Target holiday plans include pop-ups, in-store shops, ‘fantastical’ creatures

A handful of Target stores will house a 9-foot version of Berry the Bear.

Target Corp. is looking to dial up the magic for customers shopping in-store this holiday season.

The retailer is transforming its stores into a white-and-red holiday wonderland, with a ceiling banner — styled to resemble swirling peppermint ribbons — and peppermint signage. The peppermint pattern will be seen not only throughout Target stores but also extended to its marketing billboards and packaging for its Favorite Day private label line of sweets and savories.

The ribbon will lead customers to a host of special holiday shops, including a “Merry Cherry Chalet” for gifts, a London station for Marks & Spencer holiday items and “Candy Cane Corner, which features more than 50 new Favorite Day items. Holiday home décor items are featured in the “Trim the Tree Lot.”

As customers travel the pathway, they will come across a host of “fantastical” forest-inspired characters, including the company's holiday mascot, a friendly-looking polar bear (“Berry the Bear). A handful of stores will house a 9-foot-tall Berry for customers to hug. (Target is also selling a Berry plush toy.)

[READ MORE: Target to get a head start on Black Friday ]

“From peppermint swirls that provide a nostalgic, comforting touch to charming Fantastical Forest characters that greet guests as they explore what’s new, Target is the place where ease, affordability and joy come together to make ordinary moments — like prepping for a holiday dinner or picking up a last-minute gift — into something extraordinary,” said Cara Sylvester, executive VP and chief guest experience officer at Target.