holiday windows in Manhattan

Refinery 29 did a fantastic photo-essay on the seven best holiday windows in Manhattan and I've posted some of their stunning images below. Drew and I were fortunate enough to visit New York in December 2008, and there is nothing quite like New York at Christmas time. Visitors stand in line for hours for a chance to see these windows, it is cold, really cold, but it is worth every minute of the wait. I vividly remember a Macy's window that was decorated in an 'under the sea' theme. How Macy's managed to fill a window display with water and still keep lighted, moving decorations functioning I will never know.

Barney's

Barney's handed creative control over to Lady Gaga, she masterminded her own holiday workshop.

Bergdorf Goodman

Bergdorf's 'Carnival of the Animals' windows house a primate jazz group, textile seals, studious ostriches, and glowing underwater eel creatures.

Bloomingdale's

For this holiday season, Bloomingdale's paid homage to their bags throughout the years.

 

Henri Bendel

The Radio City Rockettes helped Henri Bendel reveal its holiday windows, which pay tribute to the city. The windows show Lady Liberty, the view from the Empire State Building (as seen by mice) and a street scene. 

Saks Fifth Avenue

Continuing last year's bubble theme with an extra twist, Saks made bubbles the new snowflakes.

 Lord and Taylor

Lord & Taylor asked children from various shelters and schools to draw "what Christmas is made of," and the sketches were turned into mechanical figurines, with the originals also on display.

Macy's

The Macy's windows were based on a "Steampunk" theme (ehhh?). Refinery 29 says that "award-winning designer Paul Olszewski helped Macy's show how dreams and fantasy are mechanically turned into a magical "reality" in this other-worldly fair of fun and imagination."