The Holiday Windows That Will Wow You This Year

This Central Park grand dame is grander than ever this year, thanks to a fantastical display—"To New York With Love"—that showcases seven iconic local institutions: American Museum of Natural History, Brooklyn Academy of Music, Museum of the Moving Image, The New Botanical Garden, New York Philharmonic, New-York Historical Society, and UrbanGlass. JS tip: Don't miss the shimmering dinosaurs in the AMNH's window.

Iconic displays have gussied up Macy’s Christmas windows since the 1870s, but in recent years, they've gotten much more high-tech. This November, the flagship store debuted six dreamy windows known as “The Perfect Gift Brings People Together." Among the collection there's a polar bear family trimming a tree, Santa conducting a holiday show, and its "Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus" display which has had a place on Broadway for the last decade.

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The iconic department store in Knightsbridge is one of the world's largest, so it's no shock it goes B-I-G on holiday decor. This year, the institution teamed up with legendary Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana create a series of Sicilian theater-inspired windows. From discotheques to bakeries, and tailor shops to perfume counters, puppet versions of the two designers—Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana—are on hand to get people into the spirit.

For more than 90 Christmases now, the Saks Fifth Ave windows—just across from Rockefeller Center—have been donning their merriest apparel. This year, the store's "Once Upon A Holiday" theme honors the 80th anniversary of the Snow White and the Seven Dwarves film with enchanting scenes from the fairytale. And—as always—there's the iconic 10-story-tall theatrical light show which goes off every couple of minutes.

London can go head to head with the best of NYC's holiday displays, and Fortnum & Mason is just one example of how. The iconic Piccadilly grocer has been pulling out all the festive stops since opening in 1707, and this year is no different. Their "Together We’re Merrier" campaign stretches across eight windows and features a slew of fantastical animals and inanimate objects trimming the tree together, feasting on holiday meals, popping the cork on celebratory champagne, and more.

This year, ahead of their window unveiling, Bloomingdale's kicked off holiday season with a performance from singer Keala Settle and tricks from a circus troupe. Post-fanfare, the iconic brand revealed its Lexington Ave displays which came to life with music from the new film, "The Greatest Showman," and the aid of twinkling Swarovski crystals.

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Always one to stray a little farther from tradition (see that time Lady Gaga designed a window entirely of artificial hair), this year, Barneys collaborated with the LA-based Haas Brothers to turn the spotlight on diversity and inclusion with an assortment of fantastical, fictional creatures. Injecting a little social commentary into their windows, themes include "Snake Love Not War," "Cactus What You Preach," and “Bee Yourself.”