[criddell]

When I was five or six, my grandmother took me and my siblings on a train to Toronto (maybe a two hour trip) around Christmas to walk down some street (no idea which) and look at the Christmas displays in shop windows. It was all magic to me.

I don't think we ever bought anything although she must have fed us something. It's one of my favorite memories and I still love trains. I'm hoping to ride Via from Toronto to Vancouver in a cabin car someday soon!

[canucker2016]

If the trip happened in the past 30 years, then your family probably walked along the south side of Queen St, just west of Yonge St. at the Hudson's Bay flagship store in Toronto.

as an example, see https://www.reddit.com/r/toronto/comments/ylxwxt/hudsons_bay...

just search for "Toronto Hudson's Bay Christmas Display Window"

Before then, Eaton's dept. store in the Eaton Centre, just north of the Queen St. Hudson's Bay store, may have had Christmas display windows as well.

[canucker2016]

Google Maps Street view link of the store windows that house the Christmas displays leading up to Dec. 25 every year.

see https://maps.app.goo.gl/ho5aM9sjaPo27bYB6

[criddell]

It was 1975ish, so a bit more than 30 years ago but Hudson’s Bay sounds right to me. That store was a much bigger deal in the 1970’s. My family always had their blankets kicking around.

[lisper]

I have some bad news for you: 1975 was almost 50 years ago.

[canucker2016]

Before 1991, the Queen St store was actually part of the Simpson's department store chain.

The Simpson's Christmas window displays were much more extensive as well.

Back then, the family could have gone down into the basement of the Simpson's department store and dined on hot dogs and an orange-Tang-like drink (there may have been other flavours, but I always chose orange). The drinks came in paper cones (similar to those used for water coolers) placed in metal holders.

see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpsons_(department_store)

[criddell]

What did I do to you?