Things You Won't See at Gimbel's Department Store

Yesterday one of Beth's college roommates came to visit us on her day off. We had thought about seeing the Holidazzle Parade again, but decided it was way too cold to sit outside for it. So we went downtown to Macy's to take in their Santaland display. It's one whole floor of Christmas-themed animatronics. This year it was "A Day in the Life of an Elf."

Nils was in awe the whole way through. It was fun just to watch him looking at each display. They sat down at the end to write a letter to Santa. Nils' letter read "N-i-l-s." He wrote it himself. Anders' said "I hope your elves do a good job."

When I was young we did a yearly pilgrimage to see Santa's Castle in Storm Lake, Iowa. They had department store animatronics from the 1940s through the 1960s. This was my first time to Macy's. If Christmas movies have taught us anything, it's that going to Macy's is a Christmas tradition. They did do a good job with the display--I'll give them that. And their Mrs. Claus and Santa were pretty good, too.

But personally, I felt some of the elves they employ were downright scary.