These are the 13 best Christmas stores in the U.S.

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What is it? Since the early 1990s, Always Christmas has brought the holiday spirit to this small town on the Georgia-Tennessee border and become a Christmas lovers' destination in the process. This shop, which gives Christmas-movie vibes in a white, two-story mansion-esque building, is run by a husband-and-wife team who scour markets in Atlanta and elsewhere for unique ornaments and decorations for the large inventory.

Time Out tip: New this year to the store, the rice lights (tiny little rice-sized lights) operate by remote to switch from warm white light to multicolor festiveness!

Address: 715 N Main St, Hiawassee, GA 30546

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10am–5pm

What is it? If European Christmas markets inspire you, this shop in Middleburg, Virginia, might be the closest you'll get. The Christmas Sleigh specializes in European decorations and traditions, from Steinbach-German Nutcrackers to German music boxes and handmade Italian crèches (nativity scenes). You'll find traditional German crafts like cuckoo clocks made in the Black Forest and shadow boxes depicting traditional scenes.

Time Out tip: Every year the store imports authentic German Christmas Stollen studded with fruit and nuts and given that beautiful dusting of confectioner’s sugar that makes it look like it’s covered in snow.

Address: 5A East Washington St, Middleburg, VA 20117

Opening hours: Daily 11am–5pm; Christmas Eve 11am–2pm

What is it? This multi-generational family store sprung up after a London expat was looking for a hobby and decided to open a year-round Christmas store in sunny San Diego. More than three decades later, the family business has grown from a 1,000-square-foot shop to more than 40,000 square feet in retail and warehouse space. At City Lights Collectibles, the team specializes in a wide range of holiday decorations, including items from Disney and other films and TV shows, holiday villages, caroling figurines and an extensive collection of holiday ribbons (like a full wall of choices) to wrap that gift superbly.

Time Out tip: New this year is a Jewish village store for the Christmas in the City series, Jacob’s Bagel Shop, as well as a line of Chinese inspired figurines like a Wonton Garden restaurant ornament and an imperial parade of horses.

Address: 1212 Knoxville St, San Diego, CA 92110

Opening hours: Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (Jan–Sept), Mon–Fri 9am–7pm (Oct), Mon–Fri 9am–8pm (Nov, Dec); Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–4pm (year-round)

What is it? The largest year-round Christmas store in the world, Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland attracts two million people every year to its location in Michigan's Little Bavaria. After opening in 1945, Bronner’s quickly outgrew its original location and now encompasses 45 acres, including landscaped grounds. The 2.2-acre showroom requires a staggering amount of inventory: 300 decorated trees and over 50,000 trims and gifts. Each year, shoppers purchase over two million ornaments here! There’s even a Silent Night Memorial Chapel based on one in Austria in case you want to stop in to remember a loved one from Christmases past.

Time Out tip: If you’re looking for a very special ornament, half of Bronner’s 6,000 different kinds of ornaments are the store’s exclusive designs.

Address: 25 Christmas Lane, Frankenmuth, MI 48734-0176

Opening hours: The store hours are very complicated and change four times a year, but basically you can find the store open 361 days a year, roughly from 9am into the early evening on weekdays and Saturdays, and Sundays from noon to 5:30 or 6pm.

What is it? Nestled in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, The Incredible Christmas Place isn’t really a store—it’s more like an entire Christmas village. What started as a small gift shop in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee (best known as the home of Dollywood) is now a 43,000-square-foot complex that includes multiple stores, a candy shop and even a hotel. Spend your whole day (except for Thanksgiving or Christmas Day when the shop is closed) at the Bavarian village of shops before tucking in across the street at the Inn at Christmas Place with visions of sugar plums dancing in your head. The decorations stay up 365 days a year—we’d expect nothing less—but change year to year. There’s also an offshoot location at Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.

Time Out tip: Explore the elaborate Santa’s Haus, replete with fancy reindeer portraits, where you can meet the big fella (other than Tues and Wed when he’s at the North Pole). Visiting is free but there’s a charge for an official photo. Make your reservation here.

