The Radio City Rockettes perform the March of the Wooden Soldier at the Christmas Spectacular in Radio City Music Hall. Photo courtesy Bob Jagendorf.

There is so much to do in New York in December it’s hard to know where to begin with suggestions to make this holiday season the most special possible.

It theater is your thing, you should definitely not miss either the Radio City Music Hall’s Christmas Spectacular or the Nutcracker.

The Spectacular features the beloved Rockettes, a phenomenon at the Music Hall since 1932. In the unlikely event that you are not familiar with the Rockettes, they are a dance troupe most famous for their line kicks, which are almost otherworldly in their synchronicity. This show is a cant miss as far as making the family squeal with delight.

If classic dance is more your speed then The Nutcracker is the show to see. There are a number of shows in the metropolitan area, but probably the most classic would be the incredible 1954 production choreographed by George Balanchine and performed by the full New York City Ballet Company and two casts of School of American Ballet students.

Other versions of the Nutcracker abound. There is a hip-hop version in which rapper Kurtis Blow MC’s the action, which includes digital projections and a score with a contemporary beat. The show takes place at Prudential Hall at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

If you hurry you can still catch the State Ballet Theater of Russia’s version of  Tchaikovsky holiday classic. On Friday, December 15 the one and only New York performance will take place at the Schimmel Center at Pace University at 3 Spruce Street in Manhattan.

No matter what you choose to do this holiday season, you can’t go wrong in New York City.