United States New York The Best New York City Christmas Window Displays of 2022 By Heather Cross Heather Cross Heather Cross is a longtime New York resident who has written about the city since 2002. She is also a travel agent and NYC & Company-certified New York City specialist. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines and Astrid Taran Astrid Taran Senior Editor, Special Projects Instagram Astrid is the Senior Special Projects Editor at TripSavvy and has been with the site since 2016. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 11/21/22 Fact checked by Jillian Dara Fact checked by Jillian Dara Instagram Emerson College Jillian Dara is a freelance journalist and fact-checker. Her work has appeared in Travel + Leisure, USA Today, Michelin Guides, Hemispheres, DuJour, and Forbes. TripSavvy's fact-checking littleny/Getty Images New York City's glittery, enchanting department store windows are a sight to behold during the Christmas season. The festive window display tradition dates all the way back to 1874, according to Macy's, the first retailer to start the trend. A popular holiday tradition, many visitors to New York City plan their own walking tours to see some of the most popular department stores' holiday window displays at their landmark locations. The window displays are almost always on view shortly before Thanksgiving and remain up until just after New Year's Day, so they can be experienced throughout the holiday season. Many stores even host a special event to mark the unveiling of the year's designs, sometimes with a celebrity to flip the switch. If you're planning a holiday trip to New York City this year, here are the window displays that need to be on your radar. 01 of 04 Bloomingdale's View Map Address 1000 Third Avenue 59th Street and, Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA Get directions Phone +1 212-705-2000 Web Visit website The windows at Bloomingdale's on 59th Street are typically unveiled in late November just before Black Friday, so they can be enjoyed by holiday shoppers throughout the season. The theme for the 2022 is "Best Holiday Ever," featuring a variety of magical elements, from extravagant wrapping paper, scissors, and champagne glasses to a toy workshop, a three-dimensional camera feeding images of holiday cards, and more. Although the window displays along Third Avenue are also decked out for the holiday, the ones along Lexington Avenue are the ones you really want to see, as they feature the annual theme. Bloomingdale's often adds an interactive element to their displays, so make sure your phone is charged to fully enjoy the experience. 02 of 04 Bergdorf Goodman Gary Hershorn / Corbis News / Getty Images View Map Address 754 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019-2503, USA Get directions Phone +1 212-753-7300 Web Visit website Right in the heart of Midtown, you will find the holiday windows at Bergdorf Goodman along Fifth Avenue from 58th to 57th streets. These windows never fail to impress, as they usually feature antiques and couture fashions in beautifully designed scenes. The theme during the 2022 season is "Magic in the Making," highlighting artisans and their techniques, traditions and handiwork, and celebrating the power of “extraordinary thinking” and creativity. 03 of 04 Saks Fifth Avenue John Lamparski / Getty Images View Map Address 611 5th Ave, New York, NY 10022, USA Get directions Phone +1 212-753-4000 Web Visit website Located between 49th and 50th streets, the Saks Fifth Avenue holiday window displays are unveiled in late November and have a reputation for taking their concepts to the next level. There is always an impressive lighting show across the whole facade of the building that visitors can enjoy throughout the evening, turning the department store into an illuminated version of what looks like the Taj Mahal. The window displays always go all out, and 2022 will highlight a special collaboration between the brand and singer Elton John. John will co-curate three dedicated windows on 50th street with holiday looks from an edited collection, featuring pieces by Gucci, Versace, Valentino, and more. This year's windows will illuminate from within, lighting up in conjunction with the music during the light show. Saks is also making a $1 million donation to The Elton John AIDS Foundation’s Rocket Fund in support of its mission to end AIDS, including $500,000 of proceeds from the curated collection. 04 of 04 Macy's Mireya Acierto / Getty Images View Map Address 151 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001, USA Get directions Phone +1 212-695-4400 Web Visit website Macy's has two sets of windows with holiday displays, one set on Broadway between 34th and 35th streets and another set along 34th Street. During peak hours, more than 10,000 people per hour will pass by the windows, usually featuring iconic New York City holiday scenes and encapsulating the feeling of the season. These are perhaps New York City's most famous holiday window displays and are always on view in time for visitors in town for Thanksgiving. The theme for this year's Macy's window display is "Give Love," with a reindeer named Tiptoe guiding visitors through a winter wonderland that celebrates togetherness and nostalgia. Each window showcases a different world crafted with cozy materials like gingerbread, flannel, yarn, and wood. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email