My reason for writing this week's article is to remind both you and myself that we can find peace and joy after finals week. I already know that all throughout the upcoming week, my anxiety level will easily score an eleven out of ten. Everyone is feeling the pressure especially hard this semester, and sometimes it's difficult to see a light at the end of the tunnel. However, there most certainly is one - especially if you live in New York City.
1. Visit Taste of Home's Gingerbread Boulevard in Madison Square Park
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Photo: Courtesy Taste of Home
Sponsored by Folgers, this year’s Gingerbread Boulevard will be on display from December 6th-18th. There, you can step inside a life-size gingerbread house!
2. Drink Hot Chocolate in a Max Brenner “Hugmug”
Photo: takemetofoodieheaven.com
I don’t know about you, but harsh winter winds make me crave hot chocolate. Over winter break, I’ll be dying to get my hands on one of these intriguing mugs at the Max Brenner chocolate bar.The “hugmug” is specifically designed so that the consumer must hold their hot chocolate in two hands - proven to be the comfiest way to enjoy a hot beverage. There are 8 speciality hot chocolates on the menu, all of them available in milk, dark, or white chocolate.
3. Shop at the Union Square Holiday Market
Photo: James and Karla Murray Photography
No New York holiday season is complete without visiting the Union Square Market at least once! We’ve all become so accustomed to gift-shopping online, but you never know what you’ll come across at a diverse marketplace such as this one.
4. Gaze at The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
Photo: STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images
Although it’s cliche, nothing quite fills a New Yorker with the holiday spirit like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree. Adorned with more than 50,000 multicolored LED lights, the tree stands at ninety-four feet tall, and is about ninety years old.
5. Go Ice Skating in Bryant Park
Photo: thepondatbryantpark.com
Even though I’m stressed right now, I know while ice skating at Bryant Park, the stress of final exams will seem a world away. The rink is 170' x 100', and admission is free - although renting ice skates is not!
