Have you visited a holiday window display or market this season?
These can be found in New York City, Seoul, South Korea, and other major world capitals.
In today’s episode, find out our prediction for the future of these holiday window displays.
You’ll also hear details about how we celebrate the holidays in the United States.
We’ll share three English phrases you can use to express how these events make you feel.
Holiday cheer
Much of the world gets excited to celebrate the holidays this time of year.
Hannukah, Thanksgiving and Christmas are a few of the holidays celebrated in the U.S.
The first thing that comes to mind during the holidays, especially in New York City, is the magical feeling that envelops the entire city.
- envelop: to surround
There are a lot of movies, songs and books about the holiday season set in New York City.
The famous FAO Schwarz department store in the movie “Big” is one of the most iconic establishments.
Holidays in different regions
Aubrey shared that the holidays are celebrated differently in Arizona than in New York.
She spends time with her family and drives around their area looking at Christmas lights.
They also have the tradition of using an advent calendar to count down the days before Christmas.
Lindsay also spends time with her family and has the tradition of decorating their home with as many lights as possible.
Christmas in New York or in major cities in America offers many opportunities for shopping and dinners.
The city is often adorned with big lights and holiday displays.
The department stores put effort and expense into putting up detailed window displays to bring the holiday spirit to their shop.
Christmas window displays
The holiday season in cities can be very different from the suburban parts of America.
In New York, there would be tons of holiday-themed window displays in several department stores.
There will always be throngs of people that would line up to see these beautiful displays.
- throng: a very dense crowd of people
This is a famous trend in New York City where there are super detailed and breathtaking holiday displays that are also seen in cities in other countries.
Aubrey is not a big holiday window shopper.
She is not an impulse buyer.
She likes to take the time and research what she wants and needs to buy.
A lot of people are into window shopping.
It is optimal for those who purchase newly-released products.
All these topics are opportunities to connect with people who are interested in this kind of thing.
Window displays in NYC
As mentioned, New York is really big on Christmas window displays.
There is an article that shares the top stores in New York that show off very intricate and massive window displays during the holidays.
- Bergdorf Goodman
- Macy’s
- Bloomingdale’s
- Saks 5th Avenue
Be sure to visit these shops when you’re in New York.
Window displays at Shinsegae
Holiday window displays are not just a big part of American culture.
These window displays can be seen in large cities throughout the world.
There is a department store in Seoul, South Korea called Shinsegae.
The entire front of their building is a movie and lights display.
You will see the nutcracker and Christmas trees.
It is amazing and would be a great experience to see it.
Holiday markets around the world
In Germany, there are many holiday markets.
These boast tons of gifts that you can buy and food you can try.
There are always interesting things to see around the holidays.
This can be a great opportunity to share what you’ve seen and experienced to build a connection with other people.
Today we share some key phrases that can be used to spark these conversations.
#1: ‘It brings me right back to…’
This is a good phrase to use to share the feeling of nostalgia you get during the holidays.
It is great when things you see, smell or taste trigger a memory.
This is a good way to share an intimate experience.
Examples:
It brings me right back to Christmas when I was a kid.
It brings me right back to when I was young and celebrating the holidays with family.
#2: ‘_____ is remarkable.’
This is an elevated way to say that something this amazing and interesting.
It is a classy and professional way to comment on how much you are impressed by something.
Example:
The attention to detail in this window is remarkable.
The music is remarkable.
#3: ‘It really puts me in the holiday spirit.’
This a very native expression to share you are feeling good due to the holidays.
This comment could be about music, food or decorations.
It could also be a feeling you get due to someone’s kind or thoughtful actions.
Example:
All this gift-giving is really putting me in the holiday spirit.
Takeaway
The celebration of the holiday spirit is enjoyed around the world.
Feel free to share your experiences with other native English speakers and make that connection as you experience the holiday season.
In this episode, we shared phrases that can be used to easily start a conversation and describe how you feel with family and friends.
It is the season of giving and celebrating so take that chance to spread good vibes to everyone you meet as you keep practicing your English.
What are the traditions in your hometown during the holiday season?
We’d love to hear how you celebrate!
