As the holiday season ramps up, malls in Bergen County are preparing to welcome shoppers with new retailers and special events.

Bergen Town Center

At Bergen Town Center in Paramus, the Urban Edge Properties-owned mall recently welcomed specialty retailer Bath & Body Works and boutique cookie franchise Crumbl.

First Watch, a daytime dining concept serving made-to-order breakfast, brunch and lunch, and Tacoria, a New Brunswick-based Mexican street food quick service spot, also expect to launch sometime next year, too, according to Urban Edge.

First Watch will locate next to dinner-only Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, while Tacoria will be adjacent to Mediterranean-inspired restaurant chain Cava Grill.

Josh Birns, vice president of leasing for Urban Edge, commented, “First Watch, Crumbl and Tacoria are all terrific concepts that fit nicely into our dining mix as we continue to expand the food & beverage options at Bergen Town Center.”

The mall’s dining lineup includes Bahama Breeze Island Grill, Bluestone Lane, Charleys Philly Steaks, Olive Garden, Chopt, Dunkin’, Haagen-Dazs, Sticky’s Finger Joint, Miller’s Ale House, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen and Whole Foods Market.

Birns added, “We’re also very excited that the much-anticipated Bath & Body Works has opened at the center, in time for the holiday season.”

Bergen Town Center’s retailers include Target, Nordstrom Rack, Saks Off 5th, Bloomingdale’s Outlet, Nike Factory Store, Kohl’s and Marshalls.

The Shops at Riverside

Luxury jewelry brand David Yurman opened a brand-new boutique at The Shops at Riverside.

Located on Level 1 of the Simon Property Group-owned mall in Hackensack, the store features a curation of product across all categories, including women’s and men’s.

It also provides engagement and wedding rings consultation, styling services and professional jewelry cleaning.

Within New Jersey, David Yurman has a boutique at The Mall at Short Hills. The brand is also available found at multiple authorized retailers, including select Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom locations.

Westfield Garden State Plaza

At Westfield Garden State Plaza, the Paramus shopping center will kick off the holidays with the seventh annual lighting of its iconic 45-foot tall Big Santa.

Scheduled for Nov. 9, Real Housewives of New Jersey star Melissa Gorga will host the celebration. The evening will also feature a 200-figure drone show as well as a musical performance by multiple platinum-selling singer-songwriter David Archuleta.

Chick-fil-A, Shake Shack and Carlitos Barbecue Taqueria will also have food trucks on hand for the event.

Other surprises include visits from Disney characters – including Belle, Beast, Jasmine, Elsa, Tiana and Ariel – as well as the arrival of Santa Claus by fire engine. Attendees will also receive week-long discounts at participating stores and an opportunity to spin a giant prize wheel.

The event is free to attend and will run from 5-9 p.m. For more information and to RSVP, click here.

Westfield Garden State Plaza Senior General Manager Wesley Rebisz said, “GSP’s iconic Big Santa is a symbol of Bergen County’s holiday season, and this year we are thrilled to count down the annual lighting in the company of nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter David Archuleta and Bergen County’s-own Melissa Gorga. We can’t wait to welcome the community, our friends, and neighbors to celebrate what promises to be the most spectacular lighting yet.”

From the 1950s through the 1980s, Big Santa was perched atop a chimney in the mall’s parking lot and could be seen for miles. The community icon was brought back to life in 2018 through an intense 12-week process which used state-of-the-art technology as well as traditional hand carving and sculpting techniques to accurately capture Big Santa’s extra-large and enchanting personality, according to Westfield Garden State Plaza.