When I was a little girl my grandparents took me into “The City,” better known as Manhattan, during the wintertime to see all of the tourism hotspots. This included the display windows at Saks Fifth Avenue, the big Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center, even those warm roasted peanuts from the street vendors. They all made up that warm and wonderful feeling during the holiday season, but none brought as much excitement for me as did the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City. I was fascinated by the Rockettes, and the magic that seemed to loom within the show.
While performances don’t begin until November 5th, the Rockettes and everyone at Radio City decided to give us a little holiday joy in August. When I arrived at the event, one of my favorite things in the world was awaiting me: cupcakes, specifically Magnolia Bakery cupcakes. There was a table filled with goodies to build my own cupcakes, which was a ton of fun and a delicious treat.
Shortly afterward, I went on a V.I.P. tour of the backstage area , and you could really feel the history there. The maze that is Radio City is filled with framed posters and memorabilia of famous performers, as well fantastic costume rooms. After the tour, I went to take a photograph with a couple of the Rockettes beside the Christmas tree, had a lovely lunch whilst wearing my Santa hat, and for the first time in my life- actually won a raffle. I got to go home with a hardcover copy about the history of the Christmas Spectacular, which was really exciting and is now a featured fixture on my coffee table.
I don’t care what season it is, I can’t wait for Christmas, and in particular, to go see the Christmas Spectacular again as an adult exploring my inner child. I did get a small fix as the crowds gathered on Sixth Avenue in front of Radio City for “Kicking Across America,” where Santa and the Rockettes visited their fans, and had us all excited for the show’s opening. Is it November 5th yet?
Vera Sweeney is a mom of two beautiful children and the founder of 
