Easter Store Window Automations

As you may have noticed, I like to document mechanical holiday displays of the type seen in store windows "back in the day." Most of the ones I've seen are for Christmas, a very few are for Halloween and just a handful have been for Easter.

This is an automated hatching egg at a florist's shop. It was made by the now-defunct Harold Gale display company of Kansas City, probably in the 1980s. I'm afraid it doesn't live up to their earlier work. The motor is under-powered and...well, it just doesn't work for me. Now, if one were to paint the egg black, place a small fog machine inside and include a glowing red eye, then it could be a fine Halloween display.





Here's a Harold Gale Easter Bunny with opening egg. The motor works but has lost connection with the rod that makes the arms lift the lid. Again, not good design. He's about 45" tall.


This is a David Hamberger Display Company rabbit. It was probably intended for Christmas but I am including it here because commercial automated bunnies are scarce:



And finally, I present the Easter opossum. You know the story of the Easter opossum, don't you? I don't; fill me in, please. I have no idea who made this thing but I do know it was part of a series of Easterized (hey...good made-up word there) woodland critters. I can't decide if it's kind of cute or if I want to shoot it: