Holiday window displays illuminate New York's streets

Saks Fifth Avenue's holiday theme this year is "Winter Palace." This window depicts the "Winter Palace Banquet," featuring a wintry-white feast of elegant fashion and holiday attire.

This Saks window, the "Great Brrrier Reef," is part of a "Winter Wonders of the World" series.

This Saks window, the "Frosty Taj Mahal," is part of a "Winter Wonders of the World" series that Saks says reimagines earth's wonders and transforms them into winter fantasies.

As part of Barney's "Chillin' Out" holiday window visual narrative, the retailer partnered with Ice Castles, an ice-formation company. They created a custom 35-foot ice locker that uses a misting system to create and maintain this ice formation, as well as to constantly evolve. Colored lights are choreographed to a custom musical score by Hannis Brown.

Barney’s partnered with ice-carving collective Okamoto Studio to create a satellite studio for the carvers to create winter themed sculptures as part of daily live performances that run through Dec. 31. The display is inside a custom-built 35-foot ice locker.

Barney's partnered with slot car designer Gary Gerding to build this racetrack. As three crystal-covered penguins race around the track atop Lexus IS, GS F, and RC F model cars, which were 3-D printed and also covered in crystals, an animated film tells the story of a penguin hero racing against his opponents.

In this Barney's sculpture by Dale Chihuly, glass elements represent frigid winters and appear as grand crystalline explosions composed of individual hand-blown glass icicles. 3-D digital mapping is used to choreograph lighting effects that are projected onto the sculpture, creating the illusion of light on ice, snow and moonlight.

Bloomingdale's worked with florist Jeff Leatham to create this year's theme, "Holiday Through the Senses." This window interprets the sense of touch. Multiple video screens looping footage of hugs are embedded in white flora walls that surround snowman sculptures in mid-embrace.

This Bloomingdale's window depicts the sense of sound. Bells are hung from antlers of a gold-faceted reindeer sculpture situated in a bed of red roses. The deer’s nodding head creates a symphony of chimes that onlookers will hear as they pass by.

This Bloomingdale's window interprets the sense of taste. Florist Jeff Leatham’s giant red-faceted bear emerges from a sea of peppermint candies.

Macy’s holiday window theme this year commemorates the 50th anniversary of a “A Charlie Brown Christmas” with an interactive six-window display. The first window shows Charlie and Linus at the wall pondering the meaning of Christmas as the "Peanuts" game plays in the snow in the background.

In Macy's second window, snow falls as Charlie visits Lucy for advice. Passers-by can insert 5 cents into a can to hear Lucy deliver her advice.

In Macy’s third window, Charlie attempts to restore order at rehearsal as the gang dances to Schroeder’s piano. (Audience participation is highly encouraged!) As visitors play a giant glass keyboard at the base of the window, the corresponding keys light up on Schroeder’s piano.

Part of Lord and Taylor's holiday window theme, "A Few of Our Favorite Things," this display shows a peek inside a sweets shop, inspired by a traditional Parisian bakery and filled with decadent holiday treats.

This Lord and Taylor's window shows an ornate mansion with 24 windows counting down the days to Christmas. Each of the windows opens to reveal an iconic New York City holiday image — plus a special surprise when all 24 open.

This Lord and Taylor's window shows a gingerbread kingdom, featuring a handmade Victorian gingerbread house being held aloft by dozens of dancing gingerbread men.

To celebrate the 120th holiday season of Henri Bendel and 20 years of artistic partnership, Izak’s "Bendel girl" illustrations take over Henri Bendel, expanding from the windows and throughout the store.