How Early Are Department Stores Getting in on Christmas Decorations?
Samantha McDonald
Business Editor
It’s the last day of October — and if you’re planning to visit a department store in the next couple of weeks, chances are, you’ll see the stockings, ornaments and decorated trees that come with the Christmas creep.
That’s because retailers are already getting in the spirit of the holidays, ushered in after the spooky season that culminates with Halloween.
Shoppers at Bergdorf Goodman, for instance, will be able to view the luxury store’s window displays across its Fifth Avenue flagship beginning Nov. 14. Interior installations are scheduled to finish two days before the unveiling.
“It’s about 10 months of prep from the idea conception to production,” explained Brett Depper Goldstein, who heads public relations.
The visual team, led by famed window dresser and senior director for visual presentation David Hoey, starts workshopping the store design in January, commissioning artists and artisans to create the displays. (This year’s theme has yet to be announced.)
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Macy’s, on the other hand, is celebrating even earlier.
Holiday preparations are already well underway — festive decor is on display now at the Herald Square flagship as well as other stores (decorations have gone up around this time in previous years).
“It takes a while to get all of our stores set with holiday trim shops, and we aim to have holiday decor merchandise available for our customers when many begin shopping,” the company wrote in a statement to FN.
However, not all retailers are getting a head start. For years, Nordstrom has bucked the trend of festooning its stores before turkey day; instead, the Seattle-based company will set up on Black Friday, just as the holiday shopping season kicks into full gear.
“As a company, we believe in celebrating one holiday at a time. We’ve had a long-standing tradition of waiting until after Thanksgiving to unveil our holiday decorations at our stores,” said spokesperson John Bailey. “Over the years, our customers have let us know they appreciate this, and we’ll be honoring the tradition again this year.”
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