Checking out the bright lights of New York

No one quite does Christmas like New York, with a wonderful festive feel and some cracking bargains to boot, writes Vickie Maye. 

Blame Elf. Home Alone 2. When Harry Met Sally. Miracle on 34th Street (both versions). All of them made me fall in love with New York, and more particularly Christmas in New York.

I had been to the city before. It had bookmarked my J1 summer in the States, one of the best of my life. I visited years later one May for work, on a story that would ultimately lead to me meeting my husband.