NEW YORK (AP) — The challenge of photographing Christmastime in New York is that there is so much of it.
The big tree in Rockefeller Center. Ice skating in Central Park. The Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall. All those lavish, holiday-themed department store window displays.
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Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree into her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Andrew Leitz carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to his apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Olive TuPartie performs in Santa's Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Keaton Miller performs in Santa's Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, crosses Seventh Avenue while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, fist bumps a construction worker while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Janice Annunziata smiles at Catarina, 4, while taking part in the West Village Chorale's 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
John Herzfeld, left, leads a group of carolers during the West Village Chorale's 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers arrive for SantaCon via subway, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A reveller takes part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Nora and Rose Caldwell take photos with Santa outside of Rockefeller Center, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The Radio City Rockettes perform the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers dance during the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Katarina Cannata laughs while filming a video in front of Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People window shop in Bryant Park's Winter Village, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People depart Radio City Music Hall after a performance of Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People look at a Bergdorf Goodman window display on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Vlera Islami photographs the flagship Louis Vuitton building on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People visit Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Topview's North Pole Express bus moves along Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Su and Mo Kyi take a selfie in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Snow falls during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kelly Clarkson reacts to snow during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People skate at Central Park's Wollman Rink, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
This is the iconic New York tourists come to see. Visitors know it well from movies and television.
But millions of New Yorkers experience these remarkable sights in a different way. For them, this is home. Those department stores might be where they shop for presents. That famous rink might be where they take their kid to skate after school.
Over several weeks, Associated Press photographer Julia Nikhinson found ways to document both the familiar and unfamiliar sides of the holiday season in the city.
She found storybook images, like neighborhood carolers and an urban garden ablaze with light, while also capturing the city's weirder side, including a holiday-themed burlesque show, a guy who roams the city impersonating a Christmas tree and an invasion of hard-drinking Santas.
And she photographed some of the ways a New York Christmas is different, like carrying a tree home under your arm after work because you don't own a car.
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree into her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kiwha Lee, a visual artist from New York, carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to her apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Andrew Leitz carries a Christmas tree from the SoHo Trees tree stand to his apartment building, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Olive TuPartie performs in Santa's Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Keaton Miller performs in Santa's Secret, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, crosses Seventh Avenue while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Tommy Liberto, known as Mr. Christmas Tree, fist bumps a construction worker while visiting New York for the tenth year from Bel Air, Md., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Janice Annunziata smiles at Catarina, 4, while taking part in the West Village Chorale's 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
John Herzfeld, left, leads a group of carolers during the West Village Chorale's 50th annual Greenwich Village caroling walk, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers arrive for SantaCon via subway, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
A reveller takes part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Revellers take part in SantaCon, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Nora and Rose Caldwell take photos with Santa outside of Rockefeller Center, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People watch the Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
The Radio City Rockettes perform the Parade of the Wooden Soldiers dance during the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Katarina Cannata laughs while filming a video in front of Radio City Music Hall on Sixth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People window shop in Bryant Park's Winter Village, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People depart Radio City Music Hall after a performance of Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People look at a Bergdorf Goodman window display on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Vlera Islami photographs the flagship Louis Vuitton building on Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People visit Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Topview's North Pole Express bus moves along Fifth Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People arrive for the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Su and Mo Kyi take a selfie in front of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, Friday, Dec. 13, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Snow falls during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Kelly Clarkson reacts to snow during the 92nd annual Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting ceremony, Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
People skate at Central Park's Wollman Rink, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
