NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — The magic and wonder of the holiday season is in full swing in New York City.
While the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree waits to be lit up, Macy's unveiled its holiday window display in Herald Square on Thursday night as hundreds gathered around to take a peek.
"We are Christmas," is what national Macy's windows director Roya Sullivan said as she described how rewarding it is to do her job of designing the the department store's holiday displays. This year's theme is "believe in the wonder."
"And it's really how Santa is in all our hearts during the holiday season. So believe in that wonder. Believe in that giving. And that's what we portrayed in the windows," she said.
It takes a whole year to plan out these windows. Two to three months to come up with a theme. Eight months to build it all and 21 days to install.
Matthew Sterling from Brooklyn dressed up as Santa for the occasion.
"Forever and a day you come to Macy's and you come to New York and you come for the holiday season," Sterling said. "New York is Christmas and Macy's is Christmas."
This year's display has chrome and neon moving pieces that are interactive.
"It's very futuristic and 80s at the same time," said Samia Abdallah from Tunisia.
There's a selfie station and visitors can also pet a puppy's nose that's sticking out the window and handle a steering wheel that controls a car behind the window.
"I think it was very fun, because it was like you were in the car, but you were not because you were just driving the wheel," said 7-year-old Illyana Morales.
The display will be up through Jan. 1, 2020.
Planning for next year's theme starts on Friday.