Downtown Seattle Nordstrom removes Pine Street Santa, shifts holiday traditions
SEATTLE - A beloved piece of downtown Seattle’s holiday season will look different this year: the iconic Nordstrom Santa will no longer appear in the Pine Street window, ending a decades-long tradition tied to the city’s retail history.
The change comes as Nordstrom launches a new slate of indoor holiday events for 2025, shifting Santa photos and celebrations deeper inside its flagship store.
Keep reading to learn more about the changes coming to Nordstrom this holiday season.
A holiday tradition with deep Seattle roots
The backstory:
The Santa display has been a familiar sight on Pine Street since 1998, when Nordstrom moved its flagship into the former Frederick & Nelson building. For many Seattle families, visiting Santa in the street-facing window became part of their annual downtown holiday ritual.
The Frederick & Nelson building itself has been a cornerstone of Seattle’s retail landscape since 1918. Generations of families visited the original department store’s elaborate Christmas displays, including moving train sets, animated winter scenes and the Santa appearances Seattle Baby Boomers still reminisce about today.
Frederick & Nelson closed in 1992, leaving the landmark empty until Nordstrom restored the building and revived its holiday traditions six years later. For nearly three decades, the Nordstrom Santa on Pine Street served as the spiritual successor to those earlier Frederick’s window displays.
Why Santa is moving indoors
What we know:
Nordstrom confirmed this week that Santa will no longer appear in the Pine Street window. Instead, all Santa photos and holiday programming will take place inside the store near the kids’ department, beginning Nov. 28.
The change, according to the company’s holiday programming schedule, is part of a broader plan to "reimagine" Santa photos and create a more immersive experience for families.
Santa visits will run through Dec. 24, with free sessions for Nordstrom cardmembers and $40 sessions for non-members.
A child sits on Santa's lap on Dec. 5, 2016, at the downtown Seattle Nordstrom.
New holiday experiences replace Pine Street display
What they're saying:
Nordstrom is filling the shift with a larger holiday presence indoors.
The ‘Oh, What Funhouse!’
The new installation will include a five-floor, multi-sensory holiday experience. Opening on Nov. 28, shoppers who visit all five areas will be named "Certified Gift Experts."
Santa parades inside the store
On Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Santa, Mrs. Claus and dancing elves will parade through the store’s escalator corridors.
Storytime with Mrs. Claus
For even more holiday fun, storytime with Mrs. Claus will be held on Nov. 28, after both parades in the kids’ department.
All together, these events mark a significant shift away from Pine Street-facing holiday traditions and deeper into the modern era of interactive, indoor retail experiences.
A loss felt in a changing downtown Seattle
Local perspective:
While Nordstrom is expanding its holiday offerings, the absence of Santa in the Pine Street window marks another major change for downtown Seattle. With Macy’s closing in 2020 — taking its own historic holiday train displays with it — this move leaves the city without two of its most recognizable exterior holiday fixtures.
For many residents, the Pine Street Santa wasn’t just a photo op; it was a sign that downtown was alive and festive each November and December.
Despite the change, Santa will still be a central part of the store’s programming, even if he’s no longer greeting crowds from the Pine Street window.
For the full list of Seattle Nordstrom events and activities for the holidays, visit their website.
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The Source: Information in this story came from Nordstrom and FOX 13 Seattle original reporting.