Let's hear some of your favorite expiriences, events, feelings, ANYTHING! during the holidays in the city. What's your favorite part?/Least favorite part? Post pictures, anything about the holidays in the city. Have fun!

I have many Christmas pictures I've been working on. I'll share a few here and post more as I finish them all.

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That German Kristkringle Markt is pretty cool. (except when your on a field trip and its 14 degrees outside.)

Nice pictures, we just need some snow on the ground! Also, looks like the crowds are starting to pick up at the malls. Come on guys, I know there's more out there!

My wife grew up in the Lincolnwood Towers in Lincolnwood, IL and they have a magnificent collection of homes and lights. It is on the northwest side of the city near Devon and Pulaski.

I've only been in Chicago for about a year and a half. Has the Tree always been at Daley Plaza?

Riding into the city on the train, visiting the windows at Marshall Field's, the Lights Festival, Christkindl Market, Christmas shopping on State Street, the Walnut Room, and all of the festive things that the city can offer.

I also really enjoy the solitude of the lakefront bike path on a weekday night in the winter. The vast majority of Chicagoans would prefer to stay bundled up inside, so I get to go out there and just enjoy the sounds of the wind and the beauty of the lake and skyline and have it all to myself.

I've only been in Chicago for about a year and a half. Has the Tree always been at Daley Plaza?

Since the early 1970's, the tree has been at Daley Plaza, except for a misguided time during the 1980's, as an attempt to boost the disastrous pedestrian-and-bus-only State Street Mall, the tree was moved to the median at the north end of State Street, just south of Wacker Drive. Boy, did it look dumb sitting there with hardly anyone venturing up to look at it.

After about five years of that, they realized that nothing could help that dopey mall, and they moved the tree back to Daley Plaza.

I will not set foot in the former Marshall Field's until we finish killing Macy's on State, I am placing more emphasis on another favorite Christmas spot in the Loop, the lobby of the Palmer House Hilton. It is stunning year-round, but especially so at Christmas.

If you are strolling along State Street with any out-of-town friends at Christmastime, be sure to bring them to the Palmer House lobby. You can even eat lunch in one of their restaurants or have drinks at one of the bars. As an alternative, after visiting the Palmer House, walk down Wabash to Miller's Pub, a long-time Chicago spot that has the feeling of the Loop in the 1950's and that has a great Christmas atmosphere.

My wife grew up in the Lincolnwood Towers in Lincolnwood, IL and they have a magnificent collection of homes and lights. It is on the northwest side of the city near Devon and Pulaski.

tony, for a lot of people, tying lincolnwood towers with near by saugansash makes a great combination. i'm sure you've done both.

I also really enjoy the solitude of the lakefront bike path on a weekday night in the winter. The vast majority of Chicagoans would prefer to stay bundled up inside, so I get to go out there and just enjoy the sounds of the wind and the beauty of the lake and skyline and have it all to myself.

Nicely put, I can just imagine a cold blustry night along the Chicago lakefront and having it all to yourself looking back at the lights of the city.

One more thing. North Michigan Avenue shoppers, as most of you know, have a classic Chicago hotel lobby at their fingertips. At the Drake Hotel, of course. It is great at Christmastime, with a model train traveling through a Christmas village and around snowy mountains.

Since it is nice to draw parallels, here goes. To me, the Drake Hotel serves the "historic Christmas hotel lobby" role for North Michigan Avenue, while the Palmer House serves this role for State Street.

Off the beaten track in this category is the Chicago Hilton and Towers lobby. Finally, across the street, the Blackstone had a small but stunning lobby. It has been gutted but I hope the redone lobby there is as good. They used to have a marble fountain inside the lobby with cherubs and stuff. Sadly, I think that the crazy Maharishi's group or another owner might have sold off that fountain. The interior was pure 1920's ornate lavishness and at Christmas it was a small gem of a holiday lobby.

i love to have the children sit around the fireplace in the Walnut Room and read The Macy's That Stole Christmas to them.

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The Marshall Fields windows, erm, sorry MACY's windows have been kind of lame in past years...I'll have to check them out this year.

The Marshall Fields windows, erm, sorry MACY's windows have been kind of lame in past years...I'll have to check them out this year.I have pictures of them all. I have to edit them, but will be posting them soon.

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The Marshall Fields windows, erm, sorry MACY's windows have been kind of lame in past years...I'll have to check them out this year.
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what is the name of this mall

what is the name of this mallthat is Water Tower Place

and how many floors have the WTP

and how many floors have the WTPyou're looking at all of them.... 6 floors.

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Question:

If Macy's folds its State St store (but does not revive Marshall Field's) and the property gets redeveloped into something else with ground level shops, will that be it for Christmas window displays in Chicago?

I know this doesn't matter to most people, but window displays are a long-standing tradition that sort of nostalgically give Christmas some of its charm, especially for little children. Plus, they're a big tourist draw. Any thoughts?

In response, let's say that Macy's folds and then Field's doesn't come back, with the building, or at least the lower floors, converted to some other retail use.

With that scenario, there will be new Christmas windows that will be a bigger draw than any Macy's windows could ever be. The association of the building with Christmas trips is so strong that any owner will keep the windows going.

FieldsFansChicago is leafleting at State & Washington at this very moment (Sunday at 4:44 PM) and I will go to help them in a few minutes. A lot of people who have accepted leaflets from FieldsFans have said, in my presence, that they are on State Street for the Christmas experience and that there is plenty there without the need to set foot into Macy's.

Some of these people have said that they may even go into Macy's, but they have no intention of buying anything there. These are the people who will come back to look at windows of whatever store or stores operate in the building.

Well, I'm off to State Street!

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Question:

If Macy's folds its State St store (but does not revive Marshall Field's) and the property gets redeveloped into something else with ground level shops, will that be it for Christmas window displays in Chicago?

I know this doesn't matter to most people, but window displays are a long-standing tradition that sort of nostalgically give Christmas some of its charm, especially for little children. Plus, they're a big tourist draw. Any thoughts?

I agree with you. I'd be really bummed if we lost that. :cry: wont anybody think about the children!!! :ohno:

Question:

If Macy's folds its State St store (but does not revive Marshall Field's) and the property gets redeveloped into something else with ground level shops, will that be it for Christmas window displays in Chicago?

I know this doesn't matter to most people, but window displays are a long-standing tradition that sort of nostalgically give Christmas some of its charm, especially for little children. Plus, they're a big tourist draw. Any thoughts?

I generally try to keep my Chicago trips to spring and summer so it has been a while since i have seen the Christmas windows on State Street but I just got back from San Francisco and had to note that the Macy's windows out there were looking pretty lame as well. Nothing like the displays that Field's used to have.