Christmas in my family is all about Marshall Field’s. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, let me explain.
Marshall Fields used to be the store in Chicago. It’s history in the city is pretty great and not only involves the Great Chicago Fire, but a freakishly high amount of other fires that almost put the retailer out of business. But the State Street location, the flagship of the operation, became a Chicago landmark in 1897 when the first version of the Marshall Field’s clock was installed.
The building is full of amazing history, seriously, go google it. But for my family, it also has a lot of personal history.
For starters, my grandmother worked there for a very long time. My father also worked at this store for some time. As a child, she would always take us downtown at Christmas to a family store event. Often times, we would eat in the famous Walnut Room inside the store, and then head up to a party. I don’t remember much except the Sugar Plum Fairy, Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly.
You may not have any idea what I’m talking about at this point. Even Wikipedia doesn’t know what I’m talking about – they have no listing for Uncle Mistletoe. Here’s what they look like – (these are my candles.)
Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly candles.
Here’s what I know about Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly. Mistletoe is the brother of Santa. He was created in 1946 by Marshall Field’s to compete with Montgomery Ward’s creation, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. At some point, a tv program called “The Adventures of Uncle Mistletoe,” was created and it lasted for four seasons. There’s also a Little Golden Book story about him. You can still see him on the top of “The Great Tree” in the Walnut Room.
Walnut Room Christmas Tree at Marshall Field’s from 2009.
I don’t remember really visiting Santa as a child, but I have very vivid memories of visiting Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly. The Sugar Plum Fairy, who looked like the most magical princess, would come around and sprinkle glitter in my hair. I LOVED IT. (By the way, in 2009 we went to visit and saw they are still using the Sugar Plum Fairy – she was fat and ugly – NOT GOOD.)
I made this video last Christmas – and you can see a lot of the photos from my childhood at Marshall Fields:
As we got older, my father would take us downtown each Black Friday. Now, this was late 80s/early 90s when Black Friday wasn’t nearly as crazy as it is today. We would see the Marshall Field’s Christmas Windows (they would decorate the windows to a theme each year) and walk down State Street and over to Michigan Avenue and mingle with the fur protesters. It’s always a good time.
Marshall Fields Christmas windows on State Street.
As a family, there was never a time we could go downtown without stopping at Marshall Field’s to get some Frango Mints. The mint chocolate truffles were made by Marshall Fields and were produced on the 13th floor of the State Street store from 1929 until March 1999. There was a lot of debate when they shipped Frango making out-of state. But now Chicago Frango’s are made in the city, just not at the state street store. My grandmother loved them until the day she died. We even buried her with a small box of the chocolates.
My grandmother died in 2009 around Thanksgiving. I think she planned it that way so we could all be together, and go down to see the holiday display at Marshall Fields. Here’s a picture with some of my cousin’s in front of the Great Tree.
The Bresnahan girls in front of the Walnut Room’s Great Tree at Marshall Fields in 2009.
Now, as an adult, it’s all gone. Marshall Field’s was acquired by Macy’s in 2005. While Macy’s had tried to keep some of the Marshall Field’s magic, they’ve basically killed it with their New York centered thinking. It’s very sad.
While in Chicago in 2011 for my sister’s wedding, we went to “Marshall Field’s” to see how things were holding up under the Macy’s rule. They’ve done a nice job remembering the history. We were in the Frango section and my mom was buying a book on Marshall Field’s history. The woman at the cash register took my mom’s credit card, saw the last name, and asked….”Do you know a Mary Ann” — my mother instantly started crying. That was my grandmother. The cashier said she used to work with my grandma at that very store. It was a pretty amazing moment. We talked all about her, the store, the history. We had an angel watching over us while we were shopping.
My family has become collectors of anything Marshall Fields, especially Uncle Mistletoe. Some of my favorite Christmas ornaments center around these two things. So I leave you with happy Christmas memories and some really cool items. I’d love to hear your Marshall Field’s Christmas memories!
Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly Christmas Ornaments from Marshall Fields.
Here you can see the Marshall Field’s Frango Christmas ornament, the State Street clock and the shopping bag. All my favorites.
Marshall Field’s Christmas Ornaments
Uncle Mistletoe Cookie Jar
Marshall Field’s State Street Clock clock.
I love that you said good-bye to your grandma with a box of chocolates! We all hope that our family members would know us just that well as a person.
You should add the picture of Katie and Jimmy under the clock on their wedding day!
Aww! That was so cute!!!
Such wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing
Well said Jen! I was so excited this year when I finally got to put my clock on our tree:)
Thanks for a warm and wonderful story. There’s a group working to bring back Marshall Field’s…it’s at http://www.FieldsFansChicago.org I’m posting a link to this page on it’s blog.
While some are skeptical that Field’s can come back to State Street, remember that 69 years ago today, the “Field Museum of Natural History” became the “Chicago Museum of Natural History.” It took 23 years but everyone was thrilled when it went back to being the “Field Museum of Natural History” on February 28, 1966.
Thanks for the link & the kind words! My whole family is on board with this plan – bring back Marshall Fields!!
Miss Field’s so much in the winter months especially. Still haven’t shopped at Macy’s or Bloomingdale’s. Not one cent.
