All Weekend
Where: Union Square
When: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., both Saturday and Sunday
Take care of your last-minute gift-buying in one fell swoop. With dozens of local vendors hawking their wares, you can make even your most hastily bought present appear carefully thought out.
► "The Jew as the Other,” an exhibition of contemporary art
Where: Abrazo Interno Gallery at the Clemente Soto Velez Cultural and Educational Center, 107 Suffolk St., Lower East Side
When: 3:30 to 7 p.m. daily through Dec. 30
More than 20 contemporary artists explore Jewish identity and its “other”-ness in this exhibition presented by Yiddish New York.
Where: 99 Gansevoort St., Meatpacking District
When: 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Whitney is closed on Christmas Day, but then open every day from Dec. 26 to Jan. 4, including New Year’s Day. (It’s usually closed on Tuesdays, but will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Dec. 29.) Buy tickets in advance to skip the admission line when you arrive.
Friday, Dec. 25
► Oran Etkin’s Timbalooloo, a family concert
Where: The Jewish Museum, Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, Upper East Side
When: 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Enjoy swing music with Oran Etkin and his five-member band. The concert is part of the museum’s Christmas Day programming, which also includes a drop-in art workshop, from 12:30 to 4 p.m., where families can experiment with paper sculptures, and the “Archeology Zone,” in which children can search for clues about ancient and modern objects. The concert is $20 per adult and $15 per child for non-members, and $17 per adult and $13 per child for members.
Where: In front of the Samuel F. B. Morse Statue at Central Park, 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue, Upper East Side
When: 2 p.m.
Walk “straight through the heart” of Central Park, from east to west, with guides who will point out the scenic, sculptural and architectural elements the park has to offer, including the Loeb Boathouse, Bethesda Terrace, the Bow Bridge, and Strawberry Fields.
► Family Concert: Klez for Kids
Where: Museum at Eldridge Street, 12 Eldridge St., Lower East Side
When: 11 a.m.
The annual kids concert will feature clarinetist Greg Wall and his band Klezmerfest, which will lead the audience through a musical tour of Eastern European Jewish culture. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and $8 for children 3 to 5 years old. The museum will also host building tours at 10 a.m., noon and 1 p.m.
Saturday, December 26
Where: African Burial Ground National Monument, 290 Broadway, Downtown
When: 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Join in this day of family friendly activities including spoken word and dance performances, craft workshops and talks about African heritage to celebrate the start of Kwanzaa.
Sunday, December 27
► Screening of “Tree Man” Documentary About Neighborhood Celebrity Tree Seller
Where: Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater, 2537 Broadway at West 95th Street, Upper West Side
When: 5 p.m.
The documentary by two Upper West Siders chronicles the story of a Quebecois tree seller who comes to the neighborhood every year to sell trees, sleeping in his van here before returning to his family when the season is over. The screening will include a Q&A with the filmmakers and the featured tree seller, Francois. Tickets are $14 for adults, $12 for seniors and students and $10 for members.
Where: Morgan Library and Museum at 225 Madison Ave., between East 36th and East 37th streets, Murray Hill
When: 1 to 3 p.m.
Nothing is better for post-holiday malaise than music, so catch some live jazz at the Morgan Library and Museum on Sunday.
These listings were compiled by DNAinfo's Manhattan reporters: Lisha Arino, Emily Frost, Noah Hurowitz, Danielle Tcholakian, Irene Plagianos and Shaye Weaver.
