In 1956, the Philadelphia Wanamaker's premiered a Christmas Light Show, a large musical and blinking light display several stories high, viewable from several levels of the building, but with the best viewing on the central ground floor. Its popularity with Philadelphia parents and children, as well as tourists, ensured a continuous run, even after the building was sold to different business interests.
For decades until 1994, the melodic baritone "voice", or narrator, of the show was John Facenda, known to Philadelphians for decades reporting the news on radio and television, as well as nationally known as the voice of NFL Films. NFL Films' Ed Sabol referred to Facenda as "The Voice of God" (Facenda is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio). His wordsmithing and dramatic baritone delivery were highlights of the shows.
Every Christmas Mom would take us to see the Wanamaker's light show. We'd take the J or R bus to Frankford then the EL to City Hall. As a kid riding the train was so cool too. Coming up the steps from the train, the excitement,, seeing that looming building, I can still remember those incredible grand window displays. In 2007, the entire Christmas Light Show was completely modernized and rebuilt by Macy's Parade Studio on new trusses with lighter materials and LED lighting. In 2008, a new and bigger Magic Christmas Tree with LED lights debuted. However, due to safety concerns and logistical issues, the dancing water fountains were retired and will not return. Just because Wanamaker's is gone their Christmas show is not. Macy’s Christmas Light Show. There are 34,500 LED lights on the Macy’s Magic Christmas Tree in six colors: red, yellow, green, blue, purple, and cool white, which breaks down to about 5,750 lights in each color. The old Wanamaker tree contained an estimated 23,500 lights. Macy’s is located inside The Wanamaker Building at 13th & Market Streets, Philadelphia, PA 19107.