Holiday Time in Paris #2

During Year 1 in New York City, we enjoyed viewing the windows of the big stores at holiday time.  The windows were decorated for the season with creative, extravagant displays.  

Here in Paris, the same is true for two of the largest department stores--Galeries Lafayette and Printemps.  Check it out.   

Printemps is a beautiful store that becomes even more so at holiday time.

The top of Printemps is capped with a beautiful glass dome.

The windows at Printemps have an animal theme--from turkeys to parrots to squirrels.

Les dindes means turkeys, while dures à cuire means tough to cook, tough or even badass.

What makes the windows more entertaining is the animation.

Some crazy parrots

Squirrels watching over the coffee beans

At Galeries Lafayette, located next door to Printemps, the windows are similarly decorated. 

The theme at Galeries Lafayette is Christmas Beehive, La Ruche de Noël.  Each window is a beehive of activity.  

One window features a beehive-shaped Advent calendar, with luxury gifts instead of chocolate.

Another window features worker bees wearing hardhats and toiling away.

The bee theme is no accident.  The fine folks at Galeries Lafayette have partnered with the Fondation de France, a public philanthropy network that supports many causes, including the environment.  One campaign seeks to increase awareness for threatened bee populations and raise money.   The world's food supply depends heavily on pollinators, like bees.  

Galeries Lafayette is supporting that cause financially and using its windows to increase awareness.  In addition, Galeries Lafayette has adopted B., an Instagram influencer (#beenfluencer).  Below, B. skates around the ice rink on top of Galeries Lafayette. 

B. skating on the patinoire (ice rink) on the roof of Galeries Lafayette

Thanks for viewing some holiday windows with us.  Bee good.