New Christmas Store Opening 30 Locations This Holiday—4 Things We Know
Arguably, the only thing better than pulling your favorite decorations out of storage for the season is getting to pick new ones and upgrade your existing stash. As Halloween approaches, many major retailers do a decent job of stocking a wide variety of holiday decorations on their shelves. But this year, you might have an entirely new shopping option at your disposal as Spirit Christmas stores continue to expand their locations. Here are a few things you need to know about the new decor destinations.
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There are more Spirit Christmas locations on the way.
The annual return of Spirit Halloween stores is so ingrained in our culture that it’s become something of a meme in recent years. But now, the seasonal store is dipping its toe into that other late-year holiday with its Spirit Christmas offshoot, which is popping up throughout the Northeast and Great Lakes region.
Even though this year marks just the second season the stores will be open, there will be a much wider footprint with the company quadrupling its number of locations for 2025. According to the Spirit Christmas website, the 30 stores are in:
- Manchester, Connecticut
- Milford, Connecticut
- Christiana, Delaware
- Bloomingdale, Indiana
- Joliet, Illinois
- Naperville, Illinois
- Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Merrillville, Indiana
- Lexington, Kentucky
- Waldorf, Maryland
- North Attleborough, Massachusetts
- Dartmouth, Massachusetts
- Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Novi, Michigan
- Salem, New Hampshire
- Cherry Hill, New Jersey
- Lawrenceville, New Jersey
- Mays Landing, New Jersey
- Paramus, New Jersey
- Rockaway, New Jersey
- Toms River, New Jersey
- Amherst, New York
- Bohemia, New York
- Poughkeepsie, New York
- Mentor, Ohio
- North Canton, Ohio
- Bethel Park, Pennsylvania
- Erie, Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Whitehall, Pennsylvania
The shopping experience is getting an upgrade.
And it’s not just a bigger network of stores, either: The fledgling holiday chain says this year it’s expanding its offerings for shoppers in ways that go beyond more purchase options.
This includes the brand new Peppermint Village, which is “an immersive in-store experience” that brings decor, unique gift options, holiday apparel, and interactive display decorations that add a festive element to your shopping run.
RELATED: 9 Best New HomeGoods Christmas Decor Finds Hitting Shelves This Week.
The Big Man is coming back.
Would it be a holiday shopping run if you didn’t get a photo with jolly old St. Nick? In its press release, Spirit Christmas confirms that it’s bringing back in-store Santas for the season at 19 locations out of the 30 it’s opening this year.
Shoppers with little ones in tow will be able to meet and greet with the big man himself to pass along their wishlists free of charge. Those who want to take home a keepsake can also opt to have their picture taken and printed by professionals. The sitdowns start on Nov. 21 and will continue through Dec. 24.
You can schedule your holiday photos in advance.
Mall Santa mayhem may be a thing of the past, but there’s still nothing worse than wasting precious holiday shopping time waiting in line to sit on Kris Kringle’s lap. Fortunately, you can save yourself the hassle by booking your meet and greet with Santa at Spirit Christmas ahead of time.
Using the store’s website, guests can select a time to stop by and choose a photo package for their visit (which start at $19.99). While the number of prints is different for each package, they all include a free personalized video from Santa.
Guests looking to book their experience will be able to visit on Fridays from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m., and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. Naturally, photos are only available at the listed locations where Santa is hosting visits.