TUTORIALS

Thursday, December 8, 2016

Christmas Windows in Paris


One thing I can always count on this time of year...festive, creative, breathtaking store window displays all dressed up for Christmas here in the French capital. The girls didn't find much in the way of clothing they liked, but they sure enjoyed looking at the Christmas decorations all over Paris.

As usual, dolls jovial figurines play a major part in many of these displays. They dance, they play, and sometimes they help Santa prepare his haul. We also noticed another trend: tiny scale models of scenery and buildings cut from white cardboard. They were in the displays at Galeries Lafayettes, one of the city's iconic department stores. But they were also in the windows of other types of boutiques as well.

The dolls' photos need no words. So I'm simply putting them up for your enjoyment.

Galeries Lafayette Department Store
 Indoors, a larger than life white paper Christmas tree that spirals to the top of a stain glass dome.
 While outside in the window displays, a tiny white ship takes you to an imaginary world.

 There are polar bears galore!
 All bears work on a big machine to prepare presents galore.




 And voila....a ski jacket for humans emerges!


 Indoors, there are tiny displays. About 1/12 scale....all out of white Bristol board.
 Tiny scenery with incredibly cut details.
 A forest alongside of a grand staircase (but all in 1/12)
Adding to the feeling of North Pole chic....White paper ornaments all over the store interiors including these which drop into a boat.

Musee des Arts Decoratifs
A larger than life old fashioned typewriter in the windows of the Decorative Arts' Gift Shop.

A Jewelry Boutique
The dress is full scale, but the packages and the tiny façade of a local high fashion jeweler are all small scale!

But Christmas is also about color....

Au Printemps Department Store
 Dancing dolls take center stage in the windows of any major department store.


 Of course this store also uses figurines to hawk gifts for adults.

Bringing the outside indoors. A scale model of the store's dome was built inside of the store. Of course the dolls enjoy climbing up the side.

Bazaar de l'Hotel de Ville (BHV-Marais)
 A larger than life size Santa, enjoys sitting high atop a hill overlooking a tiny village below.
 Be careful Santa. Don't crush the locals!!!!

 The elves are on hand to help prepare toys for good girls and boys.


A Local Florist
The great thing is how even the local merchants all get into the Christmas spirit. Here's the one in my neighborhood.


A Christmas Ornament Store
 In the Passage Jouffrey (where you'll find Paris' wax museum (Musee Grevin) and two stores specializing in dollhouse miniatures), there is a store that only sells Christmas decorations, knick-knacks, home décor, and sparkly novelties. There was so much stuff in the windows, it was hard to photograph. Nonetheless, it is a treat to the eyes!

With that, we're all on a plane headed back to the US for the holidays. We didn't see clothes we liked this time around. But we did see a few details, and found some interesting fabric remnants. And it's time to start dressing our rather large community of dolls for Christmas. We'll have another post up shortly.


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16 comments:

  1. Waw Waw Waw ! You are so lucky to be in France ... Merci de partager avec nous ces magnifiques décorations de Galerie Lafayette et du magasin Le Printemps. Quand j'étais petite, je me souviens comment j'étais éblouie devant ces vitrines, surtout qu'une année il y avait des Barbie qui dansaient avec des Ken lors d'un bal. Elles étaient magnifiques avec des robes de bal ... c'est inoubliable.

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    1. Je suis d'accord. Et je suis tres contente de partager ses merveilles avec tous mes amis ici. C'est vrai que ca rapelle l'epoque quand tous les grands magasins s'est decores pour les fetes de fin d'annee. Ca me fait penser a mon enfance egalement quand j'ai fait la leche-vitrine. Il y avait plein des poupees et jouets. C'etait magique! Je suis tres contente que ses photos t'ont plu.

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  2. Wspaniałe dekoracje! Pomysłowe i piękne wykonanie! Oryginalne i rewelacyjne witryny!
    Bardzo lubię Święta!
    Pozdrawiam serdecznie :-)

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    1. Olla wrote: Gorgeous scenery! Imaginative and beautiful performance! Original and sensational site!
      I really like Christmas!
      Best wishes :-)
      Oh, Olla, Christmas is always a magical time...especially for us doll collectors to connect with the child deep within. Best wishes to you as well.

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  3. So creative! I have no words...
    Have a safe flight home and happy holidays!

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    1. Indeed, the Christmas displays in Paris are some of the most creative I've ever seen. It's always such a treat. I'm back in the US and, in addition to getting over jet lag, I've started on decorating the house which includes...getting all the dolls dressed for the holidays!!!!

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  4. I loved seeing the Christmas decor in France! Thank u for sharing with us! Merry Christmas April!

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    1. Yes, me too. I figure this blog is the perfect place to share the delight of such creativity. Merry Christmas to you as well.

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  5. All of these displays are just wonderful! I think the closest we may get to displays around here is in NYC. Now I'm thinking I may have to make my husband take me and the kids up to take a look. I'm sure the displays won't be like these, but it's something to cure my jealousy.

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    1. Yes, I do believe NYC still has wonderful window displays. The problem with most American cities these days is that popular stores like Target and Walmart or even Macy's, don't have windows for Christmas displays as department stores of the past once did. When I see these displays, it really appeals to the little girl in me.

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  6. Wow i want so much to meet Paris,and is only 1 hour traveling from Spain,just gorgeous everything you posted,thanks for all the beauties ;-)
    xx

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  7. Wow, MC--only an hour from Spain! If you ever have the opportunity to visit Paris, I highly recommend it at Christmas time when the city is at its most beautiful!

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  8. Whoops, just sent off a comment...
    Where did it go?
    Jano

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    1. I did receive the comment you left on Christmas Centerpiece.

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  9. Hey! My comment is out there in the ether of the Internet!
    I am just astonished at this post! I missed it until yesterday and I just spent more time looking at it! SO appreciative of the time and attention you took to capture all this beauty!
    The colours, set ups and detail!!!
    I think of the planning, design, time, and people to take this care and present it all.
    Thank you so much, April! So good of you to share all this! Creates a longing to be there! 😘💐✨✨✨✨

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  10. Thank you so much for your comment. You are so right. When you see stop and think what goes into a body of work like this...something that after the holidays will be completely dismantled...I am awestruck by the talent and dedication these artists have. Even though the Galeries Lafayette window displays are perhaps, not the most child friendly, still, one can appreciate how a product is entered into such a creative environment. Unfortunately, what you cannot see in my photos is that the polar bears of the department store windows are completely animated and move about! And, the dolls in the Printemps department store windows....dance!!! Anyway, I feel blessed that I can still be in Paris around Christmastime so the mission is to share all of this beauty and talent with everybody that stops by. Merry Christmas, Jano.

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