New York’s spectacular Christmas window displays make holiday shopping in the city extra fun and festive.
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, this time with their tribute to the 1983 holiday classic "A Christmas Story." Stop in for chicken fingers and peak a look at the spinning leg lamp, snowy sledding scenes and of course, the iconic canine, Raising Canes III, as Ralphie.
This year, Bloomingdale's has partnered with Burberry for a medieval themed holiday window on Lexington Ave. This display spans an entire side of the building and is covered in iconic Burberry plaid fabrics, plus nearly a dozen iron-clad knights wearing Burberry scarves. Some are decorating a Christmas tree, one's playing the piano as his friends sip on espresso martinis. Another one runs down the stairs with a stuffed bear while his counterpart tries to shimmy out of the chimney.
This holiday season, Nordstrom's NYC flagship store has transformed into a vibrant, interactive playground entitled, "Oh, What Funhouse!" with stunning, pink and purple holiday windows lined with rows of Christmas trees, along with a multi-sensory immersive experience inside all five levels of the store.
The magic begins at the 57th Street entrance, where guests walk through a glowing LED tunnel with floating metallic letters spelling out, "Oh, What Fun!" Then, all Nordstrom shoppers receive a "Gift Expert Guide" to guide them through the store via immersive elevator rides themed around each of the five senses. You can collect stickers, notes and clues designed to spark gifting ideas (and if you complete all five you earn the title of Certified Gift Expert).
New York City's Tiffany & Co. flagship windows have transformed Fifth Avenue into a "canvas of dreams and love in all its forms." This season, The Landmark windows feature glass-like snowballs that glow and shimmer while beautiful diamond bracelets take the foreground. The display is framed by floating doves, icicles, snowy white trees and Tiffany's famous little wrapped blue boxes.
Gucci's Fifth Avenue store has embodied the traditional advent calendar for their stunning holiday window display this year. Numbered emerald green boxes open and close to reveal stunning silver Gucci heels, handbags and jewelry. Plus, you can hear little bells jingle every time the doors open—all to get you in the holiday (shopping) spirit.
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