Manhattan is merry and bright!
New York City’s department stores have decked the halls for the holiday season, with their window displays spreading joy to New Yorkers and visitors alike.
“The holiday windows really embody the spirit of the season in a way that really captures nostalgia and excitement for a lot of people,” Aaron Romero, associate creative director of visual experience for Bloomingdale’s, told The Post.
Holiday window displays are a year-round process. At the start of the year, a theme is chosen and a plan is devised, then they’re constructed until the day they’re unveiled, David Hoey, senior director of visual presentation for Bergdorf Goodman, explained.
“It’s the most fun work in the world,” he told The Post.
People travel from all over the world just to see these window displays, demonstrating that they are more than a display of product — they offer an experience. “It contributes to the fabric of the city,” Romero said.
This year, Bloomingdale’s is taking a trip to the Land of Oz with its displays, which debuted Nov. 13 with an unveiling hosted by “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo.
Meanwhile, Bergdorf is home for the holidays, showcasing all the best parts of New York. Over in Herald Square, Macy’s is stocking up on gifts with the help of their Gift Guide Elves. And Nordstrom is bringing “The Blizz” to 57th Street.
The best part is, you’ll experience something different at every department store. As Hoey said, “No two stores have the same style.”
Read on for all the exciting details on New York City’s beloved holiday tradition.
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is paying homage to their home street with “Toast of the Town,” which celebrates the 200th anniversary of Fifth Avenue. Each of the windows at both the women’s and men’s stores showcases Fifth Avenue iconography in different colors and is full of immaculate details.
Hoey said the windows will appear to be a collage from afar, but up close, visitors can appreciate all kinds of “micro details.”
“We want the windows to be interesting either from across the street or right up close,” Hoey told The Post. “We design them so that they’ll be interesting in any format or at any distance.”
Green leaves, creatures, statues and foliage fill the window all about the parks. “We have a scale model of the Washington Square arch in there, but you can barely see it because we have so many things in front of it,” Hoey shared.
A blue window highlights iconic landmarks including the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building and the Plaza. The New York Public Library gets its own red window, complete with a scale model of the entrance and the recognizable lions. And of course, there’s a window about shopping on Fifth Avenue, specifically at Bergdorf — “a store doing a window about itself,” Hoey said. At the centerpiece is a window centered on yellow taxicabs, with a collage of cab parts that have been “transformed into a big starburst with a very exciting light show,” Hoey said. “That’s especially good at night.”
“The light show is so exciting that we hope that that alone will draw people up to our stretch of Fifth Avenue,” Hoey shared. “Over the last couple of decades, at Bergdorf Goodman, we seem to have developed a following, and we know that people are excited to see what we do every year. We want to live up to the expectations.”
“Toast of the Town” will be on display until Jan. 6.
754 Fifth Ave., at 58th Street
Bloomingdale’s
Something wicked is happening at Bloomingdale’s this holiday season with the “Wicked Good Holiday” windows, filled with animatronics and props from antique stores and estate sales.
This year, the crowd-pleasing Bloomie’s windows are “less of a traditional display” than they’ve been previously, said Romero, who described this year’s as more of an “enchanting portal” and an “otherworldly” way to get “lost in the universe” of the Land of Oz.
In partnership with Universal Pictures’ “Wicked,” the windows showcase the “dynamic personalities” of the two main characters, Glinda and Elphaba, Romero explained. The pink Glinda windows embody her “popular, fashionable, beauty-loving spirit” as well as her kindness and generosity through vintage trunks, chandeliers and “little treasures,” Romero shared. Meanwhile, Elphaba’s green windows represent “strength, intelligence and loyalty,” as the character is a “deeply compassionate person” who cares about social justice, books and animals. Her windows depict the magical lab where she discovers her powers, the mystical Shiz woods and, of course, her iconic “Defying Gravity” scene.
Bloomingdale’s “Wicked Good Holiday” will be on display until Jan. 6.
Lexington Avenue at 59th Street
Macy’s
Macy’s is celebrating its 150th year of holiday window displays, a tradition that started at the department store in 1874.
This year’s iconic displays bring the immersive and stylized Macy’s Gift Guide world to life, showcasing all the ways the store helps customers “Give Love” this holiday. Window displays feature the Gift Guide Elves in Christmas gear surrounded by whimsical animated and interactive vignettes depicting “Gifts We Love.”
Fans will spot carousels, presents and iconic Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons, combining two of the institution’s most cherished traditions, with scenes of Manhattan displayed in the background. Additionally, the windows showcase designs created by mentees in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program.
The “Give Love” window displays will be open through Jan. 5.
34th Street and Sixth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks might have canceled its holiday light show after nearly two decades of the beloved tradition, but that doesn’t mean lights are out at the department store. This year is the 100th anniversary of the Saks Fifth Avenue New York flagship, and the luxury retailer is putting fashion at the forefront of its holiday windows. Designers such as Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino and Loewe are featured, showcasing pastel designs reminiscent of colorful macarons.
This year, the iconic windows have transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with oversize snowflakes, dichroic vinyl and silver reflective glass.
Saks noted that they are “celebrating the season by honoring the architectural significance of this iconic building,” with luxe decor on its iconic facade.
The Saks holiday windows will be on display through Jan. 5.
Fifth Avenue and 50th Street
Nordstrom
As part of the “Wonder all the Way” campaign, Nordstrom is transforming its flagship into “The Blizz on 57th Street,” a festive visual spectacle with larger-than-life inflatable characters inspired by iconic fictional New York City staples and voiced by John Waters and the unmistakable Fran Drescher.
Mr. Blizz is at the heart of the takeover, towering over the entrance on 57th Street. The character has a “unique power” to turn everyday objects into gigantic, lively characters, including burnt-out stars Dimmy and Quaser; chatty lipsticks Rose, Ruby and Violet; and humble traffic cones Connor and Connie.
“Nordstrom has always strived to be a platform for discovery, and we look forward to infusing the joy of the holidays with the unique spirit of New York, creating an unforgettable experience to those who visit our flagship this holiday,” Olivia Kim, SVP of creative merchandising, told The Post.
“The Blizz on 57th Street” will be on display through Jan. 5.
225 W. 57th St., between Seventh Avenue and Broadway