Macy's Christmas Displays How-to
Two days left to see Wanamaker Light Show, Strawbridge's Dickens Village, Santa at Macy's Center City.
The long: Two days left to get to the circa-1956 light show, circa-1984 Christmas Village and older-than-that Santa. (Now we tell you, right?)
The short: Arrive early. Wait anyway.
The crowd: Kids, all ages.
Light show: Main hall. Every other hour (10 a.m., noon, 2, 4, 6, 8 p.m. today; 10 a.m., noon, 2, 4, 6 p.m. tomorrow). Trains, snowmen, Santa, teddy bears, sugarplum fairies - all in 11 minutes. Fans arrive an hour beforehand to camp outside the Eagle sculpture (near women's bags and shoes) and to line the second- and third-floor balconies.
The organ: Plays today at noon and 5:30 p.m., tomorrow noon only. (Also: year-round.)
Dickens Village: Third floor, near women's lingerie, through holiday gift shop is . . . a long line to get into Strawbridge & Clothier's waxy, animatronic, slightly haunted house-y depiction of Scrooge's story. Older locals find it nostalgic. Little ones just wanna get to Santa. Open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Wait: 45-50 minutes.
Santa Claus: The beard is real. So is the love. (The backdrop, however, could use updating.) Still worth the wait.
Photos: Pay $29.99 for two digitals and one 6-by-7-inch print. Additional prints: $10. Or, DIY.
Checkout: Doubles as a Build-a-Bear Workshop, where kids can also Build-an-Elsa, Build-an-Olaf, Build-a-Santa. Just try prying them away from that one.
Shopping: Cute stocking stuffers just beyond checkout.
The basics: 1300 Market St., times as above through tomorrow, free, 215-241-9000, visitmacysphiladelphia.com.