Christmas is synonymous with New York City for many, largely in part due to classic holiday films, such as “Home Alone 2,” “Elf” and “Miracle on 34th Street.”

But the holiday’s roots in New York go much deeper, according to Jeff Dobbins, a historical tour guide with the Bowery Boys. 

From the jingles to the shopping trends — and even Santa Claus himself — the traditions so well-known to many can be traced back to New York.

In 1809, Washington Irving, one of the first well-known American authors and native New Yorker, wrote about St. Nicholas riding over rooftops, distributing gifts, Dobbins said. He also took the Dutch name Sinterklaas and Americanized it to Santa Claus.

“The American Santa Claus is really a native New Yorker,” Dobbins said.

The poet Clement Clarke Moore, who lived in Chelsea, is also credited with the details of Santa’s visit from a poem he wrote in 1823 called “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” In it, he writes about eight reindeer and their names, and Santa diving down the chimney, Dobbins said. 

Another New Yorker, Thomas Nast, a cartoonist, is credited with the appearance that we associate with Santa Claus from a drawing he made for Harper’s Weekly in 1863.

“It was such a big hit, that illustration, that over decades, he continued to draw Santa as this big jolly guy, with a fire outfit, his home at the North Pole,” Dobbins said. “All of this contributed to the Santa that we know and love today, all embedded right here in New York.”

Even the Christmas tree has its roots in New York, Dobbins said. In the late 19th century, the city had a large German population and brought with them their tradition of the Christmas tree.

“It was a hit almost immediately,” he said. “Really quickly, New Yorkers were like, ‘That's for me.’”

The department stores of early New York also had a hand in shaping the Christmas shopping trends we still see today, like extended hours and decked-out displays. Dobbins said department stores would sometimes make 35% of their profits for the whole year during Christmas.

“The department stores started to realize that Christmas was a very lucrative opportunity,” Dobbins said.

The Macy’s department store on 34th Street holds an iconic role when it comes to Christmas in New York City, not only because of the movies or the annual parade, but also because of its continuing window displays.

Manny Urquizo has been designing the Macy's windows at 34th Street for two years.

“It's something that New Yorkers and visitors look forward to seeing,” said Urquizo, who is the national director for windows and storewide campaigns for Macy’s. “I would’ve never thought that I’d be doing this and it’s great, it’s an honor to carry on the tradition.

The Christmas business is still booming in the city today. Restaurants like Rolfe’s and Oscar Wilde, which are decked out in holiday decor, are some of the hardest spots to get into during this time.

This holiday is “extremely important” to the restaurant industry, said Luis Martinez, general manager for Oscar Wilde. Restaurant profits during the holiday season tend to be highest than the rest of the year.

“We go above and beyond to make sure that we have that Christmas sense of spirit going into the restaurant,” Martinez said.

It’s something that customers looking for a classic Christmas evening can appreciate.

With this being the first holiday season in the city with virtually all pandemic restrictions lifted, that holiday spirit of coming together was something Urquizo wanted to emphasize in this year’s Macy’s display.

“The windows are based on family traditions, so each window, it's about feeling the feeling of togetherness,” Urquizo said.

Most of the city’s holiday displays will be up until the first week of January, and the Macy’s display will be up until Jan. 1.