As the sun went up in Montreal, several downtown goers could be seen doing double-takes as they trudged to work on an unseasonably cold morning.
“You just say, ‘wow, amazing,'” said Nathalie Monette.
She’s looking at a Christmas installation that, for 70 years, had been housed by the Ogilvy department store on Sainte-Catherine and de la Montagne streets.
The display was a popular draw among holiday shoppers strolling through the downtown core.
Yet, Ogilvy announced last year it would no longer put up the display, partially due to upkeep costs.
WATCH BELOW: Ogilvy Christmas window launches at McCord Museum
The McCord Museum recently agreed to house the installation — at least for the next five years.
“We felt it was our role to continue the tradition,” said CEO Suzanne Sauvage.
There are actually two Christmas windows — the outdoor one is on display around the clock and called “Mill in the Forest.”
Another is inside the museum and is called “Enchanted Village.”
The museum is offering the public the chance to “adopt” one of the animals in the display to defray the cost of maintenance.
The installation is slated to stay open until Jan. 6. and the goal is to keep the exhibit permanent longer than five years.