Holiday Spirit Glimmers as New York Endures Another Pandemic Christmas

Despite a surge in coronavirus cases that dashed plans for travel and celebrations, New Yorkers did what they could to salvage the season.

With their family Christmas celebration canceled for the second straight year, Robert Valley and Alexis Pagan sought some holiday cheer in Manhattan, inside the F.A.O. Schwarz toy store at Rockefeller Center.

There, with the famous Christmas tree towering over the bustling plaza outside, the specter of the pandemic seemed to fade a little.

“This is what we’ve got, this is what we’re holding on to,” Mr. Valley, 55, said through a mask emblazoned with the image of Santa Claus. “I said, ‘Let’s go see the tree, it will give us a little joy.’”