Macy's in New York, originated the Holiday Window Display in 1874. I just read this in the Sunday New York Times Styles section under the caption "Holiday Store Window Displays Still Matter."
As I have mentioned often, I grew up in Philadelphia an one of the great holiday joys for me was to visit Market Street in the greatest days of the holiday displays, the 1950's. Actually, an aunt of mine was married to a window 'dresser' and when I worked at the Gloucester City Library and at Mary Ethel Costello School, I took great creative joy in decorating the entry-way windows for the seasons, holidays, or special events.
All decorating is a creative act, and a generous act as it costs a great deal in time, effort, and often in money, an it is done for the pleasure of strangers, passers-by. Except of course store displays which are done to delight and attract customers.
Do you remember the scene in A Christmas Story, when Ralph first lays eyes on the Red Ryder Beebee Gun in the store window? My favorite was always the holiday train display. I love trains large and small, and I am especially entranced by village and city train lay-outs. This stems from the platform my ironworker father put up every year at Christmas with a very impressive system of tunnels, track changes, and elevated tracks. We had the "made in occupied Japan" post World War II cardboard houses with cellophane windows and glittery snow, and the lead figures skating on a mirror pond. The magic will be in me for life.
The store windows in the city at Christmas in the old days, up until the 1970's were a child's wonderland of toys, Charles Dicken's Christmas Village, animatronic Santa Claus and Elves in North Pole sets, and glittering arrays of colorful items in glorious gift wrap.
When I again lived in the city in the 1980s the magic was GONE in a big way. I even cut up my Gimbals charge card and sent it to them with a complaint letter because the window where I stood to catch the bus was festooned with black leather bikini clad mannequins in deep sea masks which generated leers and rude comments from passers-by on the street. What kind of display was that for Christmas? That window dresser must have been deranged.
Well, I don't live in the city anymore and I don't go to Philadelphia or New York, they are too busy and too crowded and hectic for my autumnal years. Instead I enjoy the window decorations in nearby small towns which are often charming and bring that long ago delight back to me. Collingswood is a good example. So is Pitman. Soon the small towns will all be lit up, sporting their parades and Main Street decorations and the windows will be dressed for company.
Let me know your favorites! wrightj45@yahoo.com
I have two wonderful Christmas events coming up in the first part of December and I will let you know what I hear about as December draws closer. One event is the annual "Child's Christmas in Wales" party given by a friend with whom I taught before we retired, and her husband. We enjoy delicious food and drink, and gather around the fireplace to read the wonderful children's story aloud. The week after, on December 9th, a friend will drive two other friends, plus me, to Greenwich for the historic house holiday tour and the Lucia Fest at the local church. We have gone many times and love it more each year. I like to go to all the Main Street events that I can make over the holidays, and share in the cheer that brightens the dark time of the year!
Happy Holidays and always - Happy Trails!
Jo Ann
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