Remembering Youngstown: Christmas window magic at Strouss’ – Editor’s note: Joyce Lynn Farrell of Youngstown recalls when Christmas displays at Strouss’ delighted young and old in the Mahoning Valley. Joyce, who had a particular interest in the theaters of downtown Youngstown, died in 2018.
The night before Thanksgiving, after Strouss’ Department Store had closed for the day, all the display windows on the West Federal side were covered and would remain that way overnight while window dressers put together the most beautiful Christmastime displays.
There were six large display windows to decorate, and the window dressers had to be done by Thanksgiving morning for they knew that there would be a crowd waiting outside for the grand reveal.
Two windows would draw the most attention: the window with the Nativity scene and the Toyland display. The Toyland window was a favorite with both adults and children, and almost everyone agreed that the window at Strouss’ was superior to McKelvey’s.
A team of window dressers worked all year preparing for the displays, while tending to their weekly windows, for the policy was that no Christmas display should be repeated.
Window dressers were posted at each window on Thanksgiving morning – ready to open the curtains – and all six were opened simultaneously, to the cheers of onlookers outside.
It was official as far as the people were concerned. Many burst into singing “White Christmas” as the countdown to Christmas began. Tucked away in one of the windows was a small easel stand with a “Countdown to Christmas.” The display would mark the days until Christmas Day, with the last card reading “MERRY CHRISTMAS.” Other stores counted remaining shopping days, but not Strouss’. In that same window was a “Keep-Christ-in-Christmas” display, which was sponsored by the Council of Churches.
In the days leading up to Christmas week, the display windows at Strouss’ would remain unchanged – until the last five. Then, the display window that I remember as the Nativity window, went dark once again as the curtain was closed and window dressers worked to transform it into a thing of pure beauty. This window was Strouss’ annual Christmas card to all of Youngstown, a spiritual card of the purest beauty – and the Nativity scene was front and center. It was a work of art, worthy of the Butler Institute of American Art.
There was one rule for this display: no commercial message. And it must be worthy of a place in any church. Of all the stores downtown, this was the only window that had such a display of sublime, spiritual beauty.
As if by some signal, another large crowd gathered outside to see the display on the morning of the window’s unveiling. Afterward, the crowds made their way into the store for last-minute shopping.
Indeed, after all the stores moved out of the downtown area, there would never again be that kind of response to Christmas window displays. An era was gone, but not forgotten.
Click here to see a floor-by-floor listing of the Downtown Youngstown store. The directory is courtesy of The Department Store Museum.
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