It's Christmas in New York!

One of my favorite holiday traditions is to take a walk down Fifth Avenue one evening in December and enjoy the wonderful decorations.  This year I was waiting for a visit from my French "son" to show him just how beautiful New York can be when enshrouded in colorful lights.  I confess, I did a little reconnaissance before the tour so every stop was vetted and the final version elicited just the "oohs and aahs" I was hoping for!  So here is a recap of Georgina's Holiday Highlights!

Beginning on Fifth Avenue at 59th Street, right in front of the Plaza Hotel, is the Pulitzer Fountain with its concentric circles filled with little evergreens lit with white lights.  It is understated but always one of my favorites with the graceful statue of Pomona at the top like the angel on a Christmas tree.  One block south is the deluxe ladies department store, Bergdorf Goodman.  Housed in the former Beaux Arts mansion of Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Bergdorf Goodman caters to the most stylish and upscale fashionistas on the planet and their windows are some of the best in town.  Needless to say, they pull out all the stops for the holidays and this year's edition, entitled "Destination Extraordinary" is extra special as it celebrates the emporium's 125th birthday.

 "The Scenic Route"

"The Book Club"

Kitty corner from Bergdorf's is another iconic shopping mecca, the legendary Tiffany and Co.  Not satisfied to simply decorate the windows, for the past few years the designers have covered the exterior walls with lights making the six story building look like a giant, sparkling piece of diamond jewelry.  The large star is actually suspended over the intersection of 57th Street and Fifth Avenue.  Since 2002 it has been re-named the UNICEF Snowflake and this latest version is the largest outdoor crystal chandelier of its kind.

The Tiffany show windows are always exquisite, but especially at this time of year.  I thought one of the best was this dining table set for a feast complete with miniature Tiffany place settings.

Continuing down Fifth Avenue we passed the Cartier mansion with its massive red bow - now made of lights rather than fabric ribbon - and enhanced with white light versions of the Cartier panther climbing up the corner and lurking on an upper edge

Just past Saint Patrick's Cathedral, now even more splendid after a major cleaning and restoration project, is yet another luxury department store, Saks Fifth Avenue.  The windows at Saks have never been my favorites, but this year it's a different story.  The designers have animated the story of "The Nutcracker and The Mouse King" in a series of six windows called the "The Nutcracker Sweet", and they are marvelous.  Judging by the crowds straining to get a good look, I wasn't the only one enthralled by these confections.

As if these magical windows were not enough, the entire ten-story high facade of the store is covered in lights which blink and flash in a spectacular light show put on every ten minutes from 5 - 11 PM.  

Directly across from Saks is the "grand daddy" of New York Christmas displays - the Rockefeller Center tree.  A slow promenade down the Channel Gardens past its white angels with their heralds held high brings us to the famous skating rink.  Here, skaters of all abilities swirl and stumble beneath the spectacular 94-foot-tall Norway Spruce wrapped up in 5 miles of LED lights.  This was the moment we had been waiting for and it did not disappoint.  My French visitor was open-mouthed, and so, even as a jaded New Yorker, was I!

And now I'd like to take this opportunity to wish my wonderful readers a blessed Christmas filled with the many joys of this very special season.  May the magic of Christmas remain with you throughout the year.