lifestyle
The holiday season in Hoboken and Jersey City is the best time of year. From holiday pop-ups and markets to festive decorations, Christmas shows, and more, there are endless things to do and enjoy locally each year. To help plan your December, this 25-day guide will give readers day-by-day opportunities to get into the holiday spirit starting December 1st. Keep reading to learn what readers can do every day to make the most out of this holiday season in Hoboken and Jersey City with our 25 Days of Holiday Cheer Guide to Hoboken + Jersey City for 2024.
December 1
Vote for your favorite local businesses in Hoboken + Jersey City. You can do so here.
December 2
Donate food to those who might need it this holiday season at any of these grateful donation locations.
December 3
Attend the Christmas tree lighting at Leo’s Grandevous, located at 200 Grand Street in Hoboken.
Read More: Where to Bring Visitors for the Holidays in The Hudson County Area
December 4
Pick out the perfect Christmas tree at one of these locations across New Jersey and New York — including cut-your-own-farms. See our guides to real trees here. If you want to bring your furry friend along, a guide to dog-friendly tree farms can be found here.
December 5
Visit a holiday light display in Northern New Jersey and surrounding areas — we have a list here.
December 6
Watch the beloved Christmas show by Nimbus Dance, Jersey City Nutcracker. Tickets can be purchased here for the performance.
December 7
Browse local crafters, vendors, food trucks, and more at the Hoboken Holiday Market on Jackson Street from 11AM-5PM. Riverview Park in Jersey City will be turning into a holiday wonderland at the Heights Holiday Market from 10AM to 4PM.
December 8
Shop local vendors at the first Main Street Pops holiday market of the season from 11AM-4PM under the viaduct in Hoboken.
December 9
Make memories with loved ones and have your picture taken with Santa. Take a look at a guide on where to visit Santa here.
December 10
Enjoy an evening of holiday cocktails + bites from local businesses at Beyond the Plate Food Tours‘ Holly Jolly Cocktail Crawl in downtown Jersey City. Tickets can be bought here.
December 11
Attend Hoboken’s annual Christmas tree lighting at 5PM at 11th and Washington Streets, complete with entertainment, Santa, and local businesses.
December 12
Pick up a delicious holiday treat from one of the many bakeries in Hoboken + Jersey City.
December 13
Head to Cellar 335’s annual Sleighs N Leighs holiday pop-up. There will be food specials, festive decorations, and a holiday-inspired cocktail menu. Make a reservation here.
December 14
Visit the HDSID Holiday Market at the Grove Street PATH Plaza and The Ashford rooftop. There will be holiday music, food vendors, and unique gifts from local artisans.
December 15
See the Mile Square Theatre’s performance of The Christmas Show Must Go On, a family-friendly show. Tickets can be purchased here.
December 16
Hop on the PATH train and feast your eyes on the iconic Rockefeller Christmas tree in all of its glory. While in New York City, there’s a Hanukkah pop-up, Maccabee Bar created by two Hoboken residents to visit.
December 17
Take photos with the festive decorations by Exchange Place in Jersey City.
December 18
Go on a local hot chocolate crawl — here is a list of some of our favorite spots for cocoa in Hoboken + Jersey City.
December 19
Attend the Franklin Social’s Miracle on Mercer experience. Think decked halls, holiday-themed cocktails served in playful mugs, visits from Santa, and more. It’s open seven days a week.
December 20
Shop locally for holiday gifts. Check out some of our favorite places to shop locally in Hoboken and Jersey City.
December 21
Go outdoor ice skating at Newport Skates in Jersey City, or at one of the other ice skating rinks in Northern New Jersey and NYC found here.
December 22
Gather a group and do a holiday activity together — here’s a list of fun interactive ones locally.
See More: The Montclair Girl’s Holiday Shopping Deals Guide 2024
December 23
Donate a toy or holiday gift to the various toy drives around Hudson County. Full list here.
December 24
Peep all the windows of Hoboken and Jersey City’s holiday-themed decor. As we know, our cities definitely come to play when it comes to next-level decor.
December 25
Reflect on a holiday season well-spent. And share your pics with us @thehobokengirl on Instagram!
