The holiday season is taking root in downtown Chicago as Macy's on State Street brings back two of its time-honored traditions to the city. The iconic department store, nestled in the Loop, sparked festive cheer with the annual illumination of its Great Tree, a staple marking 117 years of history. In parallel, revelers witnessed the reveal of Macy's cherished holiday window displays, now in their 57th iteration, according to NBC Chicago.
This season, festivities inside the Walnut Room revolved around the lighting of a 45-foot-tall tree. Onlookers enjoyed dining experiences underneath its boughs, adorned with 1,500 ornaments each placed by hand. In an interview with NBC Chicago, Macy’s State Street general manager Matt Sarosy underscored the tradition's impact, saying, "We have guests that come in and tell us they’ve sat at the same table for 50 years and had the same view of the tree and now they’re bringing their grandchildren here." He added, "And that’s really what it’s about, it’s creating those lasting memories and getting to spend time together."
Meanwhile, the exterior of Macy's continued to spark wonder as holiday window displays sprung to life, drawing onlookers into a world of seasonal splendor. The anticipation leading up to these festive unveilings was palatable, with crews working diligently to ensure each ornament and display element perfectly captures this year's theme, “the ways we give.”
Preparations for the Great Tree began earlier with the installation process documented by CBS Chicago. This year's "Sweet Treats Tree" features an array of sugary decorations, including candy canes and oversized confections modeled as gumdrops, cupcakes topped with cherries, and a grand stack of macarons. "It's all about traditions here. You can really have a full holiday tradition experience in multiple locations of the building. So the tree here – customers can come in and dine under the great tree, get their pictures for their family. Santa's here on the fifth floor, so guests can come to visit Santa down in Santaland on the fifth floor. He will be here Saturday through Christmas Eve," detailed a spokesperson at Macy's. The official lighting ceremony was set to dazzle attendees on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
