Toronto’s beloved holiday window tradition has officially returned!
On the evening of December 14, bundled-up crowds gathered along Yonge Street as the iconic display bays lit up once again, reviving a century-old seasonal tradition that has long defined the city’s holidays.
After the Hudson’s Bay Company permanently shuttered earlier this year, many Canadians mourned the loss of the iconic holiday windows at the flagship Queen and Yonge location. The displays had been a shared ritual across generations, with roots stretching back to the 1930s, when the tradition first began under the Simpsons department store.
Last month, however, passersby were given a glimmer of hope. Colourful, gift-wrapped signage appeared on the building, teasing that “Something Sweet is Coming.” Soon after, property owner Cadillac Fairview confirmed the long-awaited news: the holiday windows would return, secured by a single major brand for Holiday 2025.
That brand is Mars Wrigley Canada, which has transformed seven Yonge Street windows into animated, festive scenes for the season. In years past, the former department store’s sister brand, Saks Fifth Avenue, typically reserved the Yonge Street side for chic fashion displays. This year, the space has been reimagined with playful scenes of elves running conveyor belts of Mars bars, Skittles bursting in celebration, and candy-filled moments set within a winter wonderland.
Dubbed Wonders of Mars, the storybook-style journey guides viewers through preparation and chocolate-making, into snowy landscapes, and toward a joyful final celebration centered on family. Bright colours, whimsical animation, and instantly recognizable candy characters bring the displays to life.
The ambitious project took roughly a month to complete and was built entirely by hand in partnership with a Toronto-based fabrication team. Former HBC creative director of visual presentation, Ana Fernandes, was also brought on to help realize the displays within a tight turnaround.
The activation also includes a charitable element. Visitors can submit a holiday wish list, prompting Mars to donate $1 to Food Banks of Canada for each entry, up to a total of $15,000.
You can catch the new Mars holiday windows from December 14 through January 2, 2026.