A Very Magee Christmas

In December 2024, London Downtown surprised the community with a little holiday magic.

It began when a board member’s mother spotted a familiar Christmas decoration while scrolling Facebook Marketplace. It was Magee’s old Santa in his sleigh, pulled by two reindeer that arched into the sky when plugged in, waving cheerfully from a snowy platform. The seller, based in Corbin, shared that she had purchased the piece during Magee’s original closing sale and had held onto it ever since.

Recognizing its history, London Downtown purchased the decoration and brought it back to life, repairing its mechanics and giving it a new shine. At the same time, Channing Price and Sabrina McDaries were preparing The Magee’s first Christmas window installations in decades. Just as they were finalizing their design, London Downtown approached them with a question: Could we give Santa his window back?

Channing and Sabrina excitedly agreed, appreciating the history and the gesture. They reimagined the display around him - creating a dreamlike scene of paper stars and evergreen trees, a soft winter sky for Santa’s sleigh to soar across.

Sabrina McDaries (left) and Channing Price (right), their first Christmas at The Magee.

Stories began to roll in from the community. Locals shared memories of visiting downtown as children to see Santa waving from The Magee’s window. Some remembered it from 70 years ago or more. This time, they returned with grandchildren in tow, posing for pictures and passing the magic down.

It was more than just a decoration - it was a homecoming.