One of the best holiday attractions in NYC is its Christmas and holiday window displays at its department stores. Tourists aren’t the only ones who can enjoy these festive showcases in Herald Square and Fifth Avenue—even for locals, they hold a dreamy nostalgia that only comes once a year. These ornate holiday windows decked out with hundreds of Christmas lights and more winter wonderland decor are so impressive, they can be reason enough to stroll through midtown.
Time Out tip: Just wait until after the majority of tourists have gone to bed to you can see up-close for yourself.
For all the information you need to know about this year’s Christmas windows, read on below. And if you want to remain in the holiday spirit, we have recommendations on where to go ice skating in NYC, and then Christmas-themed bars (like Rolf’s) where you can go to warm up afterward.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Christmas in New York
NYC holiday windows have been known worldwide for their creativity, intricacy, playfulness and sidewalk appeal. Raising Cane’s understood the assignment. The chicken chain in Times Square is back again this year with our favorite display, featuring its Golden Retriever mascot, Cane III, in a series of playful window vignettes: “Raising Cane” in Santa’s workshop, hitting the slopes with Santa’s hat in tow and more.
Macy’s always knows how to appeal to the heart with its holiday windows. This year, it’s theme “Gifts We Love” features animated and interactive vignettes with Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade balloons and designs created by its partners at Big Brothers Big Sisters. A specific window will showcase holiday-themed products styled with original drawings by mentees in the BBBS program (Littles).
Dressed in a festive tuxedo and set within an Art Deco-inspired Manhattan penthouse overlooking Central Park and the NYC skyline, the brand’s Polo Bear is brought to life as a 3D digital rendering that interacts with folks passing by by waving at them, taking “selfies,” blowing kisses and even showing off his dance moves. You’ll also notice a number of items from Ralph Lauren’s coveted home collection, including a sleek Duke bar cart with the classic Langley crystal martini glasses and Montgomery barware on top of it.
Last year, Bloomingdale’s featured scenes inspired by the new Wonka film. This year, in keeping with the movie theme, this year’s facade is Wicked-themed, leaning into the enchantment and magical atmosphere of the movie musical that is already earning stellar reviews. Across its various displays, you can find “gift picks” from iconic characters like Elphaba and Glinda represented in mannequin form, seasonal outfits in green and pink lightning and designs straight out of the Emerald City.
Bergdorf Goodman’s windows are always stunning and this year is no different. The theme, “Toast of the Town,” highlights several aspects of Fifth Avenue’s legacy across its windows: its parks and foliage, its hustle and bustle, the New York Public Library, sightseeing, Bergdorf Goodman’s fashion (of course), street signs, window shopping, walking tours, and its holiday parades. Within the windows, mannequins don fashion by Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Valentino,Thom Browne, Grace Ling, Prabal Gurung and more.
Earlier this month, The Landmark celebrated the season by lighting the Fifth Avenue snowflake Tiffany Blue for the first time and lit the new “Bird on a Rock” installation by Olivia Wilde on the flagship store’s eighth floor terrace. Debuting at Tiffany in 1965 from jewelry designer Jean Schlumberger, the Bird on a Rock design has a new lease on life as a holiday light display, using over 47,340 micro-LED lights. Tiffany’s officially flipped on its lights for the season with an event on December 5 with Olivia Wilde, Lauren Santo Domingo, Sabine Getty and Georgia Fowler. Along with the Bird on a Rock, the Landmark’s facade lit up, its window displays were unveiled, and attendees took in its sparkling Christmas trees and oversized Blue Boxes.
You may be a fan of the glittery Saks Fifth Avenue light display on its facade, but this year, it’s doing away with that and focusing on the fashion that it carries and the ”architectural significance” of its building. “Fashion takes center stage in the windows, spotlighting exquisite, pastel-colored designs, reminiscent of a trove of festive macarons, from highly coveted designers such as Prada, Oscar de la Renta, Valentino, LOEWE and more, against a wintry, crystalline backdrop.” The building facade itself will be illuminated with “glistening” garland to “highlight the structural grandeur of the landmark building.”
Inside, you’ll find the Saks Holiday Market, a special Ralph’s Coffee holiday shop and a new, limited-time holiday menu at L’Avenue at Saks.
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