A Festive NYC Tradition: Holiday Windows on Fifth Ave

This year, the Christmas windows on Fifth Ave are another unforgettable display.  If you’re visiting the city during the holidays, definitely don’t miss out on seeing the iconic NYC tradition.  Department stores in cities all over the world dress up their windows in elaborate displays during the holidays, but nothing compares to the holiday themed windows of NYC that started it all. 

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Saks Fifth Avenue 

“We want to leave our audience breathless. The Experience is Everything.”

                  – Marigay McKee, President of Saks Fifth Avenue 

This year, the theme for the Saks holiday windows is An Enchanted Experience, which features six animated windows displaying scenes of classic fairy tales with iconic NYC locations as the backdrop.  In honor of the history of Saks Fifth Ave, each holiday window is composed of a classic fairytale scene with Snow White, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Sleeping Beauty, Rumplestiltskin, and Rapunzel, all with a revamped version of the classic 1920’s Art Deco style.

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Bergdorf Goodman

“We hope that this display will entertain, divert and—yes—inspire everyone who comes to 5th and 58th this holiday season.”

          –David Hoey, designer for the Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows

The theme of Bergdorf Goodman’s extremely elaborate holiday windows this year, is Inspired.  The eight main windows are designed with the arts in mind, displaying intricate scenes based on literature, architecture, theater, painting, music, dance, sculpture and film.  More than 100 artists put together the Bergdorf Goodman holiday windows this year.

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Tip: I definitely recommend going after 11pm.  Fifth Ave is extremely crowded during the holidays, but if you go 11pm or later, you’ll have amazing views of the windows with no crowd.

Don’t forget to check out other retailers in the city like Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Barney’s, Lord & Taylor, and Henri Bendel, who also dress up their windows during the holiday season.