As the dark of January heads our way, I think back to the sparkle of the holiday season. In my adult life, I have lived many places and no matter where I was there was always a big difference between all of the holiday jolliness and gray, dark January. But, the difference in New York is like no other because as the temperature plummets the city gets ready for the holidays.

If you have never experienced the holiday season in New York City you are missing something. As the days get shorter, New York gets dressed in lights - they are everywhere. From the smallest lights in someone's apartment window to the grand public spaces like Rockefeller Plaza and Bryant Park they are everywhere you look. You would think that companies are competing with each other to see which can have the best display. Department stores also compete with their store windows decked out with holiday themes that they must work on all year long. And people come from all over to see and experience the holiday. But, don't the the crowds scare you away as they are part of the experience. One that keeps you warm in cold, dark January.