One of my favorite traditions as a child was heading downtown Minneapolis (when you grow up in the suburbs, downtown always seems mystical to a child) to what was once Dayton’s (then Marshall Field’s) and now Macy’s to see the annual holiday show on the eighth floor of the large department store. Filled to the brim with colorful vignettes and animatronic puppetry, the holiday show was quite the treat for families. When I was younger, the display changed every year: Polar Express, Cinderella, Snow White, Harry Potter and more. These days Macy’s keeps the display the same each year: A Day in the Life of Christmas Elf at Santaland.
We brought my toddler to the display last year for the first time. While it’s lost a bit of its luster for me, my kid thought it was pretty fun to spot the elves working hard at the North Pole, making toys, baking goodies and causing mischief.
After your trip through the display, you have the option of visiting the man himself, Santa Claus. I wrote last year about the “magic” behind the curtain, which helps lots of people make their way through pretty quickly (hint, there’s more than just one Santa, but shhhhh). Then you can pick up a delicious goodie in Mrs. Claus’ shop and be on your merry way.
The holiday display and Santa visits open this weekend and stays open every day during Macy’s store hours through Christmas Eve. Weekends, lunch hours, Holidazzle evenings, and no-school days can get a little crazy, but if you plan accordingly or visit during off-peak hours, your family will be in for a real treat.
