Traditions are what make holidays special. (They can play a pretty big part in relationships, too). There is probably no holiday ritual more iconic in Philadelphia than the John Wanamaker (now Macy’s) Christmas Light Show. Since 1955, this dazzling display of lights and music (with narration by the equally iconic Julie Andrews) has delighted children and adults alike. At least it delighted my date and I (two consenting adults) when we went to see it together last week. Add to the experience two thick and decadent hot chocolates from nearby Naked Chocolate (which we surreptitiously spiked with shots of liquor) and this was a holiday date worth making a tradition.
How cheap we talkin’: The light show is FREE! An “Indulgent” sized hot chocolate at Naked Chocolate is $5.00. A single-serving shot of liquor (optional) is $2-3. (We used 3).
Why this will impress your date: Because nothing beats feeling like a kid again. Except feeling like a kid who’s snuck into the liquor cabinet.
The Inside Game: Up the decadence factor by getting your chocolate ”European style.” Trust me, you won’t be disappointed (but your personal trainer might).
Score Extra Points: By planning your visit to coincide with one of the daily concerts on the famous Wanamaker organ (it’s one of the largest working organs in the world). View the full schedule here.
Next Date: The 2010 Christmas Light Show runs every hour on the hour, 10am to 8pm, through December 23rd. December 24th the last show is at 5pm, and they are closed Christmas Day. But catch the show after Christmas through December 30th 10am-7pm.
Located on the corner of 13th and Walnut, Naked Chocolate is a cozy Center City cafe and a chocolate lover’s dream. The counter is stacked with rows of gorgeous dark, white, and milk chocolates, peppermint bark, truffles, hand-dipped pretzels, and other mouth-watering treats. When you eventually manage to look up from this confection wonderland, you will see the “Drinking Chocolates” menu posted behind the register. This is not just a matter of clever phrasing – drinking chocolates are made from real chocoloate and are actually distinct from “hot chocolate,” which is made from cocoa powder. As a result, drinking chocolates are richer and thicker than “hot cocoa.”
There were many tempting options, but my date and I both chose the “Aztec,” which contains an exotic mix of nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamon, and cloves. I ordered mine “American style,” which basically means, with a little milk. My date, the wiser, ordered the ”European style,” and kindly let me have a taste. It was amazing: like drinking straight hot fudge brownie batter. But both make unbelievably indulgent beverages, especially if you agree to let them put whipped cream on top. It’s not something most people could drink every day, but hey, that “only-in-winter” kind of thinking is what makes the foundation of a good tradition, anyway.
Adding alcohol to your liquidated chocolate bar is optional, obviously, but sneaking around Macy’s looking for an unmonitored dressing room or a rack of clothes to shield our shennanigans was part of the fun. Because it was late on a Sunday, I had planned ahead and picked up a selection of shots earlier in the day. But there is a Fine Wine and Good Spirits liquor store at 1218 Chestnut (open Monday-Saturday 9am-9pm, and Sundays 12-5). Depending on what you fancy, Kahlúa, brandy, flavored vodka, Frangelico, or Bailey’s will all blend nicely. We each used one shot of Kahlúa and a half-shot of Frangelico. It was also really fun to have a semi-legitimate reason to buy those ridiculous mini-bottles.
After fixing up out beverages, we spent the few minutes before the hour wandering through the Grand Court — a towering atrium with marble arches that also houses the Great Pipe Organ. Built in 1904 for the St. Louis World’s Fair, the Wanamaker Organ was installed in 1911 and is now a National Historic Landmark. Its 28,500 pipes have been under the hands of Peter Richard Conte as Grand Organist since 1989. It’s worth planning your date so you can also hear the organ, if possible.
While the organ has performances daily, the Holiday Light Show only runs from the day after Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. Dubbed the “Annual Christmas Pageant of Lights,” this delightful display of blinking bulbs set to music is quite literally, good old-fashioned fun. Reindeer and snowmen and ballerinas appear and disappear, set to familiar holiday favorites like the Nutcracker and Frosty the Snowman.
Perhaps because it has remained relatively unchanged for 50 years, there is something undeniably nostalgic and really almost quaint about the show, despite its larger-than-life scale. With over 65,000 LED lights in the show (and an additional 34,500 on the Magic Christmas Tree), what’s really awe-inspiring is thinking about what a technical feat this was to pull off 50 years ago.
We had an unobstructed view from the second floor, but just like the kids we could see below, we were mesmerized for the entire 12 minutes of the show. After the screen went dark, we joined in the collective applause, and then wandered around the store. When we finished the last of our drinks we forced ourselves back out into the cold, with LED sugar plums dancing in our heads, and plans to do it again next year.
