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Christmas Eve in NYC
FOX 5 NY's Kendall Green reports.
NEW YORK CITY - New Yorkers were out in droves celebrating the most wonderful time of the year.
Thousands of parishioners gathered for mass services all day at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral where they lit candles, said prayers, and sang honoring the birth of Jesus—ahead of a highly attended midnight mass.
For several New Yorkers, they spent the holiday with the people they love.
"For Christmas Eve we come to town, she went shopping, and then we just look at the lights," the father and daughter duo told FOX 5.
"The crowd, I love the crowd. That’s why I love being in New York," said Margerie Mills.
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It's the one time of year she spends as a dedicated honorary tour guide.
"I’ve been doing my duty here welcoming all of these foreigners taking their pictures for them, and I’m having a ball right now. I love it," she continued.
A growing family of three tells FOX 5 that their first Christmas Eve in the city blew out their expectations by a long shot.
"I didn’t expect there would be so much people here, but it is crazy," they shared.
Though most people packing city streets were just taking in the holiday festivities…some were on a mission to get that last-minute Christmas gift.
"The last Christmas gift and I still need one more so I’m looking. Why’d you wait so late, I don’t know. This year I did everything late but it's going to work out. Even better," the shopper said.