It’s that time of year again! Before the turkeys are on dinner tables, window displays at iconic New York City department stores are already bringing in Christmas cheer. New York City is known for jaw-dropping holiday visuals, and here are a few I think are worthy of checking out this holiday season!

Bergdorf Goodman, Fifth Avenue –

The display pays homage to seven of New York City’s well-know cultural institutions such as the American Museum of Natural History, the Brooklyn Academy of Music, The New York Botanical Gardens, and the New-York Historical Society. It captures the city’s appreciation for art, history, music, and film with their presentation entitled, “To New York With Love”. As onlookers peruse the windows, they can expect to see displays featuring bejeweled dinosaurs, a large-screen montage of black-and-white films clips, soft-sculpture plant life, neon musical instruments, papier-mâché portraits and sculptures, and signature glass objects.

Macy’s, 34th Street –

Despite tough times for department-store chains, Macy’s has once again shown what it can do when it comes to the magic of the holidays. This year’s window theme is “The Perfect Gift Brings People Together.” The department store has six holiday windows on Broadway and 18 other windows,  including the perennial “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus,” which has had a place of honor for the last 10 years. One window features a Christmas tree as the centerpiece at home Another captures the busy city with an ice skating rink. A third has Santa as a theater conductor during a holiday show.

Lord & Taylor, Fifth Avenue –

Features five animated windows along with fashion windows and an additional 13 smaller windows filled with holiday flair at Lord & Taylor. Each incorporates snow globes to help tell the story. The windows depict a circus scene, polar bears playing in the Arctic and Santa’s workshop. The Lord & Taylor windows are built off-site and take six months to create starting from the vision to the final production. Up to 75 different skilled tradespeople work to put the windows including carpenters, electricians, and skilled painters.

Saks Fifth Avenue –

Saks Fifth Avenue celebrates the 80th year of Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with its 14 animated holiday window displays along Fifth Avenue this year. Each window features a different scene from the popular fairy tale, including Snow White dancing with the woodland creatures, the Seven Dwarfs coming home from the diamond caves and the Wicked Queen and the poisonous red apple.