Macy's 8th Floor Holiday Display: Enchanting Families for Decades
Santa's elves prepare for the holidays by baking up gingerbread cookies at Macy's 8th floor holiday display.
Its not all work at the north pole as a polar bear, pig, donkey and walrus find time to trim the holiday tree.
With all of the late hours in the toy shop these eleves are catching a few winks in the bunkroom before heading back to the shop to fulfill Santa's holiday toy list.
For nearly 50 years, families have stood in line in anticipation each holiday season waiting their turn to catch a glimpse of what fantasy Macy's will bring to life in its 8th floor holiday display. Its a tradition that mesmerizes both children and adults alike.
Since 1963, Macy’s (Dayton’s/Marshall Fields) 8th Floor Auditorium holiday display has enchanted visitors of all ages. The animated display is like a giant New York City department store window display, allowing visitors to walk through scenes and explore new parts of the year’s animated theme with every twist and turn. Over the years, themes have included Dickens’ Village, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Velveteen Rabbit, Nutcracker and The Wizard of Oz.
The current theme, A Day in the Life of an Elf, is the story of how Santa’s elves prepare for the holiday season. Visitors walk through a bunk room, kitchen, a school, a toy factory and Santa’s mailroom, as the elves prepare for Santa’s big night.
First introduced in 2008, the Life of an Elf theme was created by 45 artists, carpenters and technicians who worked for a full year to develop the theme and translate it into an animated display that has been seen by a half million visitors each year.
At the end of the display, stop for a visit with Santa and shop for holiday gifts. In 2010, Macy’s added the Moose Crossing puppet theatre to the display. Just outside the gift shop, visitors coming Thursdays through Sundays can see a half-hour performance with the voices of Julie Andrews, Mario Cantone and Walter Cronkite.
No matter how many times you’ve been there, the 8th Floor holiday display is a holiday tradition that can’t be missed.
If You Go:
The 8th Floor holiday display is open daily during store hours. Moose Madness is open Thursdays through Sundays. While the display is free, tickets to the 30-minute puppet show are $4 per person or free for children under age 2.
While You’re There:
Be sure to come downtown early enough for the Holidazzle parade, taking place Thursdays through Sundays at 6:30 p.m. beginning the day after Thanksgiving. Afterwards, stay for shopping and dining downtown.
Getting There:
Macy’s 8th Floor Auditorium is located in the downtown Minneapolis store at 7th Street and Nicollet Mall.
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