Holiday Windows in New York City

Every holiday season, the largest department stores in Manhattan unveil lavish holiday window displays. Viewing these department stores’ holiday windows has become essential to the New York City holiday experience. Here are some of the most extravagant and festive holiday windows the city has to offer, including holiday window displays at stores such as Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, and Lord & Taylor.

Lord & Taylor

This year, Lord & Taylor unveiled its 80th annual holiday window in New York City to the theme “The Best and The Brightest.” The Fifth Avenue windows of Lord & Taylor's flagship store have been transformed into a whimsical display of enchanted snow globes. In one window titled “Holiday Circus,” a brightly colored, vintage-style circus is conducted by the master of ceremonies. In “Santa’s Magic,” a modern Santa looks into his globe. In addition to the Fifth Avenue display, Lord & Taylor partnered with Hallmark Channel to create a series of windows along 38th street featuring special animations that celebrate “Countdown to Christmas.” Lord & Taylor is located at 424 Fifth Ave. in Midtown.

Unveiling Event: On Nov. 9, Jessie James Decker joined Lord & Taylor in partnership with the Hallmark Channel and Madison Square Boys and Girls Club. Jessie performed some of her hit songs including “My Favorite Holiday” in front of the Lord & Taylor Fifth Avenue holiday windows.

November 9-January 1, 2018 

Tiffany & Co. 

For holiday windows that really sparkle, check out Tiffany & Co.’s festive presentations at its flagship store in Midtown. Tiffany & Co.'s 2017 holiday windows feature—of course—Tiffany Blue Boxes®, jewelry, and other eye-catching Tiffany & Co. products. The holiday windows also include miniature chandeliers, custom-made silk backdrops, and diamond-dusted trees. This year, Tiffany & Co.'s holiday windows feature articulated wooden drawing figures wearing hand-knit winter accessories such as hats, scarves, and earmuffs in the signature Tiffany Blue® color while engaging in playful scenarios, such as a ice fishing, ice carving, and attending a carnival. Tiffany & Co. is located at 727 Fifth Ave. in Midtown.

November 13 to mid-January

Bergdorf Goodman

This year, Bergdorf Goodman gave a charitable twist to its holiday windows by partnering with seven iconic as well as emerging New York charities. The presentation, titled “To New York, With Love” will pay homage to the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the New York Botanical Garden, the Museum of the Moving Image, the New York Philharmonic, the New-York Historical Society, and Urban Glass. Each charity has designed custom products and experiences to be made exclusively available at Bergdorf Goodman. The holiday windows themselves are multilayered and compelling. Each one is completely unique from the other and seeks to embody the partner institution it represents. The New-York Historical Society’s holiday window is a kaleidoscope of colorful figures, while the Natural History Museum’s holiday window features a cast of sparkling bejeweled dinosaurs. Bergdorf Goodman is located at 754 Fifth Ave. in Midtown.

November 14-January 3, 2018

Henri Bendel

Henri Bendel invites guests to celebrate fearless creators with the magic of Lovepop this holiday season as its intricate 3-D paper sculptures take over the flagship store. The collaboration marks the first time Lovepop is bringing its Slicegami^TM paper-cutting art to a project outside of their intricate card designs. In a dream-like display, 3-D flowers and animals cut from paper burst from the main window. Henri Bendel is located at 712 Fifth Ave. in Midtown.

Unveiling Event: On Nov. 15 Henri Bendel unveiled its holiday windows with music by DJ Stef Nava and custom calligraphy by Elizabeth Jordan to customize Lovepop’s 3-D holiday cards. 

November 15-January 3, 2018

Macy’s

This holiday season, Macy’s celebrates the love of family and friends at its flagship Herald Square store with its holiday window display titled “The Perfect Gift Brings People Together.” Created by Roya Sullivan, Macy’s national director of window presentation and an award-winning designer, Macy’s 2017 holiday windows will feature interactive technology and dreamy visuals. Movement is used to bring each scene to life and snow falls softly throughout. Visitors will be able to recognize a number of their own holiday traditions on display, including tree trimming, holiday travel, sledding, and ice-skating acted out by quaint animal characters and Santa Claus. This year also marks the 10th anniversary of Macy’s Believe campaign—a cherished letter writing initiative that raises funds for Make-A-Wish^®, the national organization that grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions. Macy’s is located at 151 W. 34th St. in Herald Square.

Unveiling Event: On Nov. 16 guests enjoyed a celebration full of music, featuring Santaland’s elves and Mrs. Claus, for the unveiling of Macy’s holiday windows.

November 16-January 1, 2018

Barneys New York

Making a statement this year about positivity and inclusiveness, Barneys New York is joining forces with artist duo, the Haas Brothers. In partnership with creative director Matthew Mazzucca and Barneys’ team, Simon and Nikolai Haas have created an abstractly whimsical display of Earth through the ages using animation and sculpture. Barneys’ Madison Avenue holiday windows will illustrate four phases of time titled “Primordial,” “Utopia,” “Millennium,” and a vision of the distant future called “Mushroom Singularity.” A number of positive witticisms will be featured on the holiday windows, throughout Madison Avenue store, and in a social giving campaign. From Nov. 16 through New Year’s Day, followers can post a photo of their own positive phrases using the hashtag #HaasRules and for each post, the Barneys New York Foundation will donate $5 to the Children’s Defense Fund. The downtown location of Barneys New York will embrace the theme "Snake Love, Not War," with holiday windows featuring a playful snake named Rowdy Roddy Viper who is oout to spread peaceful vibes. The iconic central spiral staircase will also embrace the theme. Barneys New York is located at 660 Madison Ave. on the Upper East Side and downtown at 101 Seventh Ave.

November 16-January 1, 2018

Saks Fifth Avenue

This holiday season, Saks Fifth Avenue’s New York flagship store will debut its iconic New York City holiday windows and a new 10-story-tall light show in collaboration with Disney to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Titled “Once Upon a Holiday,” it will include 14 animated holiday window displays, each depicting a different scene from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Viewers will be able to see Snow White dance among woodland creatures and the dwarfs “heigh-ho” home from a day’s work in the diamond caves. Saks Fifth Avenue is located at 611 Fifth Ave. in Midtown.
Holiday bonus: Saks Fifth Avenue will also be offering Disney-themed breakfasts at Café SFA inside the store from Nov. 25-Dec. 31 with special Snow White character guest appearances on select dates. Tickets are available at saks.com/disney.

Unveiling Event: On Nov. 20, Sofia Carson of Disney’s Descendants performed live at the unveiling of the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday windows, accompanied by a 40-person choir and appearances by Snow White, Snow Prince, and the seven dwarfs.

November 20-January 2, 2018

Bloomingdale’s

Enjoy a trip to a glamorous circus by visiting Bloomingdale’s holiday windows. This year, Bloomingdale’s teamed up with Swarovski and the Twentieth Century Fox film The Greatest Showman (in theaters this Christmas) to bring the magic of the birth of show business to life in its holiday windows. The film is a musical inspired by the true story of P.T. Barnum, a visionary who rose from nothing to create a world-famous spectacle. Bloomingdale’s is located at 1000 Third Ave., 59th Street and Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side.

Unveiling Event: On Nov. 21, Bloomingdale’s holiday windows were unveiled with actors from The Greatest Showman, Zendaya and Keala Settle, joining in the festivities.

November 21-January 2, 2018

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Main image: Macy's holiday windows, titled “The Perfect Gift Brings People Together," feature different animal characters participating in beloved holiday traditions, such as ice-skating.
Diane Bondareff for AP