Rockefeller Center’s Christmas tree is here for the holiday season
The iconic Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has arrived in New York City in preparation for the holiday season.
If you’d rather bake cookies or watch Christmas movies than carve pumpkins or dress up, the good news is that Halloween is in your rearview mirror and Thanksgiving and Christmas are next on your holiday calendar.
There’s no clearer sign that spooky season is over than the disappearance of the Spirit Halloween Store and the arrival of the Spirit Christmas Store. Some Spirit Christmas stores will take over Spirit Halloween locations, while others will occupy spaces previously occupied by retailers that have since gone out of business, including Joanne Fabrics, Party City, Bed Bath & Beyond and Big Lots.
Spencer Gift Co., which owns Spirit Halloween, has opened eight Spirit Christmas stores across the Northeast in 2024. The company has nearly quadrupled its footprint this year with 30 stores in 12 states in the Northeast and Great Lakes region, including Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Spencer Gifts spokeswoman Mary Griswold told USA TODAY on Nov. 4 that five of the 30 Spirit Christmas Stores are open for business, and the remaining 25 are expected to open within the next week as the company “works diligently to convert each space from a Spirit Halloween to a Spirit Christmas Store.” Griswold confirmed that Spirit Halloween stores are closed for the season.
Griswold also told USA TODAY that the Spirit Christmas Store will remain open “through the end of the year for our guests to celebrate the holiday season.”
The Spirit Christmas flagship store opened Oct. 17 in Mays Landing, New Jersey, Spencer Gifts spokeswoman Marisa Simonson confirmed to USA TODAY on Oct. 21.
Here’s a bankrupt retailer whose space is being revived by Spirit Christmas.
Where will the Spirit Christmas Store open?
Thirty Spirit Christmas venues will open throughout the Northeast and Great Lakes region this year. Some stores will open in existing Spirit Halloween locations, while others will open in new locations.
For up-to-date information on exact store opening dates, we recommend using the store locator on the Spirit Christmas website.
Spirit Christmas Stores will open in the following locations:
- Manchester, CT: Former Joann Fabrics space at 1440 Pleasant Valley Road.
- Milford, CT: The former Joanne Fabrics space at 1405 Boston Post Road.
- Christiana, Delaware: Former Joann Fabrics space at 341 W. Main Street.
- Bloomingdale, Illinois: In the former HH Gregg space at 340 West Army Trail Road.
- Joliet, Illinois: Former Party City space at 2661 Plainfield Road.
- Naperville, Illinois: Former Bed Bath & Beyond space at 335 Illinois Route 59
- Fort Wayne, Indiana: 3958 Illinois Road, former Big Lots site
- Merrillville, Indiana: Former Joanne Fabrics space at 1916 East 80th Street
- Lexington, Kentucky: Pavilion Way in the former Big Lots space, 1980
- Dartmouth, Massachusetts: Former Christmas Tree Shop space at 65 Faunce Corner Road.
- North Attleboro, Massachusetts: Former Bed Bath & Beyond space at 1360 South Washington Street
- Waldorf, MD: 3009 Waldorf Market Place (formerly DSW Shoe Space)
- Grand Rapids, Michigan: 3665 28th Street SE, former Joann Fabrics space
- New, Michigan: 43570 W. Oaks Drive, next to Kohl’s Store
- Salem, New Hampshire: 92 Cluff Crossing Road, next to TJ Maxx store
- Cherry Hill, New Jersey: 2234 W. Marlton Pike Road, Plot E3, in the former Joann Fabrics space.
- Lawrenceville, New Jersey: 3371 Brunswick Ave., in the former Joanne Fabrics space.
- Mays Landing, New Jersey: 190 Hamilton Commons former Bed Bath & Beyond space
- Paramus, New Jersey: 34 East Ridgewood Avenue, former Bed Bath & Beyond space
- Rockaway, New Jersey: 357 Mount Hope Avenue, inside the former Party City flagship store
- Toms River, New Jersey: 1379 Hooper Avenue, near Lowe’s store
- Amherst, New York: Former Buy Buy Baby space at 1155 Niagara Falls Blvd.
- Bohemia, New York: Former Joanne Fabrics space at 5159 Sunrise Hwy.
- Poughkeepsie, New York: 1895 South Road, Burlington Coat Factory site
- Mentor, Ohio: Former Joann Fabrics space at 8000 Plaza Boulevard
- North Canton, Ohio: 5487 Dressler Road NW, in the former Joann Fabrics space.
- Bethel Park, Pennsylvania: 4000 Oxford Drive, next to Kohl’s Store
- Erie, Pennsylvania: Former Dick’s Sporting Goods space at 2082 Interchange Boulevard.
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: 4801 McKnight Road, next to GameStop store
- Whitehall, Pennsylvania: No detailed information available
Reserve your Santa Claus photo today at Spirit Christmas Places
Some Spirit Christmas stores are already taking reservations for photos with Santa Claus. The photo experience begins Nov. 21, according to a news release from Spencer Gifts. Business hours are 3pm to 7pm on Fridays, 11am to 7pm on Saturdays, and 12pm to 6pm on Sundays, all local time.
Contributor: Greta Cross, USA TODAY
Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@gannett.com.
