After a little contemplation, Melbourne really brings it when it comes to civic decorations at Christmas time. For many Melburnians a visit to either the Boulevard lights or the Myer Windows, regardless of faith, is an annual tradition during the white-hot Christmas break.
The iconic Christmas Windows of Melbourne were developed by Fred Amussen, the head window-dresser of the windows from 1939 to 1974. Today, Wayne Latham heads a dozen-strong team which includes mechanical, lighting and costume designers, set builders and character stylists into their 12-month preparation which then includes a three-week window setup! Located on the facade of the windows of the Bourke St Mall, Myer (a department store chain) enormous windows house animated puppets and scenes from different Christmas stories every year. Also of note is the building which houses the windows – a stunning Art Deco facade completed in 1933 designed by architects Crouch and Wilson originally for furniture store Robertson and Moffat. The drum clock that protrudes from the building is the same one in perfect working order also from 1933.
My personal annual experience is characterized by sweating and slightly delirious people waiting loyally in chaotic lines to view the sights – and that’s just the adults. A story beside each window gives the sense of the story being portrayed coming to life, as if you are reading a magical picture book. The sheer scale of the windows shrink the viewer emphasizing the brief return to childhood these windows provide. Velvet rope parallel to the 50-or-so meter long set of windows prevent would-be cue jumpers and in recent years a complementary soundtrack has been made to play while you view the windows over and over AND OVER!!
(all photo credit: http://www.myer.com.au/christmas_events-and-charity_christmas-windows.aspx)
‘Olivia helps with Christmas’ 2009
‘The wind in the willows’ 2001
…and who can resist a little Whoville in the mix!! ‘The Grinch who stole Christmas’ 2003 (i seriously need to start a Grinch-dedicated blog)
…and now for some retro windows…’Arabian Nights’ 1966
The inaugural window display, ‘Santa and the Olympics’ 1956
Last year, the song ‘Santa Claus is coming to town’ was brought to life through the windows, due in no small part to Guy Sebastian’s over-singing of the song which was played on a loop, for about 12 hours a day. I would know this as I work in a store opposite the windows and within earshot of the speakers. For those of you who must clearly be bored, (or have a death wish, I don’t know) the link for his rendition of the song is below. Listen at your peril.
Credit: Guy Sebastian, Myer Youtube Channel
The lesser-known, but still popular Boulevard Lights is located in Ivanhoe, a suburb in North East of Melbourne. Residents of the Boulevard decorate their houses in lights and various energy-bill inflating electronics – last year a house displayed a giant Homer Simpson as Santa Claus floating in the air – kind of like those crazy fabric pipes that used-car salesmen like to use. Of an evening, the road is packed with the slow crawl of visitors who opt for a drive-through experience of the lights, and locals who walk the street spill out from the footpath onto the road.
Have you been to these displays? What traditions does your town/city/hamlet do during Christmas time?
Beyond ‘A White-Hot Christmas,’ encourage you to check out the related blogs! Yes, they may not be completely relevant (i think i may have cornered a niche in the market haha) but
This blog, ‘keeping the Christmas spirit alive, 365’ has an amazing library of great magazine/pinterest/tumlbr photos of decor ideas for Christmas. lovely!
2.http://www.godecookery.com/how2cook/howto06.htm
‘Christmas Feasts’ contains directions on how to cook an authentic medieval Christmas dinner! WOW!
3. https://twitter.com/santaclaus
Santa. On Twitter. What is there not to love?? A real amalgamation of old Christmas folklore with modern communication systems.
a white-hot christmas 