Christmas window displays of the past

[Gage]

How many remember the fabulous Christmas window displays that the different department stores (May Company, Sears, Broadway, Penney’s, etc, etc) would put up in the 1950’s. I remember that the Sears store in Inglewood, CA had about 150 running feet of window that covered two sides of the store would have a different display every year. One year that I remember had Santa's work shop with elves and himself making toys. Took up the whole window area. What ever happened to those days?


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[S. Heisley]

What ever happened to those days?
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For many, the pride of doing something special has changed to the pride of the bottom dollar and how much stock investors will invest. In this world of sink or swim, you can't blame them, though. Some stores still decorate a little. They just put it throughout to help maintain consumers' high spirits and buying mood. T'is a different world. Does Macys still put on a parade every year?

[mikeschn]

I'm guessing those good ole days have been replaced by something else... here's one example: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-42 ... 2012-12-10

[Gage]

Does Macys still put on a parade every year?

Macys parade is on Thanksgiving Day. They never have had one for Christmas. I understand that Macys, New York still does their window for Christmas. But like you say in so many words. It’s the new generation. They could care less about tradition, they just want the money. Also by not doing the Christmas displays, nobody gets offended if you know what I mean.

[S. Heisley]

I'm guessing those good ole days have been replaced by something else... here's one example: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-42 ... 2012-12-10

WOW! $4 million in gold, sitting in a store window! In the USA, they'd probably have to have armed guards around that tree, 24-7! I wonder what they have to do to protect it, in Japan.... Maybe it's on wheels and they wheel it into a vault every night.

[indycamper]

I'm guessing those good ole days have been replaced by something else... here's one example: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-42 ... 2012-12-10

OMG! But at least they chose my favorite theme - Disney

As for the original question, YES, I remember them very fondly! We would head downtown on Thanksgiving to welcome Santa and see what the various department stores had done in their windows - and that was in Indianapolis, frequently known as "In-di-a-no-place"

[wagondude]

As far as the store decorations go, Aside from the small mom and pop places in smaller cities and towns, Stores don't have big windows anymore. Too much glass is an invitation to break-ins and theft. Folks who have built elaborate hiloday displays at their homes are now falling to pressure from neighbors that don;t like the extra traffic through the neighborhood. One guy in the Kansas City area was told by the city that he couldn't put up his display anymore. He was able to find a hotel that would let him set it up in their lobby so guests could enjoy it. He hopes to decorate more hotels next year. Times are changing. Change is not always good. Maybe if we brought back the displays, slowed down, and enjoyed them and the season, people would forget about beating each other up for that next must-have gadget that will be obsolete before it is unwrapped.

[Kevin A]

Christmas displays and traditions aren't gone, they may have changed somewhat but are still around us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnt7euRF ... r_embedded

[dakotamouse]

You could have warned me that I would be needing a kleenex! That was beautiful!

[S. Heisley]

Christmas displays and traditions aren't gone, they may have changed somewhat but are still around us.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnt7euRF ... r_embedded

Joyful human voices in song are the best kinds of decoration! Thanks for sharing that.

[mezmo]

It'd also help if the stores didn't put out Christmas stuff
before Halloween. I even saw some of it out once at the
end of August. The Christmas season should be from
Thanksgiving through New Years. Otherwise it's not that
special anymore.

[S. Heisley]

It'd also help if the stores didn't put out Christmas stuff
before Halloween. I even saw some of it out once at the
end of August. The Christmas season should be from
Thanksgiving through New Years. Otherwise it's not that
special anymore.

That is a bit crazy, isn't it. However, for some stores, Christmas shopping is where they make the majority of their money for the whole year.
The thing that got me was when a neighbor put up his Christmas house lights the day after Halloween!! Talk about Christmas spirit!!! Wow!

[Alan Wood]

It'd also help if the stores didn't put out Christmas stuff
before Halloween. I even saw some of it out once at the
end of August. The Christmas season should be from
Thanksgiving through New Years. Otherwise it's not that
special anymore.

That is a bit crazy, isn't it. However, for some stores, Christmas shopping is where they make the majority of their money for the whole year.
The thing that got me was when a neighbor put up his Christmas house lights the day after Halloween!! Talk about Christmas spirit!!! Wow!

Then there was the store in the local mall that put out the ornaments (for sale) on like July 1st!

[fcreamer88]

Well, thankfully, I can say I grew up with the decorated Main Street store front windows.....and I'm only 24. The little town I'm from, Cross Plains,TX, known very little for being the hometown of Robert E Howard (writer of Conan the Barbarian) and to make national news with the horrible wild fires that took place there in '05.......back to my point.....That little small town of 1100 people still has a department and hardware store downtown that has the big glass windows with stages built inside. They still decorate them for Christmas, each showing different scenes and one always being a life sized manger scene. I can remember back in elementary school, we would have Santa Comes to Town night and our class would all stand in one of the windows and perform plays or sing. I know they still do this every year, it may have kind of dwindled down some though. BUt they do still exist!

[eaglesdare]

i remember the store front windows all decked out for Christmas.
besides the money issues, i believe a lot has to do with not wanting to offend someone with Christmas decoration vs "holiday" decorations.

I am sort of surprised that Disney is not trying to sue the folks tha made the gold disney tree. disney goes after lots of folks just making digital scrapbook kits.