Need (older) grandkid...

The Grand America Hotel in downtown SLC decorates thirteen inside windows each Christmas season.

This year the theme was Elves and Santa's workshop.

I've never made it to any of the other years window displays...

This year it made my list of "things to go see during the holiday" list.

The details in each window were marvelous.

Plus each elf was moving throughout the scene on whimsical helicopters like devices.

This "Candy Cane Canyon" window was great!

The Spirit of Winter.

The elves road along with snowflakes...

(Elves are a lot smaller than I thought apparently.)

Chocolate factory elves rode on hand cranked beaters.

Probably the most exciting window:

The Yenti Caves of the North Pole!

(The hotel had "passport" guide handouts with a letter and word to find in each window. This window the children had to decide if the letter Y was for Yenti or Yellow for instance...)

Each year the windows are different so I wonder what happens to these adorable elf creations after the season ends?

Fabric and Sewing Department

(Looking back...even a 14 month old boy was fascinated by the Yenti!)

The elves sewed so beautifully.

The hallways to walk through all the windows was thankfully not very crowded today.

At the end of the hall was this creation.

A gingerbread house.

A BIG gingerbread house.

Holy smokes!

The details...

(When I showed the photos to Bernie he asked what they will do with the house after the season has ended.

Throw it away I imagine.)

 

(Nice of Picasa to add sparkles to my photos. I was surprised!)

Santa was surprised too apparently.

I peeked into one of the hotel ball rooms and admired this chandelier.

The red and green glass seemed very Christmas-y.

Upon closer inspection I found there are also glass daffodils sprouting throughout the chandelier too.

The matching wall scones with a closer look at the daffodils.

The hotel is build around a court yard which is closed for winter.

It must look lovely lit up at night and seen from inside though.

My favorite window was the Paint Department windows.

The paint was splattered about so well.

This elf pumped away at a paint sprayer.

His fellow elves flew about with hot air balloons and paint guns.

Painting space guns for little children is quite an elf intense production scene.

Engineering Department?

Oh...that kind of engineering!

Little girls will swoon to see the Fashion Studio.

Oh so serious...Quality Assurance Division.

Quality assurance apparently involves bopping balls with a mallet!

Just about now the idea of real toys sounded pretty appealing.

The Hotel does has a toy shop.

This wall of photos is like the paintings walls in Harry Potter: they change and talk as you go along.

Some of these toys I don't quite get.

Are they some kind of deal that kids know about but I don't?

I get the Disney Princesses Christmas ornaments appeal though.

And the pink or blue trimmed white baby shoe ornaments are awful sweet too.

The life size robot talked at me as I walked around.

He turned and followed me.

Very cool back packs...

An entire area was filled with collectable fairy dolls.

I wanted the display car, especially if it really runs.

(And I would like it in my grown up size please.)

I wouldn't mind having this chandelier somewhere in my house.

Maybe outside.

Over the Jacuzzi hot tub would be nice.

Grand America is where Bernie and I went for my birthday tea last April.

This day after Christmas tea was quite popular with families with several young girls and what looked like young mothers and grandmothers.

Pretty special!

Another window was Shipping and Handling.

The stockings were being filled and ready to load into Santa's sled.

(I never knew Santa would deliver a stocking too...)

A reindeer stable...Blitzen looked pretty chipper.

As did Donner.

The elves were busy attaching sleigh bells to Donner, or perhaps taking the bells off after last night's sleigh ride?

The clever details on each elf and the mechanics of having them glide!

The hotel also has a bakery shop where I stopped for a look-see.

How about baking themed Christmas ornaments?

(Jelly doughnuts are part of Hanukkah...)

Decorated eggs...

Glass cinnamon rolls!

(Feeling a bit roly-poly myself right now...maybe I should consider just visually feasting on holiday baking themed ornament next year.)

Buying one tiny Buche de Noel log to share would be a smart ploy to remember next year.

I wound up buying a passion fruit French Macarons.

Oh my.

I've heard they were addictive.

Awesome treat.

Outside the bakery the elves were checking their Naughty or Nice list.

I didn't see my name listed in either column.

Sounded about right to me!

Munching my macaron, I left the Grand American and trudged down the snow bordered sidewalk back to my car.

My scouting trip was over.

I've added the Grand America Christmas windows to my "To Do with a Grandchild" list.

It is a someday list, maybe in two or three more years.

Something to look forward to in future holiday seasons.