New York is exciting, passionate, straightforward and at the same time it’s friendly. When you come here you either love it or hate it. New York is a melting pot more then any other place in the USA. It’s a city where people come from all over the world to make their dreams come true. It’s really a universe in itself, with its own celebrities, numerous writers, fashion designers, upcoming new artists. All together these people create a unique social environment which makes New York so special.

Several things can characterise New York Lifestyle. Firstly, it’s about being New or trendy, therefore ‘the next big thing’ is always in high demand before it picks up.Secondly, rushy New Yorkers lacks time for daily tasks, but everything they have no time to do can be done by service providers. It is a very convenient place to live where you can get anything you want 24 hours a day delivered to your doorstep.

New York is the city which never sleeps, so the most
dynamic nightlife is here. Clubbing scene keeps changing as the public gets bored and new spots emerge. Dining and wining is another part of New York cult. Eating out in New York is a special event, a form of entertainment. You may relay on Zagat Survey to pick a restaurant for the next outing. Takeouts and door-to-door delivery are provided by nearly every place – form the cheapest fast food to a high-class restaurant.

New York is one of the cultural capitals of the world. Music is a vital part of the city’s culture. Great variety of venues provide live music options any night of the week. You can Rock New York, enjoy the

Visual Arts exhibited in the number of major art museums (25) and independent art galleries (about 600). The highlights can be seen in immensely popular Museum of Modern Art. City’s museum’s classics are presented in Metropolitan Museum of Art, in the Solomon R Guggenheim Museum and in the American Folk Art Museum. You can get familiar with movie making and productions in American Museum of the Moving Image and Museum of Television&Radio.

American Santa Claus became nearly Universal image, known as a kind old man presenting toys to children. Santa generates love, care, mystery and miracle, reward obedience. Being a character of an American folklore he became widely accepted as real. 

During the Christmas time people make donations for charity, presenting gifts, greetings, decorate Christmas trees and houses. Christmas celebration unify members of society, emphasize connection between church and family.    

In Newfoundland Christmas is celebrated with wide hospitality and generosity, food and drinks are consumed in a large quantities. Brews of beer are prepared in advance before the Christmas season starts. During the holidays women make lots of cookies and fruit cakes, open jars of preserved moose, jams and vegetables. In a rural areas a cow or a pig is usually slaughtered in order to feed numerous visitors. During the Christmas Day  family host guests, visit relatives, friends and neighbours. 

Mumming is a unique Newfoundland cultural tradition and is an inalienable part of Christmas common strolls. Dressing usually in torn dresses, bettered hats, hip boots and other obsolete or strange materials men try to appear as women and women dress up as men. Mummers also have to cover their faces so that others wouldn’t recognise them. 

In late evening mummers move from one house to another in small groups. They enter houses without knocking or invitation, they behave quite loud, moving fast around the house half-dancing (the mummers walk), frequently mummers bring musical instruments with them so they may start playing music and dance with the hosts or with each other. While making jokes about the family they are trying to speak in a manner that hosts would not guess who are they. 

When households identified who is the Mummer, he should ‘strip’ -  remove his/her mask.  Not to do so is considered as an abuse to the hosts. If the hosts cant guess who is behind the mask they may try to remove it by force. If the person behind the mask was not identified usually he or she should leave without accepting food or drink. Once identified Mummer revile the mask and return to his normal behavior. 

Source of reference: 

The Folklore of World Holidays / Margaret Read MacDonald// Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research ,1991 P.604-605

Where: Minskoff Theater at 200 W. 45th St. New York

Driving directions : View google map

Find tickets on FestiveSearch Tickets

when: 26 September – 12 October 

where: Ziegfeld Theatre 

New York film Festival  is the most famous and prestigious Film Festival in the United States supported by film society of Lincoln Center.

Oktoberfest was established in 1810, with the marriage of King Ludwig I of Bavaria and his bride, Princess Theresia. The king invited the public to attend his wedding, which was unusual. Since then the marriage has been celebrated every year in Bavaria.

And now it is celebrated all around the western world including NYC.

Where: on Lexington Avenue from 42nd – 57th Street

When: October 5, 2008