To encourage customers to enter, browse, linger and buy, retailers and restaurants around the world develop innovative concepts and unusual Christmas decorations every year. These examples from the USA, Europe and Asia invite customers to immerse themselves in their festive Christmas worlds – let them inspire you.
USA
Magical window displays at Bergdorf Goodman
Bringing the magic of the festive season to life with sparkling mirrors, extraordinary fairy lights and dazzling neon lights: For the festive season, luxury retailer Bergdorf Goodman unveils its iconic window displays along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. Every year, the well-known and much-loved luxury department stores' delights its customers with magical design concepts, unique decorations and elaborate window displays. The extravagant design of the shops and shop windows is based on a themed Christmas campaign every year, which is also taken up on the digital channels. The unique, Christmassy displays at the point of sale are well known as “The holiday windows” and attract numerous customers, tourists and onlookers every year. An overview of the window designs can also be admired online.
Window designs at Bergdorf Goodmen200,000 Christmas lights in Rolf's German Restaurant
Welcome to Christmas Wonderland: amidst a magical conglomeration of shiny ornaments, colourful Christmas baubles, twinkling fairy lights and flashing garlands, Rolf´s German Restaurant in New York City invites its customers to enjoy typical German food and drinks. While guests savour warm apple wine or German roast meat called “Sauerbraten”, they are enveloped by around 200,000 Christmas lights. All of the festive decorations have been carefully designed by five artists to enchant visitors with an extraordinary atmosphere all year round.
YouTube: Inside ROLF’S GERMAN RESTAURANT & BAR, New York City’s most Christmassy restaurantFestive magic in the world's largest Christmas shop
No wish remains unfulfilled here: With 270,000 square metres of retail space, the largest Christmas shop in the world is located in the middle of Michigan: Bronner´s Christmas Wonderland enchants its customers with a unique selection of Christmas decorations. The diverse range is also available online and is complemented by other highlights on the website. Whether DIY projects, themed products or personalised ornaments – all Christmas decoration wishes are fulfilled here. For a first glance, you can experience a virtual sleigh ride through Bronner's Christmas Wonderland.
Virtual sleigh ride through Bronner's Christmas WonderlandDenmark
Magasin du Nord: Christmas shopping with tradition
Christmas at Magasin Du Nord has always been something special – from the very first Christmas displays at the end of the 19th century to the illuminated shop windows that still light up the dark winter season in an enchanting way today. The Christmas displays of the Danish shopping mall date back to 1887. Since then, the department stores' on the Royal New Market in Copenhagen's city centre has shone in Christmas splendour. The centrepiece of the Christmas display is the popular, lavishly decorated shop window, which is adorned with thousands of lights. Whether exotic goods from the Orient, exciting Christmas myths or Christmas trees and elves decorated in Western style – the shop window presents different festive cultures and surprises with unconventional decorations from all over the world.
Magasin du Nord is a successful retail company with a long tradition that was founded in Aarhus in 1868 and now has seven department stores in Denmark. Magasin du Nord has been part of the Peek & Cloppenburg Düsseldorf Group since 2021. The history of the Danish department stores' can also be marvelled at in the museum of the same name – it’s worth a visit!
Hong Kong
The shopping centres in Hong Kong create shopping experiences for the whole family with interactive Christmas villages. Credit: Rachel Leung, Betty Fong.
Interactive Christmas shopping
The shopping centres in Hong Kong invite visitors to immerse themselves in interactive worlds of experience. In the Olympian City shopping centre in Hong Kong, the "CoComelon Holiday Adventure" area becomes a family attraction. In collaboration with the TV channel "CoComelon" on YouTube and Netflix, the project attracts young and old customers to the department stores'. The 3,000 square metre inflatable wonderland combines the popularity of the CoComelon brand with an interactive shopping experience for children and recreates the buying and delivery of gifts in five areas. The project not only reflects Christmas shopping decorations that attract the attention of customers, but also represents an extraordinary attraction for families during the Christmas season, which increases the attractiveness of the shopping centre.
Olympian City WebsiteThe apm shopping centre in the east of Kowloon in Hong Kong has also recently transformed itself into the Christmas village "Christmas Aurora Town", bringing the Arctic to life. In collaboration with Eastern European illustrator Zinaida Klopotovska, the shopping centre set up several checkpoints in the lobby where customers can discover the unique worlds of the Arctic. Instead of a classic and traditional Christmas motif, the project focuses on the Arctic Circle as the home of the Inuits. With family-friendly illustrations that blend seamlessly with the surroundings and decorations, both children and adults can learn more about the dreamy snowy land and the Northern Lights. By adding digital elements at each checkpoint, the organisers have taken a fresh, vibrant, interactive and fun approach for customers to experience.
apm Website