A White Christmas in New York City (if You Squint a Little)

It has been more than 680 days since Central Park was dusted with more than one inch of snow, the longest, un-snowiest stretch in New York City since snowfall records began here in 1869. It hasn’t snowed on Christmas in 14 years.

And yet, if you knew where to look for it, there was snow to be found this holiday.

It swirled on Mulberry Street inside scores of snow globes in a gift shop window. It fluttered near Union Square, shot from nozzle mounted on a building’s third floor. At Lincoln Center, 60 pounds of ersatz snow gently wafted atop still more snowflakes — well, dancers dressed like snowflakes — waltzing onstage.

In a season so far free of actual snow falling from the actual sky, New Yorkers did White Christmas as they do things best: their way.

At Paragon Sports, a shop near Union Square where skis and snowboards were stacked high, Zach Blank, the chief executive officer, took matters into his own hands. He had soapsuds sprayed from the building into the street last week.