A Tale of Two Cities - who does Christmas better, London or New York?
- Theresa Downs
- Jan 15
- 3 min read
Okay, we know both cities are well known for their fabulousness at Christmas. A recent trip to both cities proved that beyond a shadow of a doubt. But who wins the grand prize for overall greatness? Let's take a look.
Europe has always gotten the jump on the States when it comes to Christmas. Way, way before we're even thinking about where we put last year's decorations, European countries, particularly the UK, have their trees up, fully lit, and wreaths on the door (I'm talking about personal residences as well as commercial). So let's look at this fairly. London has been around a lot longer than New York and has had more time to practice – like 1,577 years more. So, London had a chance to hone their Christmas mojo before the States even thought about chopping down a tree and decorating it. London has had time to come up with new and interesting Christmas traditions, like crackers. If you don't know, crackers are these tube-like creations, usually wrapped in brightly colored paper and filled with silly jokes, prizes, and hats, that pull open by tugging on both ends, and bang. They've been enlivening boring Christmas dinners since 1840. But don't think about grabbing some and taking them home unless you fancy a run-in with TSA or Airport Security… crackers contain gunpowder for that bang!
But London is pretty homogeneous, steeped in tradition, and basically tweaking the same thing. On the other hand, nowhere in the world is there a human melting pot more than New York. It had a chance to borrow traditions from its Dutch, German, and English immigrants, developing its own unique traditions.
So, back to our contest. Limiting the judging solely to retail Christmas displays and Christmas markets, we chose Harrods and Fortnum & Mason for their spectacular window displays in London, and Macy's (who could pass up Macy's) and Lord & Taylor in New York to evaluate. Christmas markets were a little more difficult to find a fair comparison in London. Winter Wonderland park, maybe… we found that London's regular, permanent markets were more fun and festive. New York has a plethora of markets – Bryant Park, Union Square, and Herald Square. So we walked, gawked, and squawked our way through retail stores and markets in both London and New York. Take a look at what we discovered:
London Christmas Windows
New York Christmas Windows
Summarizing the windows:
London's windows are the bomb – between Harrods and Fortnum & Mason, we wanted to keep going back to them over and over. Just walking through London in December is a treat, since I think it must be the law to fully decorate every window, nook, and cranny for Christmas.
Between Bergdorf Goodman's window displays and Macy's over-the-top windows, it's very hard to decide who wins. How about London for tradition and detail, and New York for ingenuity and originality?
Christmas Markets:
London Chirstmas Markets
Pictures from Christmas markets - London
New York Christmas Markets
Summarizing The Christmas Markets
London's Christmas markets were a bit disappointing, except for Winter Wonderland. We found their permanent markets, such as Camden Market, much more extensive, fun, and festive.
Christmas Markets are where New York really shines. Between the three markets we visited, Herald Square, Union Square, and Bryant Park, we were totally enchanted. Booths displaying one-of-a-kind Christmas decorations to delectible edibles to nosh on while strolling along the various booths, they had something to offer everyone (even the Scrooge in your group). Nobody, not even Scrooge, would fail to get in the holiday spirit after a visit to one of the markets.
Conclusion
So, it's a draw. London has centuries of tradition, heritage, and an understated elegance. New York has a larger-than-life originality that makes it very appealing; both have something to offer everyone. So, look at the pictures, and decide. What do you think?
🍷 Stay tuned for more tasting tips, pairing advice, and travel-worthy wine experiences.
