DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

Bloomingdales Holiday Window Displays    Bloomingdale's Holiday Window Displays are playful and family friendly and typically unveiled in late November/early December.          Lord & Taylor Holiday Window Displays    Every year Lord & Taylor features classic holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue.  Lord & Taylor Window Displays are typically unveiled in late November.        This is just a small sample of what these magical holiday window displays look like.  They start putting together ideas and concepts for the next year, right after the displays are put up.  They take all year to go from a concept to reality.  There are companies that specialize just doing holiday window displays.    Every December HGTV has a holiday special program on these holiday window displays.     They are not only in New York City, They can be found in almost all...

   Window shopping takes on a whole new meaning, as Manhattan's most celebrated department stores get set to unveil their annual Holiday Windows.  From Macy's and Lord & Taylor to Bloomingdale's and Barney's.  Christmas in New York City would not be complete without a visit to these wonderful windows decorated for the holidays. These are some of the Holiday Windows, through the years. Macy's Department Store Holiday Window Displays    Macy's Holiday Window Displays are typically unveiled in early November.  Each year Macy's has windows depicting scenes from Miracle on 34th Street and a second set ow windows with a changing holiday theme.       Saks Fifth Avenue Holiday Window Displays    Sak's Window Displays are unveiled in late November.  Saks Fifth Avenue's holiday window displays are a great choice for visitors with children, because they are often designed around a seasonal book for children, and f...

   You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jellybeans, at least according to the widely quoted logic of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan.    Reagan was so enamored of Jellybeans that he maintained a year round supply in the Oval Office and a perpetual stash on Air Force One, displayed in a special turbulence proof container.  He even launched them into space, in 1983, when he ordered that they be sowed as a presidential surprise on the space shuttle Challenger, for the amusement of the astronauts.    Reagan's conclusion about the personalities of fellow jellybean aficionados may or may not prove true.  Still, it appears obvious that Americans have a considerable collective craving for the clever creation.  These days it would hardly be a holiday without jellybeans.  George Clooney jelly bean art     The exact origin of the jellybean is somewhat foggy likely lost to time and a lack of permanent...

   Who hasn't grown up in the United States watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade on television every year?  To me, it wouldn't be Thanksgiving without the Macy's Day parade.  Promptly at 9 am in the morning, eastern time.  The television is tuned to the Thanksgiving Day parade (I'll probably dvr it, just in case I don't get up in time to see it), accompanied by the pleasant aroma of turkey and stuffing in the oven.  The kids watch the Thanksgiving parade while waiting for the Thanksgiving dinner menu to be done at or around 1 or 2 o'clock.  After Santa arrives in his sleigh on the television, it's time to eat some early Thanksgiving snacks.    The annual Thanksgiving Day parade event in New York City was started by Macy's department store on Thanksgiving Day in 1924.  The first of the annual Thanksgiving day parades in the area, however, occurred at the Bamberger's department store in New Jersey.   The Macy's Thanksgivi...

   Although decorating Christmas trees can be traced back to ancient Romans who decorated trees with small pieces of metal during their winter festival, it was not until the 16th century that fir trees where brought indoors at Christmas.    And in the 1840's, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert introduced the Christmas tree as the centrepiece of the royal family's holiday celebration.  In fact many of our festive customs and traditions date back to Victorian times.  The Victorians loved music, many had a piano or organ in the parlor at home and family sing a longs were customary throughout the year.  It is not surprising that they revived the old medieval carols and also composed new ones. Christmas Cards    We also have the Victorians to thank for the tradition of sending Christmas cards.  The very first Christmas card was printed in December 1843, at the request of Sir Henry Cole.  The artist J.C. Horsley was commissione...