I have a confession to make: I’ve never been much of a “Christmas person.”
Some people spend their whole year looking forward to December. They pick out gifts in the summer, cling to traditions and believe in Christmas magic – even Christmas miracles.
I’m not one of those people. If anything, the Christmas season has been an ironic backdrop for my annual depression flare-up. For years, I’ve found it difficult to muster the appropriate amount of cheer for the holiday season.
That is until I moved to New York City.
Somewhere between the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the first snowfall in Central Park, I warmed up to the yuletide season. Even as I sat to write this column, snow started falling outside in beautiful, silent flakes. I might not have been a “Christmas person” before this, but living in New York has made me into one.
Moving to New York makes me a cliché, but I love it
The first Christmas here was tough.
In 2023, I packed up my life in North Carolina and moved to New York on a whim. I know it’s cliché – the small-town writer moves to a big city, the big city, to pursue a career in media. I’m not original; I just needed to try it.
When I first arrived, I had no job or idea what I was doing. As I tried to regain my footing, time moved around me. By December, I barely had money for gifts and didn’t know how long I had left in New York.
On one evening trip to Manhattan, I stumbled upon the Macy’s on 34th Street. As I admired the wreaths on the windows and queued up some holiday songs on my phone, I realized just how much I wanted to stay. The city is expensive and unforgiving; it’s also where I wanted to make a home for myself while I was young enough to do so.
Opinion: Yes, I believe in Santa Claus. He’s more kind than the other guy with a red hat.
New York transforms for Christmas. It’s nothing short of magical.
A year later, I found myself in line for Mariah Carey’s holiday concert at Barclays Center. Fans were decked out in sequins and holiday sweaters, giddy to see the queen of Christmas herself. As we weaved through the line, I realized how much I was starting to enjoy the holidays here.
Part of this has come with stability. I have a full-time job and a lease on an apartment. I’ve made new friends and reconnected with old ones. My cats, Percy and Finn, are finally with me.
A big part of it, however, is New York itself.
There are glittery window shops lining 5th Avenue. There’s a tree atop the Radio City Music Hall marquee and a giant wreath at the entrance of our office. Shopping bags and wrapped gifts fill the hands of subway riders. The barista at my favorite coffee shop plays Ella Fitzgerald and every bar and restaurant I’ve been to in the past month is decorated with garlands and bows.
The city transforms during the holidays in a way that feels nothing short of magical, even to a Grinch like me. It feels impossible to be miserable when everything is so pretty.
Opinion: New York Mayor Adams turns to an unlikely ally to dodge his indictment – Trump
A different look to the magic of Christmas
Somewhere between the parties and holiday shopping, I discovered that growing up doesn’t mean losing the magic of Christmas. It just means the magic looks different.
What has made this Christmas and holiday season spectacular are the people I’ve gotten to celebrate it with. My parents have spent the last two Thanksgivings in New York City, which has been the best way to start the holidays. This year, my aunt and uncle visited during the first snowfall. I’ve celebrated with coworkers, friends and complete strangers. I feel like I’ve finally reached a place where I can enjoy the holidays.
That isn’t to say that my seasonal depression is cured. The days are short, the air is frigid and there will always be reasons to be sad.
It just so happens that there are always reasons to be happy, too. And at Christmas, those reasons are on full display in New York City for everyone to enjoy.
Follow USA TODAY elections columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Christmas in New York helped me find the holiday spirit | Opinion