Birmingham’s Century Plaza was once the largest mall in Alabama and for years it was the place to take children to make Christmas memories.

The $25 million, 700,000-square-foot mall opened in 1975, closed in 2009, and was demolished in 2020.

Once home to more than 100 stores, Century Plaza was razed to make way for the $60 million, 200,000-square-foot Amazon center on Crestwood Boulevard.

It was where many did there holiday shopping at anchors like JC Penney, Pizitz, Loveman’s, Rich’s, Sears, McRae’s.

They also shopped at other favorites, like Gentry Coins and Stamps, Hot Sam, Karmelkorn, Fox Photo, Video Concepts, Camelot Music, and B. Dalton, and stopped for lunch at McDonald’s or Sbarro’s.

But from the very beginning Christmas was the time for the Plaza to shine.

There was, of course, Santa Claus, who set up shop in his own special village at the mall and took photos with kids and pets.

There were also a dazzling array of lights, trees and decorations. Animatronic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse were another popular feature.

The star of the show for many Birmingham area children was Jingles the Talking Bear, who could sing and interact with children who visited the mall.

It took a lot of work to bring Jingles to life, a former employee explained on “Friends of Century Plaza,” a Facebook page dedicated to celebrating Century Plaza memories.

It involved cameras and hidden microphones and humans hidden from view.

“Once you engaged with Jingles, she asked questions to get you talking,” a post on the page read.

“The cameras saw what you were wearing and the hidden microphones heard what you said. If Jingles seemed to know something you hadn’t said to her, such as your name, it was because the microphones picked up someone saying it…..typically parent or sibling saying “go talk to her Susie”. They could also see stuff sticking out of bags sometimes so she would mention it. Anything to personalize the visit.”

Pam McCullar Measal, who worked as the mall’s marketing manager in the early 90s, told AL.com in 2021 about a brainstorm involving Jingles the Bear and the arrival of Santa.

“It is always difficult to find creative ways to make Christmas magical,” she said.

“My thought was to have Jingles sleeping, and the power of the children ringing their bells – that is another story in itself – and screaming to wake up Jingles would be the plan for Santa’s arrival. I produced a soundtrack of Jingles snoring.”

However, the snoring sounded to some as though Santa had gas, she said.

The traditions began to fade along with the mall’s fortunes, as other shopping options — such as Hoover’s Riverchase Galleria and Trussville’s Colonial Pinnacle at Tutwiler Farm — started pulling from Century Plaza’s customer base.

Sears, the first store to open, was the last retailer to close, in 2009. It took a little less than two months in 2020 to raze the old mall.

Whatever happened to Jingles?

One adventurous spirit found the bear disassembled in the mall in 2015 and roped off with warnings of asbestos.

Jingles was claimed by a Birmingham area family that put the bear back together and even restored him to singing condition.

What are your holiday memories of Century Plaza? Send me your stories, photographs and video to [email protected].