Christmas in New York - A Walk Through Time

One of my favourite places to be during the holidays is New York.  The city's hardcore urban landscape is transformed into a captivating festive metropolis overflowing with seasonal displays.  From the iconic tree at Rockefeller Centre to the sidewalk Santas ringing their bells, the city is decorated to the hilt.  At every turn the scent of pretzels and roasting chestnuts fill the air.  When I was a kid we would always do two things:  see the Radio City Christmas show and view the  holiday windows.  As I got older, my enthusiasm for the Christmas show seemed to wane, but the ever-changing windows never disappointed.  Each year the city's department stores come up with new and imaginative ideas to celebrate the season.  A walk through this year's holiday windows will take you on a journey from the traditional to the avant-garde.  Macy's starts off the list with their windows titled "The Perfect Gift Brings People Together," displaying a series of family traditions.  Up the road a bit, Lord and Taylor features "The Best and the Brightest,"  a series of five windows showcasing scenes through the lens of a snow globe.  The displays include a vintage circus and a starry night set against NYC buildings.  Saks Fifth Avenue created this year's stunning "Once Upon A Holiday" which retells the story of Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Tiffany & Co. configured its blue box with wooden figurines featured in various scenarios.  Bloomingdale's themed its windows in conjunction with the film The Greatest Showman to produce "The Greatest Holiday." These spectacular displays  feature over 7,600,000 Swarovski crystals that outfit the props and costumes in each window, and if you take a step inside, the theme continues throughout the store.  Bergdorf Goodman also dazzles spectators with their windows "To New York With Love." This homage to the city features seven different New York attractions and include displays such as crystal encrusted dinosaurs for the Museum of Natural History.   Both Barneys and Henri Bendel take a departure from the typical holiday themes.  Barneys produced "Haas for the Holidays," five eye popping windows that exhibit creative interpretations by The Haas Brothers that includes the evolution of Earth and a story called "Snake Love, Not War."  Henri Bendel exhibits a creative artistic display in collaboration with Lovepop featuring flowers and birds.  No matter where your tastes or beliefs lie, these windows are meticulously produced works of art that are definitely worth the wait in line to view.  The memories of them will stay with you for years to come.

Starting from top (left to right):  Bloomingdale's "The Greatest Holiday," Bloomingdale's store interior;  center: Barneys "Haas for the Holidays";  bottom: Saks Fifth Avenue's Snow White inspired windows,  Tiffany & Co.'s "blue box" themed windows.