Here’s a jolly idea: Don’t avoid midtown this Christmas.
Buddy the Elf — the character from the 2003 hit film “Elf” once played by Will Ferrell — may have an in with the jolly guy at the North Pole, but he keeps coming back to the city to celebrate the holiday. Why, you ask?
“New York is a magical place at Christmastime . . . presents, cookies, singing Christmas carols, presents, being with the ones you love,” says Buddy, who kicked off his “Elf the Musical” stage run at Madison Square Garden Wednesday. “Oh, and my dad lives here.”
Streets flooded with tourists, MTA delays and endless rows of street hawkers are no match for Buddy, who says nothing can beat spending a holiday spirit-filled day in his favorite city.
Before taking to the stage to relive the journey he took to find his dad more than a decade ago, the elf himself shared a list of eight must-dos for anyone looking to shake away the Scrooge this season.
So, dare to take the subway ride to midtown with this checklist in tow.
“ELF the Musical’s” limited holiday run at The Theater at Madison Square Garden continues through Friday, Dec. 29. Erik Gratton (“Grimm”) plays the elf in the production. Visit msg.com for tickets ($39 to $130) and more info.
1. Find a revolving door (or escalator) in midtown and take a ride.
Just be sure to limit the number of rides — Christmas cheer won’t stop you from getting dizzy, Buddy warns.
2. Find the “world’s best cup of coffee.”
Be sure to congratulate the baristas on their “HUGE” achievement.
3. Down a plate of spaghetti in Little Italy.
Restaurants in Little Italy go heavy on the sauce and far too light on the syrup. “Don’t forget your own bottle,” Buddy suggests. For a true Buddy the Elf experience, there’s no avoiding this one.
4. Stop by the North Pole (not the real one) at Macy’s.
What’s Christmas in the city without a trip to see Santa at Macy’s Herald Square? “Don’t forget to belt out a Christmas carol because remember, the best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”
5. See how many flyers you can pick up in Times Square.
Stop going out of your way to avoid street hawkers and try to beat Buddy’s personal best of 107 flyers. Bonus points if they create a “beautiful rainbow of colors.”
6. Take in the sights at the Empire State Building.
You just might spot Buddy and his dad Walter (or Will Ferrell and James Caan) leaving Greenway Press.
7. Eat some sweets at Magnolia Bakery . . .
Or just eat a roll of cookie dough as fast as you can. Calories don’t count, according to Buddy’s personal nutrition chart. “Cookies are an important food group after all.”
8. Visit the tree at Rockefeller Center and the ice rink.
In case you needed some help locating the tree: “That’s the BIG one.”