It’s no secret that Hudson County is always welcoming new businesses — from restaurants and bars to skincare studios and workout spots, there is always something new and exciting to check out in our area of New Jersey. It’s time to add four more spots to your list, because there is a new food spot opening in Jersey City, another opening in Weehawken, another opening in Hoboken, as well as one more that’s already open in Chilltown. Read on for what we know about each of these new Hudson County businesses — Prime Omakase and Hashi Market in Jersey City, DRIFT Restaurant + Bar in Weehawken, and Apollo Bagels in Hoboken, New Jersey.
Prime Omakase | 111 Montgomery Street 2nd Floor, Jersey City
Prime Omakase comes to us from the same team as East Hana JC — a Japanese restaurant located at 103 Montgomery Street. This new omakase and sushi restaurant is located right across the road at 111 Montgomery Street, on the second floor of Liberty Prime Steakhouse.
Read More: 7 New Food Spots in Jersey City’s Bergen-Lafayette Neighborhood
The restaurant describes itself as “the best omakase experience in Jersey City,” per the website. As for the menu, there is a selection of authentic Japanese sushi sets and appetizers, nigiri, hand rolls, and sushi rolls, as well as a variety of sake and Japanese whiskey. The 12-course omakase experience can be enjoyed at the sushi bar counter (for $100) or at a regular table (for $90), and includes soup, a sashimi appetizer, a seared course, an eight-piece daily nigiri, and a chef’s hand roll.
Prime Omakase is open Monday through Thursday from 5PM-10PM, Friday + Saturday from 12PM-11PM, and Sunday from 12PM-11PM. Those interested in hosting an event here can email [email protected].
Hashi Market | 75 Park Lane South, Jersey City
Hashi Market, a NYC-based Japanese-style supermarket, is crossing the Hudson River to open up its first New Jersey outpost soon. The new market will be located at 75 Park Lane South inside the Park + Shore Development and signage has already been erected in the windows, per Jersey Digs. The market’s other location is situated at 363 Greenwich Street in New York City, with two other locations coming soon to 93 University Place and 330 5th Avenue.
Hashi Market has a wide selection of Japanese food and includes three components: a fresh food supermarket, a mini department store, and catering services, per the website. Some of the items Jersey City locals can expect from this new spot include Japanese cuisine like sushi, fruits + vegetables, and international snacks and drinks. HG has reached out to the market and will update this post with any additional comments.
DRIFT Restaurant + Bar | 1200 Harbor Boulevard, Weehawken
Photo Credit: Vanessa Deleon Design + Zilkz Studio
DRIFT Restaurant + Bar will soon be the latest addition to the Lincoln Harbor area of Weehawken — which we first reported on in January 2024. Formerly occupied by Houlihan’s, the 17,000-square-foot space has been vacant since 2019, per Jersey Digs. DRIFT is the latest venture from restauranteur Jeremy Casilli, who also owns Hudson + Co at 3 Second Street in Jersey City, Pier 115 at 115 River Road in Edgewater, as well as two New York restaurants.
While the renderings of the mid-century modern interior that include olive trees alongside emerald green, gold, and brown decor are stunning in themselves, a unique component of this new restaurant and bar will be a rotating dining platform that completes a full rotation each hour — giving diners views of the NYC skyline. There will also be a 4,000-square-foot outdoor terrace with a retractable pergola.
Photo Credit: Vanessa Deleon Design + Zilkz Studio
As for the menu, the DRIFT team shared with The Hoboken Girl that it will focus on modern American cuisine with global influences and an emphasis on seafood, crafted by Executive Chef Bryan Noury. Some of the food options will include small plates, sushi + hand rolls, a raw bar, line-caught fish, steaks, flatbreads, and much more.
DRIFT will officially open in Weehawken on Wednesday, November 13th, per the restaurant’s Instagram. Reservations can be made here via OpenTable.
Apollo Bagels | Hoboken
Rumors have been swirling that NYC-based Apollo Bagels is making its New Jersey debut in the Mile Square. HG reached out to the Apollo team, and while a location is still being kept under wraps at this time, the team shared that they will provide more information as it becomes available. The bagel shop is known for its plain, everything, and sesame bagels, as well as bagel sandwiches, smoked salmon, whitefish, and other spreads.
See More: Artazu, New Bakery + Coffee Shop, Opens in Montclair
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