Macy's Chicago State Street Christmas Windows Stink - November 2024

The downfall of large department store shopping along Chicago's State Street is well documented.  Marshall Field's becoming Macy's occurred during my lifetime - in 2006.  That's long enough to kind of forget what Marshall Field's was like, but recent enough to still feel the outrage.  

But that outrage really only returns during the Christmas season. 

And...that is likely *why* all the changes have been made.  Not enough shoppers have been visiting department stores and not enough are shopping on State Street.

Before I talk about what is going on right now, during Christmas 2024, I suppose I should say that we all *should* be grateful that Macy's on State Street still exists at all. 

I've covered Marshall Field's (and now Macy's) on State Street in Chicago over the years.   Here's a whole collection of posts.    More on that below the photos.  

Macy's calls their State Street Christmas setup 'Santaland' and it includes the Walnut Room on the 7th floor (and the "Great Tree", the actual "Santaland' on the fifth floor and the State Street-facing Christmas windows.  

Now...Macy's has done Chicago's windows in a bad way before.  In 2015, one of the dioramas was CLEARLY a recycled (or cloned) version from their NYC store that featured Chicago landmarks (Sears Tower, Hancock building) set on a peninsula.  Like Manhattan.  Not, along the shore of Lake Michigan.  

But, at least there was still STORYTELLING.  Santa flying in a sleigh. With movement.  Animatronics.  No commerce/commercialization.  And, they did it from ONE END of the block to the other.  They have typically skipped over a merchandise window in the middle.  But, they filled the rest from corner to corner with story.  In some years, they went around the corner on Randolph with a 'companion' window like this (REALLY GREAT!) history of Christmas at the State Street store display. 

But, this year?  The 2024 windows STINK.  

There's no story.  There's no characters.  There's no reason to spend more than 10 seconds at each one.  NONE. 

The theme - if you can call it that - is the idea of 'giving'.  Each window has a different phrase using 'give'.  

Give Surprise. (the 'p' in surprise has already been peeled off, btw)
Give Wonder.

Then...there are two windows with the same message:  Give Love.  Give Back. 

And, finally the fifth window reads:  The Macy's Gift Guide.

Is there a story?  No.  There is one 'screen' that provide some sense of movement.  And some rotating stars.  But, that's it.  

Are there characters?  Not really.   One features a giant elf bust. One a giant teddy bear.  One has stars, one has hearts.  And the 'gift guide' window?  It has three little stationary elf-ladies in red pant suits.  

These are the worst set of Windows I've ever seen and they give shoppers NO REASON to go out there and look at them.  

Here they are below - I took these photos a few days ago:

The two 'Give Love. Give Back' windows call out how Macy's is partnering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters this holiday season.  That's great.  Love it.  But, why not do both?  Be a business 'with purpose' and live up to your reputation?

After all, we live in an "Instagram world" where every person visiting the State Street windows is sharing everything on their phones. From group chats to TikToks and creators - these windows are (or WERE) a HUGE opportunity for Macy's.  Do them well, and they sell themselves.  People would clamor to be there, shoot some footage and share it FOR FREE.   Like those restaurants that make totally absurd Bloody Mary's with two-foot-tall garnishes ....that's the lens that these Christmas windows should be viewed thru - social sharing.  

But, they chose to, instead, check-the-box.  Are there windows?  Yeah.  I guess so.  But, they're not worth seeking out.

My kids look at my like I'm a crazy person when I tell them that I used to 'look forward' to my annual trip to Marshall Field's for Christmas each year with my Mom and sisters.  "Okay, grandpa", they say.  

But, with these windows and the not-so-great food at the Walnut Room, I don't blame them. 

I can't say 'shame on you, Macy's" because....well....I understand the demands of the almighty shareholders.  I suppose that I should just be content that this store still is open, that the Walnut room serves meals and that there is a 'holiday' display on State Street, right?  

Because, we both know that this will not last forever.  It might not even last through this decade.

Now...with all that belly-achin' out of the way, can I also say something nice about Macy's on State Street at Christmastime?  

When you look *down* State Street, you get this lovely profile of the building.  It features the iconic green corner clock and the 'trumpets' that extend up-and-out from the building.  Grateful that they're still doing these:

Now...why would you listen to my opinion about these windows?

Right up until the COVID Christmas of 2020, I was documenting their Christmas windows each year - that I captured as I walked across the loop from the train station to my office in the Aon building.  Here's 2019.  Here's 2018.  Here's 2017.  Here's 2016. Here's 2015.  Here's 2014. 

I point that out because I think I can positively say that this year's Macy's (Marshall Field's) State Street Santaland Christmas windows are the worst ones they've done.

Listen...I've given Macy's credit for a number of things: they included Uncle Mistletoe in the 'side' window on Randolph Street in 2017.  How great was that?  I've written about Uncle Mistletoe before, too.  And...that's a big part of the 'fumble'.  They had THIS GUY.  They used him on their mugs at the Walnut Room.  And, then....tossed him away.  

Oh, while you are here, check out my (mostly) comprehensive list of Walnut Room (Marshall Field's Chicago) Christmas mugs.  

We're headed to the Walnut Room in a few weeks -  here's to nostalgia being stronger than revulsion.