India, Oct. 4 -- Holiday shoppers may spot Santa Claus earlier than usual this year. Spirit Christmas, the sister brand of Spirit Halloween, is expanding with 30 pop-up stores across the Northeast and Great Lakes region.

The concept, launched in 2024 with eight test locations, is nearly quadrupling its footprint this year. "This growth allows us to bring our immersive in-store experiences to more communities as we continue testing the concept," said Marisa Simonson, Senior Public Relations Manager at Spencer Gifts, which owns both Spirit Halloween and Spirit Christmas, in an email to Newsday.

The new Spirit Christmas locations will open in 13 states, including Connecticut, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Ohio, according to News...