Feeling nostalgiac and grateful on this cold winter day.

Growing up in a suburb of New York City, a favorite family tradition was to go see the holiday windows of the department stores. We usually travelled in on December 8, because we kids went to Catholic school, and that was the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and we had off. So we celebrated Mary’s birth without original sin by going to see Santa at Macy’s and avoiding the weekend crowds.

Back in the 70s and 80s, Macy's, B. Altman & Co., Bonwit Teller, Lord & Taylor, Tiffany’s and Saks Fifth Avenue all decorated their windows with puppets and fairy lights and slightly jerky animatronic displays. They were simpler and more handcrafted compared to today’s interactive scenes and orchestrated light shows, but lovely and magical all the same.

Two weeks ago, I tried to see Macy’s windows when I was in the city to see a play, but the crowds were way too thick on a Saturday evening. Luckily, a high school friend of mine lives in the city and takes pictures with her dog(s) every year in front of New York’s best Christmas displays, and I can sexperience them vicariously on Instagram! This sketch is from her post of the Ralph Lauren store, a few years ago.

Feeling grateful that this season continues to enchant so many of us…