Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Tuesday 5 december 2017
Holiday display company: Next best thing to Santa’s workshop

By KAREN MATTHEWS
Associated Press
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (AP)
— Inside a massive, nonde-
script warehouse just north
of New York City, it always
looks a lot like Christmas.
American Christmas in
Mount Vernon is essentially
a decorations attic for the
nation’s largest city and
the surrounding area and is
piled high with every imag-
inable holiday decoration
to adorn city streets and
skyscrapers. There are huge
ornaments, toy soldiers,
wreaths, trees, pine cones
and miles of strung lights.
Since early November,
workers have been busy
putting ornaments on trees
and packing displays for
delivery.
There were 18-foot-tall
(5-meter-tall) candy canes
ready to be hung like stock-
ings on a West 57th Street A huge wreath is prepared for a client at the American Christmas warehouse in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017.
office tower, 8-foot-tall Associated Press
(2-meter-tall) pine cones year alone. plays are in the New York tion, and the deal closed mas lights in front of the
soon to be installed atop “It’s the Saks Fifth Avenues area but American Christ- just before this year’s holi- former McGraw-Hill Build-
the revolving door at the and Radio Cities of the mas also has installed dec- day rush. Schwam said ing in midtown Manhattan.
New York Marriott Marquis world that gain us a lot of orations in 35 cities around nothing has changed at Schwam said he and the
American Christmas but company’s creative di-
the merger should open up rector were brainstorming
more international oppor- one day when they spot-
tunities. ted a string of mini-lights.
The company’s New York “We looked at it and de-
City clients include such cided that’s the idea, we
stores as Tommy Hilfiger, just need to make it bigger
Harry Winston and Fer- than us.”
ragamo, which has been A stream of tourists stopped
revamped this year with to take selfies in front of the
red, gold and white lights in giant lights this week.
a crossover design inspired “At first I couldn’t figure out
by a strappy sandal from what it was,” said Patty Wil-
the Italian shoemaker’s ar- son, of Billings, Montana.

Large figurines are stored with other Christmas decorations at American Christmas in Mount Ver-
non, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017.
Associated Press

in Times Square and a glit- attention but most build- the country. It’s even put a
tering basketball headed ing lobbies are doing trees, glittering bow on the Carti-
for the NBA Store on 5th Av- wreaths and garlands,” said er store in Sydney, Australia.
enue. CEO Fred Schwam. “We’ll Schwam, who was just 21 Oversize golden pine cones are stored at the American Christ-
Displays at Radio City Mu- go and hang a wreath when he took over Ameri- mas warehouse in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017.
sic Hall, Saks Fifth Avenue behind a reception desk can Christmas in 1988, said Associated Press
and Rockefeller Center — and that’s the whole job, he was approached in 2015
except for the giant tree and then we have some of by the Innsbruck, Austria- chives. “As we came up closer I
— also are among the 700 the biggest displays in the based holiday decoration Schwam pointed out one saw that it was lights. I think
separate holiday displays world.” company MK Illumination of his favorite displays, the it’s very unusual and it’s
the company will do this Most of the company’s dis- about a possible acquisi- string of giant-sized Christ- cool.”q