• by Sarah Mahoney , November 5, 2025

America’s department stores are trying to make the holidays feel like old times, with bright windows, big stars, and hopes that shoppers are in the mood for gleeful gifting. Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Nordstrom are all leaning on nostalgia and spectacle to lure high-end customers who are still jittery about the economy. 

At Macy’s, the 99th Thanksgiving Day Parade remains the brand’s biggest flex, of course. But there’s more merchandising magic happening in stores this year. A new Disney collaboration features 120 exclusive products across beauty, home, and fashion, highlighted by M·A·C’s Minnie Woo lipstick, a reimagined version of Ruby Woo in Minnie Mouse's signature red. The lineup also includes Kate Spade handbags, Swarovski-sparked womenswear, and Stoney Clover Lane accessories, with the hope that attainable sparkle will inspire shoppers.

Ads focus on “Wonderful Stories” that begin at Macy’s.

Bloomingdale’s is going full glam with “Happy Together,” a campaign that pairs the retailer with Burberry in a storewide takeover of its 59th Street flagship. That includes wrapping the façade in an enormous Burberry scarf, and The Carousel holiday pop-up reimagined as a temple to plaid. There’s a Baccarat café, a Canada Goose pop-up, and even a Burberry bear benefiting the Child Mind Institute. In a press release, CEO Olivier Bron calls the campaign a tribute to “heritage, connection and the joy of the season,” while Burberry CEO Joshua Schulman says it’s about “lighting up New York with festive joy.” It’s all as close to a luxury love letter as retail gets.

And then there’s Nordstrom, going the humor route with “Oh, What Fun!” The campaign stars Kyle MacLachlan as the store’s self-appointed “Gift Expert,” guiding an assortment of shoppers—including comedian Atsuko Okatsuka and writer Caleb Hearon—through the annual chaos. Spots from Invisible Dynamic, srolling out across streaming and social, lean into nostalgia and self-parody. The retailer is also adding a digital twist: its new AI Gift Expert in Training offers personalized recommendations about more than 110,000 products online, while in-store gift shops feature a curated thousand. Cardholders even get free Santa photos, as Nordstrom aims to remind customers that its goal is making retail feel more personal.

After years of share losses to ecommerce and off-price chains, all three retailers are working the same formula: nostalgia plus novelty. For shoppers still anxious about the economy but hungry for connection, that mix may be just enough to make the magic feel real again—at least through the end of the year.