Nordstrom unveils 2025 holiday windows at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda (Photos)

Nordstrom had promised to keep its external holiday windows covered until Black Friday, but had dropped the curtains as closing time approached last night. Perhaps this was done to save time for employees today and tomorrow. Here, then, is a sneak preview of what you'll see tomorrow on Black Friday. It's definitely a solid Christmas theme, with the Christmas tree and wreath.

Nordstrom upholds Christmas display tradition at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

Nordstrom's exterior display windows are covered at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. A sign notes that the displays won't be revealed until Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. This is not inspired by the backlash of recent years against Thanksgiving Day sales, but continues a 124-year tradition by the department store chain. Nordstrom does not put up Christmas decor or play Christmas music in its stores until the day after Thanksgiving. "One holiday at a time" is the chain's motto for its policy.

Montgomery Mall decorates for the holidays in Bethesda (Photos)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Holiday decor has been set up for the 2025 holiday shopping season. A few additions have been made since last year. The menorah lighting has been scheduled for December 15 at 4:00 PM, in the Nordstrom wing near Zara.

Christmas tree & holiday lights lit at Bethesda Row (Photos)

The Christmas tree is lit on Bethesda Lane at Bethesda Row. In addition, other holiday light installations around the Federal Realty property have also been activated. These include the stars hung from the canopy on the new plaza outside of Anthropologie & Co. There are also vertical strips and curtains of lights on the facades of the buildings along Bethesda and Woodmont Avenues. Let's take a look as we enter Day 4 of the 2025 holiday season!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Bethesda Row (Photos)

The Christmas season was officially here, as of 12:00 AM this morning. Bethesda Row hasn't wasted a single minute. Elves from American Christmas of Mount Vernon, New York, have been busy working all day at the Bethesda development, and the main Christmas tree on Bethesda Lane has already been erected at this hour. Some decorations are new this year, such as the ornaments bouquet tacked up on the facade of Anthropologie & Co. And large stars, which are being hung from the new plaza canopy in front of that store, and hopefully light up.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Bethesda Row (Photos)

Bethesda Row lived out the October 31/November 1 holiday transition meme in real time Friday, as the giant Christmas tree and holiday lights were quickly installed around the property. More decorations are forthcoming, but by nightfall, hundreds - if not thousands - of bulbs were already lit. They included some new ones for 2024, including those on the plaza canopy. Earlier in the day, elves were caught in action on Bethesda Lane, as you will see in the photos below.

Bethesda Row Christmas tree assembled on Bethesda Lane (Photos)

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Bethesda Row. As Halloween faded into the ether of 2023, the Bethesda Row elves got busy last night erecting, and decorating, one of the main Christmas trees on Bethesda Lane. That included bringing in the heavy equipment to reach the heights necessary to assemble the tall tree, as well as to install other decorations in the coming days, which will eventually include at least one menorah, wreaths and holiday lights. Scroll down to the last two photos, and you might even catch the elves in the act.

Christmas decorations popping up in downtown Bethesda (Photos)

Norfolk Avenue streetery

The holiday spirit is in evidence at the Norfolk Avenue streetery in downtown Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle, and on the ground level of the new Marriott International office building at 7750 Wisconsin Avenue. Once again, the Merry Bethesda selfie wall is now at the streetery, along with some wreaths - but few diners making use of the outdoor dining space. Over at the Marriott building, presents have been placed beneath Christmas trees in the lobby, along with a wreath.

Marriott International HQ