I find it interesting to note you label photos from 2009 Marshall Field’s, even though Macy’s changed the name in 2006. That store always will be Marshall Field’s to many people, no matter what Macy’s tries to do or call it.
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Thanks for the memories, Jen. You and readers of your blog will surely enjoy my YouTube video, “Marshall Field’s Christmas Memories,” which has been viewed more than 113,000 times! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juJTB7fxT6s&list=UUiYZUtyySxa8h422BhN8Xww&index=23
I loved this story! I too grew up with Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly! Being a Detroit native, Hudson’s was the department store for us, but Uncle Mistletoe was part of our home and Christmas celebration. This past Christmas, I got to introduce Uncle Mistletoe to my four stepchildren … and he paid us a visit on Christmas Eve! It was wonderful to watch the excitement in their eyes as they unwrapped presents from him! I have the golden book of uncle mistletoe … but have been unsuccessful in finding any other memorabilia to purchase. I’m going to keep looking though … this is one story I want to keep alive! 🙂 take time to be kind 🙂
What a fantastic blog entry! There are so many of us with similar memories and longings. I have an entire Marshall Field’s section on my Christmas tree. There was only one Marshall Field’s. What a treasure to be lost to corporate greed and stupid homogeneity.
What a nice walk down memory lane. I, too, grew up going to Fields, miss it desperately at Christmastime, and collect memorabilia- any chance the functional clock is still being sold somewhere? Thanks!
I have a clock
I grew up watching 15 minute installments of uncle mistletoe and the cinnamon bear. It was on opposite captain video. It was always fight amomg,y brothers and sisters
Your reminiscences are magnificent and we share them. Many Merry Christmas times to you.
Great article! Marshall Fields has a special place in my heart. My mother passed in late December of1994 in Florida. My siblings and I went to take care of things and found her tree still decorated. We could only find her Aunt Holly ornament which I claimed. We figured Uncle Mistletoe had gotten broken through the years as they were blown glass. Days later when I returned to work, a friend had visited Marshall Fields for the Day After Christmas Sale and brought me back an Uncle Mistletoe ornament as they were out of Aunt Holly. It still gives me goosebumps!!
I also have two square hat boxes with the Fields logo and my Mother’s original charge card which is probably only 2 or so inches long. I cherish the Childhood memories from Marshall Fields!
This almost like my family’s history. Mama worked nights cleaning the crystal room. Every year we went to the company employee party. I loved the carollors and of course Santa et al. My friends were envious that all my clothes were bought at Field’s wth mamas employee discount. I refuse to shop there now that it’s Macy’s. Thanks for the memories.
My grandmother and I would go downtown the day after Thanksgiving specifically to see the windows at Marshall Fields and to have lunch in the Walnut Room. The line would wind through the store, and we would stand patiently for well over an hour, waiting for our turn to be seated. We never minded one bit. I remember one year in particular when our turn finally came – but the table was at some distance from the tree. My grandmother told the hostess that we had hoped we could be closer to the tree. She immediately reseated us right next to it! I thought my grandmother was so brave to speak up like that. I was probably eight or nine years old at the time (now 62) and was so happy my grandmother said something. I no longer live in Chicago, and I’ve not been back to see the store since Macy’s took over. I don’t think I could bear it!
Thank you for keeping the memory of this incredible Institution on behalf of Christmas and all things good alive. When I think back on the third floor of Marshall Field’s and Company at Christmas time with Acres of the finest toys in the world and then, on top of that Aunt Holly and Uncle Mistletoe in the Cozy Cloud Cottage I am overwhelmed by a sense of sentiment and warm memories. The Santa Clause that Marshall Field’s had at the Cozy Cloud Cottage was always the finest, most authentic Santa Claus one could imagine.
The destruction of the Chicago Loop brought Marshall Field & Company State Street store down along with everything else in that area.
Not even the world famous Berghoff Restaurant survived…..
Aw, what a touching story. I visited Marshal Fields in 2007 and thought it was so beautiful. I live in Brooklyn, NY and I have similar memories of my local department store, Abraham & Strauss ( Mr. & Mrs. Strauss died on the Titanic). The store is in the Art Deco style with many original details still left. We used to visit the toy dept.and Santa on the 8th. fl. in the early 60’s. Then we would head down to the basement and hop on a stool at the custard counter. The custard was served out of a huge jadeite green dispenser into a glass and you were given a long handled spoon to eat it with. That custard was so velvety smooth and delicious. The custard counter was closed years ago but the store is still open. I am not sure for how long, however. It too was purchased by Macy’s a few years back. That is the name of the store now. There have been rumors that the store will be demolished soon as many other historic buildings have here in Brooklyn. We are in the middle of a building boom. So sad to see it go!
I bought a blown glass Uncle Mistletoe ornament years ago not knowing who he was. He reminded me of Clarence the Angel in It’s A Wonderful Life. Thank you so much for explaining his true identity!
We lived in the Chicago area in the 70s & 80s and had to visit the Marshall Field’s State Street store at Christmas time. It was a truly magical place as was all of downtown Chicago. I have the Uncle Misletoe and Aunt Holly ornaments and will no longer put them on my tree, but put them on a special hanger, as I so afraid they will get broken. I also have the clock ornament and always have to get the frango liquer when I am in Chicago as they don’t sell it any where else.