Today is Christmas Eve—Heiligabend– the main event in Germany with afternoon cake, traditional food, presents and one of my favorite parts: my mum revealing her special surprise for the holidays. Always treating us to a concert, the ballet, or a cabaret.

Even though I’m not spending Christmas in Germany this year, I’m keeping that tradition alive with a classical concert at Carnegie Hall.

It’s as iconic as it gets. Tchaikovsky was the first to conduct here on opening night in 1891, and it’s still considered one of the best buildings for acoustics—a testament to it being built by a cellist. It was even almost torn down in the 1960s, only surviving because the legendary violinist Isaac Stern stepped in to save it.

Luckily, it’s still here today making it a wonderful way to celebrate a special Christmas Eve in New York City.