Every year since 1993, MSK’s facilities team transforms a dark basement hallway into a winter wonderland. What began as a nod to the holidays has grown – in size and meaning – into a spectacular way to spread holiday cheer among MSK’s patients, their families, and employees.

The tradition started as a small wreath display and has morphed into a larger-than-life experience complete with trains, miniature villages, moving displays, and visits from Santa.

James Imparato, general manager of MSK’s Facilities Services who hung that first wreath, calls the Holiday Hallway “a labor of love.”

Like many great ideas at MSK, collaboration and passion helped the Holiday Hallway grow quickly. The MSK facilities team, which includes carpenters, plumbers, locksmiths, electricians, mechanics, and painters, built most of the displays on their own dime and time.

Every year, the displays get bigger and brighter. As word has spread of the tradition – even garnering a visit from the Today show in 2019– companies like LegoLand donated money to enhance the display. MSK employees have made donations as well.

Sheena Basu, senior project manager for in-house construction at MSK, recently assumed “head elf” duties and managed this year’s Holiday Hallway. She’s been intrigued with the tradition since she joined MSK in 2015 and is inspired by the facilities crew’s commitment to the project.

“They are so passionate about what they are doing and who they are doing it for – our patients, staff, and the families,” she said.

The Holiday Hallway provides much needed respite for patients, their families and even employees. When people walk through, taking in the lights and sights, they get lost in the moment and forget their troubles, if only for a few minutes.

The COVID-19 pandemic made all traditions, including the Holiday Hallway, challenging due to a limited visitor policy, social distancing guidelines, precautions needed to keep patients safe and the added workload for all members of the facilities team who had to work around the clock to make critical COVID-19 accommodations throughout the hospital. But despite the roadblocks, the facilities team pressed forward, knowing the hallway was just what people needed during the trying time.

Now, the team is focused on continuing the tradition for everyone at MSK.

“We are so grateful to share this with everyone at the hospital and always look forward to seeing the smiling faces of the pediatric patients when they come down to see the hallway,” Sheena said. “My goal is to make it better each year!”