Feature photo by jackx. Photo above by Manu Manu.

Twinkling lights on the mammoth tree at Rockefeller Center. Impossibly intricate displays in department store windows. Lively performances at Radio City Music Hall.

Such holiday traditions have made December in New York City magical for decades. This year, also consider some equally special but lesser-known winter activities:

Dance at the Matzo Ball.

Forget sitting at home with Chinese food and a movie on Christmas Eve. Mix and mingle with Jewish singles at the Matzo Ball, now in its 21st year. Couples and gentiles are welcome too. Buy tickets before December 25.

Run into the New Year.

Welcome 2009 with a four-mile run through Central Park. Enjoy music and dancing beforehand, as well as a costume parade and contest. As you run, marvel at the fireworks overhead. This year there will be a special companion race run by more than 200 service members stationed in Al Asad, Iraq. Register by December 25.

Skate on fake ice.

Add a modern twist to a holiday favorite: skate on synthetic ice at the Natural History Museum’s Polar Rink. This artificial surface was designed to allow an ice-skating blade to glide smoothly. Because it requires no refrigeration and is recyclable, it’s also environmentally friendly. Open until February 28.

Ride into the subway’s past.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority offers riders entree to an earlier era every Sunday in December, when the Nostalgia Train runs on the V line between Queens Plaza and Second Avenue on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.

Photo by Marcin Wichary.

See the Christmas Story at the Cloisters.

The Cloisters, perched on a hill overlooking the Hudson River, is a recreated castle that serves as the medieval branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It’s the perfect place to hear the seasonal music originally played in great European cathedrals.

On December 13 and 14, eight singers and five instrumentalists playing reproductions of medieval instruments will recount the events of Christmas. Tickets are available here.

Pick up unique last-minute gifts.

Located in the historic Brooklyn Masonic Temple, The Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, open every day, also offer unique merchandise from artists and designers.

Celebrate with zoo animals.

At the Wild Holiday Party at the Central Park Zoo, held every weekend in December, celebrate the holidays with polar bears and penguins. Watch as animals unwrap gifts their gifts–special treats such as fish and fruit, peanut butter and Cheerios.

Photo by Fantaz.

Take a bus tour of the holiday lights.

Roll past the crowds on an evening shuttle bus tour of the city’s spectacular holiday lights. Hop off to see the light show inside Grand Central, and cross the bridge to Brooklyn for sweeping Manhattan views.

Sing along with the Gay Men’s Chorus.

The critically acclaimed 200-man New York City Gay Men’s Chorus performs its annual Holiday Spectacular! at Carnegie Hall on Tuesday, December 9. They will dazzle you with a mix of classics and surprises.

Discover Little Italy.

As festive as Times Square or Fifth Avenue but with more manageable crowds, Little Italy is a must see during the holiday season. Not only are its streets draped with lights and decorations, but costumed carolers and weekly parades help spread the holiday cheer.

New York is thought to be the city where dreams come true and people put up with a lot to be there. There’s the congestion, the cockroaches and the high cost of living.

With eight million residents and steep real estate prices precluding most from home ownership, there’s also the frenzied and competitive apartment renting process. These tips should help get you in:

1. Consider subletting.

If you’re not familiar with the city and find the thought of both relocating and committing to an apartment too daunting, consider a transitional home. Maybe a friend’s roommate is moving to India for a few months, or browse the plethora of listings online.

You can be less discriminating when only committing for a month or two. Many sublets even come furnished.

Photo by ToastyKen

2. Find roommates.

We’d all love to have a spacious and well-located Manhattan apartment of our own, but this is unrealistic for most. In fact, it’s not uncommon for single 30- and 40-year-olds to still have roommates.

Although you may be able to find a tiny studio or one-bedroom in your price range, you’ll be able to afford a much nicer place with friends. Round up as many roommates as you can.

3. Set a budget

Compare your salary and monthly expenses to determine a target rent. Remember that things like utilities, gas and cable will be additional.

Most landlords require a combined annual income of forty times the monthly rent, so if you and two roommates each earn $40,000, look for apartments under $3,000 per month. (Also discuss how you might split rent if bedrooms are different sizes.)

4. Temper your expectations.

It’s rare to find a one-bedroom for less than $2,000 in coveted areas like the West Village or the Upper West Side. However, in northern Manhattan neighborhoods such as Washington Heights or Inwood, one-bedrooms may go for as low as $1,300.

Yes, $1,300 for a one-bedroom apartment is a bargain in New York City. Adjust your expectations accordingly.

Photo by sunshinecity

5. Decide what to sacrifice.

Without a trust fund or a six-figure salary, you’re likely going to have to make sacrifices. Deciding ahead of time what’s essential and what you can live without will expedite your search.

Some factors to weigh: neighborhood, proximity to subway, commute time, doorman, elevator, laundry, square footage, eat-in kitchen, central air, hardwood floors.

6. Explore new neighborhoods.

Treat neighborhoods like you did colleges: have reaches, good bets, and safeties. You probably already know your reaches. Good bets might be Harlem, the Queens neighborhoods of Astoria and Long Island City, or Greenpoint, Fort Greene and Williamsburg in Brooklyn.

Safety neighborhoods might be Brooklyn’s Red Hood and Bushwick. Check out this useful neighborhood guide. Then visit unfamiliar neighborhoods or take a virtual stroll courtesy of the “street view” option on Craigslist, the Mecca for NYC apartment listings. Check it often and inquire promptly.

Apartments are often rented the same day they’re listed. Although it’s an excellent resource, beware of scams. One of the most common involves an apartment listed far under market value. The owner is overseas and asks you to send money for the keys. Don’t.

9. Understand “Fee” vs. “No Fee.”

Apartments rented directly from the owner are usually called “no fee,” meaning anything you pay beyond a small application fee (which covers the cost of a credit check) is refundable or applied to your rent.

“Fee” apartment transactions are usually handled by brokers, who you pay a portion of the annual rent (usually 15%). Sometimes apartments advertised as “no fee” turn out to be “fee.” Clarify this before moving forward.

10. Exhaust all options.

In addition to Craigslist, check to see if your university has a housing bulletin board for alumni, and ask colleagues and friends about vacancies in their buildings. And don’t rule out “fee” apartments.

Working with a broker doesn’t cost you anything up front, and sometimes he or she has connections that can get you an apartment cheaper than you could on your own, even after the broker’s fee.

Photo by minusbaby

11. Prepare necessary documentation

Gather and make copies of your two most recent W2s, your last three paychecks, an employment letter from your boss stating your job title and salary, your driver’s license and recommendation letter from a previous landlord.

If you don’t have any of these things, or a good credit score, you may need a guarantor—someone (usually a parent) whose salary is at least 80 times the monthly rent and who can provide all the above documentation.

12. Search.

See as many places as you can, and bring along your paperwork and checkbook so you can act quickly if you find something good. Be the first person to show up to open houses and try to arrange private viewings as soon as you can.

Let yourself be picky (although not unrealistic) until two weeks before your desired move in date, but if
you still haven’t found something by then, make a few more sacrifices.

1. Turn Off the TV

Cancel your cable and Netflix memberships. Consider offering up your TV on Craigslist. Save some cash and use your extra time to finally read the complete works of John McPhee or organize a potluck to reconnect with old friends.

2. Head Overseas

If you’ve been itching to see the world, now is the time to cash in on your car or bid adieu to your pricey apartment. Earn your keep as an English teacher, or live off the government’s dime as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Live green, ride a bike. Photo by TimothyJ

3. Live green.

You’ve been meaning to go green since watching An Inconvenient Truth, but it just wasn’t, well, convenient before.

Stretch your salary and help the planet by riding your bike, setting up a carpool or working from home. Buy less bottled water and reuse the bottles you already have.

4. Learn to cook.

Instead of paying for take-out, take a cooking class. Perfect your
grandmother’s hearty signature dish for comfort when times get tough, but also learn to whip up a few new, healthier options.

5. Balance your budget.

Every month you tell yourself you’re going to track your expenditures, and now is the perfect time to actually start. Evaluate where you’re overspending and change your habits.

Put the money you save toward retirement or open a high-yield savings account reserved for emergencies.

Photo by lotusutol

6. Get a degree at a University abroad.

If you’re planning to go back to school, apply for a graduate program at a foreign university. Not only will getting your degree abroad offer you a chance to make global career contacts, the tuition is cheaper or — like the public universities in Argentina — free.

7. Volunteer.

When you start to worry about your financial outlook, volunteer. By spending time with an adopted “sibling” or helping build a home, you will not only reassess your own situation but also help someone in need.

Volunteer, head overseas, or both. Photo by Mira (on the wall)

8. Turn your passion into a paycheck.

Tutor a kid in Spanish, work part time as a bartender, sell you stuff on Esty.com, write for Matador!

How are YOU planning to weather the financial crisis? Share your tips in the comments below!