The color-changing stars at Columbus Circle. These massive stars are some of the largest in the world, displaying a rainbow of colors transitioning from blue to purple to green-yellow to orange and every hue in between. It is a message to the world that life is best under the twinkling lights of the sky.
The color-changing stars at Columbus Circle. These massive stars are some of the largest in the world, displaying a rainbow of colors transitioning from blue to purple to green-yellow to orange and every hue in between. It is a message to the world that life is best under the twinkling lights of the sky.

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Starry universes, megalithic suitcases in the sky, and a giant gem-studded praying mantis

The hidden messages in New York City’s holiday displays that leave you awe-struck

Eva Schicker
6 min readDec 18, 2024

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It’s the holidays and like every season, the displays have been eagerly anticipated by millions. At last, they’ve been revealed. This is the ultimate time to dive head-first into the crowds of shoppers, revelers, and visual thrill-seekers to get dazzled to the max.

Manhattan, the most stylish borough, has turned into a galaxy of stars. Lit in every nook and cranny with tens of thousands of celestial symbols, the star has by its radiance and glow become the symbol of choice for numerous holiday extravaganzas. But that’s not all, as we shall see.

Because New York City is not just any town in the US, it is the megalopolis of extremes. Ultimate conspicuous consumption happens right next to humble devouring of a pizza slice or two by locals hurrying to their next appointment.

Call it a New York obsession with telling a good story about fame and glory, dreams and aspirations, or an homage to a local cultural movement perhaps, this year’s displays deliver the goods on top of the slice of pizza.

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Eva Schicker
Eva Schicker

Written by Eva Schicker

Hello. I write about UX, UI, AI, animation, tech, fiction, art, & travel through the eyes of a designer & painter. I live in NYC. Author of Princess Lailya.

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