Charles Dickens's personal annotated copy of "A Christmas Carol." You can also see the iconic library lions, Patience and Fortitude, festooned with wreaths outside of the Fifth Avenue building.

The New York Public Library Christmas tree. Getty Images

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

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There's no Christmas-ier park come December than Bryant Park, which gets transformed into a Winter Village complete with skating rink, open-air market and winter-themed restaurant. The tree that looms over it all is huge Norway spruce garlanded with thousands of lights and ornaments.

The Bank of America Winter Village Christmas tree at Bryant Park. The tree is decorated in lights and surrounded by holiday market stalls. Shutterstock.com

Rockefeller Center

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The granddaddy of all Christmas trees has become as synonymous with New York at Christmas as Home Alone 2 and dodging shoppers on Fifth Avenue. This year’s tree is a Norway spruce from State College, Pennsylvania. Try to snag a spot skating in the rink below the tree, or just stand up on the sidelines and look up.…No, higher!

Dante Park

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The Upper West Side's answer to Rockefeller Center's display is a slightly-less-enormous evergreen festooned in multicolored lights and ornaments. The tree is situated in Dante Park across from Lincoln Center's iconic Josie Robertson Plaza, so you can take in the view on your way to or from a show. 

#danteparknyc #lincolncenter

A post shared by Tony Leong (@newwavetony) on

Queens Botanical Garden

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Flushing gets festive with the Queens Botanical Garden's annual holiday tree, which also includes crafts, a tour of the garden, and visits with Santa.

MetroTech Commons

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Though most of the showiest trees are in Manhattan, Brooklyn holds its own with this 30-foot-tall tree, glowing with thousands of twinkly lights. It's part of Downtown Brooklyn's larger holiday festivities.

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Historic Richmond Town

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Staten Island's historic farm museum doesn't skimp on the festive cheer: This year, in addition to the annual lighting of a Christmas tree, there will also be a market devoted to holiday crafts, tours of the cheerfully decorated village, and a visit from Santa Claus himself.

New York Botanical Garden

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If you’re heading to the New York Botanical Garden for its annual holiday train show—this year, dedicated to Midtown landmarks—be sure to stop by the Leon Levy Visitors’ Center to see the garden’s festive holiday trees lit for the season.

A post shared by Mel (@gratefulphotography) on

Washington Square Park

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This year’s Christmas tree in Washington Square Park is situated adjacent to Stanford White’s famed arch, in order to accommodate the Ai Weiwei exhibit “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.” The whole shebang happens on December 6.

The Washington Square Park Christmas tree at night. The tree is underneath the Washington Square Park Arch. There is snow falling. It is night. There are city buildings in the background.

Tompkins Square Park

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In the East Village, Tompkins Square Park will host its own tree lighting on December 10 as part of the larger holiday events in the neighborhood (including a light display along East 7th Street).

The Tompkins Square Park holiday tree in the evening. The tree is decorated with lights. EV Grieve

New York Stock Exchange

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If ever you needed a reminder about the commercialization of Christmas, the tree at the New York Stock Exchange—which has made this a tradition for more than 90 years at this point—will suffice. It’s festooned with twinkly lights and complements the red-and-green color scheme on the NYSE building itself.

The New York Stock Exchange Christmas Tree. The tree is decorated with lights and sits across from the New York Stock Exchange building which is illuminated in red and green light. Getty Images

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art

It's no surprise that the Met's tree is probably the city's prettiest. This year's 20-foot-high blue spruce is hung with ornate Neapolitan angels, and the base of the tree is the setting for an elaborate Italian Nativity scene. As if that weren't enough, it's backed by an 18th-century choir screen that originally resided in Spain's Cathedral de Valladolid. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Holiday Tree. There is an elaborate nativity scene at the base of the tree. There are angel figurines and candles decorating the tree. Courtesy Metropolitan Museum of Art

American Museum of Natural History

This venerable American Museum of Natural History goes all-out with a nondenominational holiday tree decorated with origami animals. This year's tree is laden with 800-plus folded-paper critters.

