This year marks the debut of Spirit Christmas, a holiday-themed offshoot of Spirit Halloween, owned by Spencer Gifts.
With just 10 stores across the country, it’s an exciting new venture for fans of festive shopping.
I recently had the chance to visit the Erie location with two friends from Cleveland, and while they found it to be exactly what they expected, I left with mixed feelings about the experience.
What is Spirit Christmas?
Spirit Christmas aims to bring the immersive and quirky vibe of Spirit Halloween to the winter holidays.
The stores are packed with themed merchandise, from decorations to gifts, creating a one-stop shop for holiday enthusiasts. It’s a promising concept, and I was eager to see how well it translated to Christmas.
My experience
Walking into the Spirit Christmas store, I was immediately greeted by a colorful photo-ready entrance display.
Unfortunately, it was so busy most of the time that I couldn’t grab a good shot. The store also featured a small gingerbread village for photos, but the cramped setup made it difficult to access or fully enjoy.
My friends from Cleveland really enjoyed the store for what it was. They thought the selection was fun and quirky, matching their expectations.
For me, the experience felt more underwhelming. I had high hopes for their décor section but found the selection lacking in both variety and quality.
Compared to offerings at home improvement stores or retailers like Target and Walmart, the outdoor decorations seemed less durable and overpriced.
I was also disappointed by the limited assortment of indoor decorations—there just wasn’t enough to capture that magical holiday feeling.
On the somewhat positive side, the store excels in fun and novelty items. If you’re on the hunt for ugly Christmas sweaters, stocking stuffers or white elephant party gifts, Spirit Christmas sort of delivers.
The quirky and humorous options were a definite highlight, and I could see these items bringing a smile to any holiday gathering.
The store’s size was another letdown.
I expected something bigger, with more variety and immersive displays.
While it’s worth a stop for the novelty, I left wishing there was more to explore.
Final thoughts
Spirit Christmas is a good start to what could be a fantastic concept. It’s exciting to see a new player in the holiday shopping scene, and I hope they expand beyond the initial 10 stores.
That said, the store didn’t fully meet my expectations.
The lack of higher-quality décor and limited photo opportunities were disappointing, but the selection of sweaters and gifts was fun.
If you’re nearby, it’s worth stopping in to see what they have, especially if your expectations are in line with my friends’—a quirky and fun holiday shop without too many frills.
Hopefully, if the concept grows, Spirit Christmas can bring even more sparkle and cheer to the season.
It's Christmas 365 