And finally, behind door number twenty-five… sleep!

I don’t know about you, but sleep is something I’ve gotten very little of this December (as usual). So come December 25, I will be sleeping the sleep of the righteous. Baby Jesus is finally born and asleep in his manger, the bright lights of Hanukkah have burned low, and I am curled up sound asleep in my bed, while visions of sugar plums dance in my head.

And so concludes our little holiday countdown–hope you’ve enjoyed it. We at Metblogs NYC wish you and yours the happiest of holidays.

Good night.

For all posts in this series, click here.

And behind the penultimate door of this virtual advent calendar… therapy!

It’s long been said that New York is a city where everyone’s in therapy. And although terms like “analyst” and “psychoanalysis” have been largely replaced with words like “therapist” and “talk therapy,” it’s still true that many many people here sit down on a couch once a week (or more) and indulge in a fifty-minute hour with someone who holds a degree in…something.

And while the debate as to whether New York causes people to need therapy or rather attracts people who would need it in the first place rages on, the fact is that any therapist will tell you that their busiest season is this, the holiday season–specifically the week between Christmas and New Year’s.

So when you sit down on that couch this week to unload, fear not–you’re not alone! And if you’re not yet a member of the club, you just might find that there’s no time like the holidays to join up.

For all posts in this series, click here.

Door number twenty-three reveals… the anti-resolution!

Inevitably, thoughts of New Year’s Eve turn to that other New Year’s “tradition”: the New Year’s Resolution. Does anyone here still do this? I’ve noticed that, in my circles at least, the big New Year’s Resolution has become more of an anti-resolution: “I resolve not to resolve.” It’s not so much due to the fact that everyone thinks they’re beyond improvement, but really quite the opposite. It’s more like, “Well, I’m an imperfect work in progress every day of the year. I accept and embrace that, and it’s not going to change whether I make some silly resolution or not.”

So is this attitude a New York thing? And urban thing? Or just the norm these days? Outside of NYC, I know plenty of people that still claim to make a New Year’s resolution or two each year…

For all posts in this series, click here.

Behind door number twenty-two… a midnight run in Central Park!

Speaking of New Year’s Eve planning, one of my favorite uniquely New York traditions is the annual Midnight Run in Central Park. To me, that’s a hell of a lot more in line with my whole New York experience than the Times Square bedlam will ever be. Central Park, fellow runners, fireworks, plus a DJ, a costume contest, and champagne. What could be more New York that that? And the fact that it sells out every year indicates that lots of people feel the same.

[image from here]

For all the posts in this series, click here.

And behind door number twenty-one… New Year’s Eve planning!

Really, is there any other night of the year that is even remotely as hyped? Valentine’s Day shares with it the proliferation of exorbitantly priced, mediocre dining and dancing/partying experiences, but still, it doesn’t even approach the wide reach and fever pitch associated with New Year’s Eve plans and expectations.

We know that New Yorkers avoid the Times Square hootenanny like the plague, but outside of that, the options here are (like with everything else) seemingly endless. Some people opt for the big, lavish night out with the masses at clubs and restaurants. Others attend swank private parties. And still others spend a chill evening in with close friends and/or family.

But no matter your plans, one thing is guaranteed: it’s something you’ve already spent a good deal of time thinking and talking about. Or will be soon.

For all the posts in this series, click here.

Door number twenty conceals… Free Metrocards!

That’s right, folks. It’s gridlock alert time! And to deal with this annual tradition, the MTA has created a holiday tradition of their own: handing out free Metrocards to people who park at Shea Stadium and take public transit into Manhattan.

Not sure how effective this is, but I’m definitely all for creative solutions to our seasonal traffic nightmares.

Click here for all of the posts in this series.

And behind door number eighteen… Santacon!

Hundreds of Santas overtaking the streets and marching from the Lower East Side to Central Park. Another in-your-face, over-the-top New York holiday tradition.

And I bet this year they were hot as hell!

Pics on Flickr here.

[image by dogseat, from here]

Previous posts in this series:

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10,
Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17, Day 18

Behind door number seventeen we have… holiday tips!

New York goes tip crazy this time of year. Sure, holiday tips are the norm all over the place, but nowhere is it quite like here, where everyone from your super to your regular delivery guy to the entire staff of your office building (and everyone in between) seems to have their hand out and that extra little twinkle in their eye.

Not that it should be that way, mind you. We live in a service economy (though the service is often abysmal, but that’s a post for another time) and those services frequently come with understood prices. But if you’re new to the city and this is your first holiday season here, chances are you didn’t budget for the extent to which you’d be expected to pony up.

Thank g for all the online tipping guides that pop up this time of year. Oh wait, they all say pretty different things…

Just don’t be a Scrooge, and you’ll probably be ok.

Previous posts in this series:

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10,
Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16, Day 17

Prying open door number seventeen reveals… holiday vacations!

If you work one of those, you know, job-things that doesn’t allow for holiday breaks, you might just want to skip this entry altogether. But as far as I’m concerned, the holidays just aren’t the holidays without a nice break from work! And luckily, I’ve always worked jobs that shut down for a winter break of sorts, which is perfect.

So pretty much from now until mid-January, the bulk of my water-cooler chat will revolve around trips, travels, vacations, and the like. Whether it’s tales of trips to come or accounts of trips just taken, holiday vacations are definitely a major topic of conversation around these here parts this time of year.

Previous posts in this series:

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10,
Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15, Day 16

Door number sixteen conceals… the lights of Dyker Heights!

Another weird, completely over-the-top NYC tradition. And what could be better to check out on this, the last weekend before the holidays, in between shopping and all of the parties that have inevitably been scheduled for the next 48 hours.

Check out this website for a great overview, but you really must see it in person to get the full effect.

Previous posts in this series:

Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10,
Day 11, Day 12, Day 13, Day 14, Day 15