Christmas in Paris

Paris really knows how to decorate for the holidays. The "grands magasins," or big department stores (Galeries Lafayette, Printemps, BHV), go all out for their window displays (and the exterior of the buildings)!

Each year the city of Paris chooses a theme country and all of the little artisan markets sell products from that country. The grands magasins also decorate according to the theme... guess this year's country.

Outside Galeries Lafayette


Hard to distinguish because of the reflection, but it's a table of bears with cakes and goodies... all animated.


Champagne glass pyramid with dancing bunnies


Animated matroshka dolls with dancing girls inside


Lady cossak dancers


Cute!


Snowy sugar-plum eating musicians playing Tchaikovsky


Inside Galeries Lafayette-- a department store! Did Macy's ever look like this?


Outside of Printemps. JC Penney eat your heart out.


Dome on inside of Galeries Lafayette (above) and accompanying Christmas tree (below).

Theme: if you guessed Russia, you're right!