A child looks up at the American Museum of Natural History holiday tree. The tree is decorated with origami animals. NY Daily News via Getty Images

South Street Seaport

This lower Manhattan waterfront district celebrates the holidays with an outdoor light installation, an on-site Santa and a 30-foot tree festooned in gold, white, and silver ornaments, with a giant star on top. 

The South Street Seaport Christmas tree. The tree is tall and decorated with lights and ornaments. On both sides of the tree are various buildings. FilmMagic

New York Public Library

For the most literary Christmas celebration in town, head to the NYPL's Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. The library displays an old-school tree framed by an archway in Astor Hall, and in the McGraw Rotunda, Charles Dickens's personal annotated copy of "A Christmas Carol." You can also see the iconic library lions, Patience and Fortitude, festooned with wreaths outside of the Fifth Avenue building.

The New York Public Library Christmas tree. Getty Images

Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park

There's no Christmas-ier park come December than Bryant Park, which gets transformed into a Winter Village complete with skating rink, open-air market and winter-themed restaurant. The tree that looms over it all is huge Norway spruce garlanded with thousands of lights and ornaments.

The Bank of America Winter Village Christmas tree at Bryant Park. The tree is decorated in lights and surrounded by holiday market stalls. Shutterstock.com

Rockefeller Center

The granddaddy of all Christmas trees has become as synonymous with New York at Christmas as Home Alone 2 and dodging shoppers on Fifth Avenue. This year’s tree is a Norway spruce from State College, Pennsylvania. Try to snag a spot skating in the rink below the tree, or just stand up on the sidelines and look up.…No, higher!

Dante Park

The Upper West Side's answer to Rockefeller Center's display is a slightly-less-enormous evergreen festooned in multicolored lights and ornaments. The tree is situated in Dante Park across from Lincoln Center's iconic Josie Robertson Plaza, so you can take in the view on your way to or from a show. 

#danteparknyc #lincolncenter

A post shared by Tony Leong (@newwavetony) on

Queens Botanical Garden

Flushing gets festive with the Queens Botanical Garden's annual holiday tree, which also includes crafts, a tour of the garden, and visits with Santa.

MetroTech Commons

Though most of the showiest trees are in Manhattan, Brooklyn holds its own with this 30-foot-tall tree, glowing with thousands of twinkly lights. It's part of Downtown Brooklyn's larger holiday festivities.

A post shared by Nyu-oculus (@nyuoculus) on

Historic Richmond Town

Staten Island's historic farm museum doesn't skimp on the festive cheer: This year, in addition to the annual lighting of a Christmas tree, there will also be a market devoted to holiday crafts, tours of the cheerfully decorated village, and a visit from Santa Claus himself.

New York Botanical Garden

If you’re heading to the New York Botanical Garden for its annual holiday train show—this year, dedicated to Midtown landmarks—be sure to stop by the Leon Levy Visitors’ Center to see the garden’s festive holiday trees lit for the season.

A post shared by Mel (@gratefulphotography) on

Washington Square Park

This year’s Christmas tree in Washington Square Park is situated adjacent to Stanford White’s famed arch, in order to accommodate the Ai Weiwei exhibit “Good Fences Make Good Neighbors.” The whole shebang happens on December 6.

The Washington Square Park Christmas tree at night. The tree is underneath the Washington Square Park Arch. There is snow falling. It is night. There are city buildings in the background.

Tompkins Square Park

In the East Village, Tompkins Square Park will host its own tree lighting on December 10 as part of the larger holiday events in the neighborhood (including a light display along East 7th Street).

The Tompkins Square Park holiday tree in the evening. The tree is decorated with lights. EV Grieve

New York Stock Exchange

If ever you needed a reminder about the commercialization of Christmas, the tree at the New York Stock Exchange—which has made this a tradition for more than 90 years at this point—will suffice. It’s festooned with twinkly lights and complements the red-and-green color scheme on the NYSE building itself.

The New York Stock Exchange Christmas Tree. The tree is decorated with lights and sits across from the New York Stock Exchange building which is illuminated in red and green light. Getty Images