It's Christmastime in the city

Here's my annual photo blast of the holiday windows at Lord & Taylor's flagship store on 39th and 5th. They've been dressing their windows with special Christmas displays since 1914. The work is done below street level on platforms that raise into place. Lord & Taylor employees are allowed into the basement to preview the displays prior to the public unveiling. It's nice that some prime retail window real estate isn't used for product placement during the holiday season.

This year, they had the peculiar idea of having people submit their favorite Christmas memories and turned a select few into window displays. A pretty cool idea if you're memory is chosen, but unless you're Charles Dickens, I don't give a fart how you spent Christmas in your youth.

The displays have a mostly contemporary look to them and are, for me, a bit of a disappointment as compared to displays of the past. I miss the detailed work and ambiance of the usual visions of Ye Olde Victorian Christmas. You can click on these to blow them up for a closer look.

Here's the left half of a carriage house that's right out of Architectural Digest.


Here's the right half that includes the living space.


If you look upstairs, there's a big 70s disco party in progress. Mirror ball and all! Remember when people use to remove the grill cloth from their stereo speakers to watch the woofers dance around? I looked closely for an authentic '70s era bong but didn't see one. Nor a lava lamp.


This is a brownstone exterior. It's the kind of home I would love to live in, so I swooned and my knees got weak when it came into view.


The left half swivels opens to reveal the house interior. These displays always seem to have a disproportionate number of white people in them!


Here's the left half of an apartment building with art deco flourishes on the façade. Downstairs is a 1950's kitchen with vintage appliances and a mom cooking dinner while wearing a dress. See what I mean? White people!


Here's the right half of the apartment building.


Here's a short film that shows a 50's family marveling at a wonderful new invention: television! Rabbit ears and all. The entire scene pivots to a contemporary family watching Rodolph on a big flatscreen TV. Finally! Integration takes root. Above them, Santa dive-bombs onto 5th Avenue.