NOW THAT Halloween and All Saints’ Day are out of the way, it’s officially time for Christmas — though one might argue that in the Philippines, Christmas begins at the start of September (and maybe even the last week of August). And to celebrate and spread the holiday cheer, Rustan’s has lit up its flagship store windows in Makati, with decorations revolving around the theme of “The Sweetest Christmas.”

“‘Sweetest Christmas’ is really all about the sentiment of the season. So it’s about the sweet memories that we create during [the holidays], it’s about traditions, but tradition is about memories,” Dina Arroyo-Tantoco, marketing and communications head at Rustan’s, told reporters during the launch of the windows on Oct. 24.

And because the company is celebrating sweetness, the decision was made to deck out the Makati storefront windows like a candy store with jars of candies and an overall theme of pink, red, and white, with blue lights for accent. The display also includes life-sized stuffed toys and smaller teddy bears.

Rustan’s is taking its theme further by giving qualified shoppers who spend a minimum of P15,000 (in a single-receipt transaction until Nov. 30) a special assorted dozen of Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Those who spend P100,000 in a single receipt will get a bottle of Henriot Brut Souverain.

For more information about Rustan’s holiday offers, visit rustans.com or follow its social media pages. — Zsarlene B. Chua