Get Christmas Started Early in Downtown Manhattan: Shops, Tree Lightings, Events

SOHO, NY — One of the best parts of the holiday season in the city is the fragrant smell of fresh fir trees wafting on and around street corners.

In addition to the pop-up shops in the neighborhood, there are stores like SoHo Trees. SoHo Trees offers five types of Christmas trees — Fraser, Noble, Canadian Balsam, Grand Fir and Nordmann Fir — in addition to wreaths, garlands and decorations. The "flagship store" located at Sixth Ave. and Spring St. is under construction per Time Out New York, but other nearby locations in Tribeca and the West Village can fulfill your needs — and there is always home delivery.

Greg's Trees, which has been selling trees in the city for more than 30 years, will set up a stand outside of the Essex Street Market at 120 Essex Street on the Lower East Side. Santa Claus will also pay the market a visit from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3.

Touting itself as the largest year-round Christmas shop in the city, Christmas in Little Italy is located at 133 Mulberry St., and according to the website is 13,000 square feet on the street level and their "gift selection there is simply unmatched." When you tire of the shopping, have a pastry or gelato at Mrs. Claus' Cafe, located at the store.

In the Financial District, starting on Tuesday, Dec. 6, Holiday Sounds in Zuccotti Park kicks off with the Mistletones, an a cappella quartet, performing from 12:30 to 1:15 p.m. Every Tuesday and Thursday in December, a different group will perform at the park at Broadway and Liberty St.

"Unsilent Night" offers a different type of sensory holiday experience. Composer Phil Kline will lead a chorus of boomboxes from the West Village to the East Village, according to its website. On Sunday, Dec. 18 at 5:45 p.m., people will gather at the arch in Washington Square Park and traverse to Tompkins Square Park.

Also at the Washington Square Park, the annual lighting ceremony of the 45-foot tree will take place at 6 p.m. under the arch on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

Image via shutterstock