I love a city during the holidays: Lights, parties, old-timey decorations, and good, festive craziness everywhere. While all cities have their visual attractions this time of year, anyone cataloging NYC's would have to include the windows at Bergdorf Goodman, which are always a highlight of the season.Holiday 2008

Bergdorf's displays — the work of designer David Hoey and his longtime collaborator, Linda Fargo — are spectacular no matter the month...Two from Fall 2006 ...but they're particularly over the top this time of year: unbelievably intricate and fantastical universes worthy of all the myths of the season. They turn window shopping into a destination event, and Strath and I always looked forward to seeing them unveiled.

Holiday 2008
Holiday 2009

I had hoped to be back in NYC starting this month to catch them in person, but a last-minute change of plans postponed my trip till spring. So I was happy to hear that Assouline has a new book honoring the displays, holiday and otherwise, in the works. The 144-page, 11 x 17 in. volume, very practically titled "Windows at Bergdorf Goodman" is scheduled for release in January. It's to be printed in a limited edition of 1000, priced at $550 each. A little pricey, yes, but all things considered a not-unreasonable sum to pay for a dream world at your fingertips.***

How wonderful! The light upon her face shines from the windows of another world. Saints only have such faces.

--Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882), from Michael Angelo. (I am newly obsessed.)

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Update: The Moment provides a sneak peek at this year's holiday windows, which make their debut later this week.