I loved Times Square but didn't like the crowds too much - my wife and I were there about 5 years ago for Christmas and New Year's. Horribly busy, and cold. So cold. I guess like anything, you just get used to the crowds after a while.

I remember that it was about a similar time one night, and the footpaths were packed. Another tourist (not us) stopped in the middle of the path to look at something, and one of the locals literally grabbed her and forced her forward, saying 'you can't just stop like that in the middle here. There's nowhere for anyone else to go.' It was true - once you got into that stream of people, you pretty much were just swept along. Crazy...