It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas: Rustan’s unveils holiday windows

AYALA AVENUE begins to look more festive a bit earlier this year, as Rustan’s Makati unveiled its Christmas window display.

VIPs gathered at the storefront on Oct. 17 as the windows — with the theme “A Christmas of Wonders” — were revealed. Holiday-themed fair rides spun and whizzed around, while the windows were framed in glowing orbs. Each window features scenes filled with motion, festive red and gold accents, and characters such as toy soldiers, ballerinas, and magical creatures. Oversized ornaments, twinkling marquees, and delicate metallic details evoke the splendor of a vintage fairground.

“It’s like a Christmas carnival,” Jackie Avecilla, head of marketing for Rustan Commercial Corp., told BusinessWorld. “Christmas is really for kids, and adults alike. We wanted the nostalgic feeling.”

“My parents would take me to a carnival, or some fair, or some Christmas bazaar,” she said. “That’s the kind of spirit we want to evoke for this year here at Rustan’s.”

VIP HOLIDAY SERVICES
Of course, Christmas is really celebrated at home, and Ms. Avecilla told BusinessWorld about VIP services they offer at the store to make customers’ homes holiday-ready.

“We have customers who actually don’t have that DIY talent. When they come here and they like a tree, they buy the entire tree,” she said. Even better: “We have (this) extra-personalized service. They can go to your home and decorate the tree for you.”

Another VIP service they offer is their team of personal shoppers, who become extra busy this holiday season. “Our guests have a long list of friends, family, maybe officemates; corporate gifts,” she said. “You can just give your list to a personal shopper, even if it’s 100 or 200 on your list.

“Everything will be wrapped and delivered to your home,” she said.

HOLIDAY SPECIALS
Rustan’s branches at Shangri-La, Alabang, Gateway, and Cebu, will each offer its own spin on “A Christmas of Wonders.” And throughout the season, Santa Claus will make appearances across all stores.

For those who love collectible holiday keepsakes, Rustan’s is bringing back its Rustan’s Christmas Bear, available from Oct. 17 to Nov. 16 with a minimum purchase of P20,000.

Meanwhile, from Nov. 15 to Dec. 31, Beauty Addict members who spend P5,000 or more at Rustan’s Beauty Source Makati can enjoy a complimentary latte or cappuccino with a croissant from My Happy Home Café, while selected stores will have “Sweet Wishes with Venchi” personalized Christmas cards with treats for members presenting their Frequent Shopper’s Program (FSP) card and receipt.

And from Oct. 18 to Nov. 2, customers can earn three times the FSP multipliers for every P5,000 purchase, both in-store and online, while those who prefer flexible payment options can enjoy 0% installment plans for up to 12 months with partner banks. — JL Garcia