Address: 2470 Parkway, Traffic Light #2A, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863

Opening hours: Daily 9am–10pm

What is it? The Santa Claus Christmas Store features a massive selection of holiday decorations, advent calendars, nativities and lights. And what Christmas store would be complete without ornaments? The shop has tons to make your tree more festive than ever, many of which can be personalized. Santa visits, even during summer months.

Time Out tip: The store has been having great luck this year selling double-sided infinity lights which create a 3-D illusion of infinite depth (as if that penguin carrying a Christmas tree is soaring through the galaxy towards you) by placing LED lights in between two parallel mirrors.

Address: 33 North Kringle Place, Santa Claus, IN 47579

Opening hours: Open May through December (and year-round online). The store shares hours month by month only, so check the website or call the store before making the trip. In general, hours in December are 9am–7pm.

What is it? If you find yourself at the North Pole (not the actual North Pole in the middle of the Arctic Ocean, but the small town in Alaska just outside Fairbanks), there’s only one thing to do: meet Santa. At the Santa Claus House, you can greet the happy ho-ho-hoer and get ornaments, sweets and Christmas decor in one trip. The Alaska shop has made people smile since 1952 and has plenty of unique gifts you won’t find in a big box store. You can also get your little ones a personalized letter from Santa (complete with the North Pole postmark) for a little reassurance that they’ve made the “good” list. After you’ve secured a bag full of goodies, head outside and sit in Santa’s sleigh, visit his reindeer team and stand in awe of the world’s largest Santa—a mammoth statue almost 50 feet tall.

Time Out tip: You’ll have to use the Light the World North Pole Giving Machine, a bright red vending machine in which 100 percent of your purchase goes towards the charity of your choice. Inside the vending machine are cards that correspond to the donation: $8 for a comfort kit and blanket to be donated through the American Red Cross, or $150 for one donated goat through Lifting Hands International, to give a few examples. In 2024, the Santa Claus House community donated $80,000 through the machine, one of the highest per-capita donation sites in the world.

Address: 101 St. Nicholas Dr, North Pole, AK 99705

Opening hours: Daily 10am–6pm (except for Dec 25–27, 2025 and Jan 1, 2 and April 5 of 2026) through May 24, 2026; daily 10am–7pm from May 25–Sept 13, then back to 10am–6pm again through the end of December 2026 (except Nov 26 and Dec 25–27)

What is it? Decorator’s Warehouse sells Christmas by the truckload. Owners Kathy and David Hanson started the business in their living room in 1989 and now have a large brick-and-mortar store. You’ll encounter more than 20 different themed areas with décor that is rustic and cozy, classically elegant, glitzy or humorous: examples are preppy plaid, winter woodland, starry night and jewel tones.

Time Out tip: The excellent website hosts a dozen lighting tutorial videos. Take the guesswork out of making your home a showplace!

Address: 3708 West Pioneer Parkway, Arlington, TX 76013

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–6pm

What is it? In the 1980s, David Green opened a Christmas shop as a way to supplement his ceiling fan business, spinning his career in a new direction. The shop would grow into the major attraction now known as North Pole City, which spreads holiday cheer in Oklahoma City from September to January (and year-round online). The family-owned shop looks absolutely magical with a forest of fully decked-out trees, giant nutcrackers and almost every inch lit up with glittering bulbs. 

Time Out tip: Have your kid deposit their Santa letter into the North Pole Post box in the store; it will magically disappear from inside the box once it’s on its way to Santa.

Address: 4201 South Interstate 44 Service Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73119

Opening hours: Mon–Sat 11am–5pm, Sun 1–6pm (Sept–Jan)

What is it? The Kristmas Kringle Shoppe opened in 1978 but outgrew its original location and is now a bonafide experience inside a two-story Bavarian-style building. Inside is a European “village” with a faux gingerbread house, church and other structures with snow-covered roofs. You’ll feel like you’re in an ancient town of yore as you peruse the goods, including over themed trees, gifts for all seasons, various Christmas villages, animated figures and imported ornaments. It’s open 361 days a year.

Time Out tip: Check out the selection of delicate Egyptian glass ornaments, created using Egyptian glass-blowing techniques that have been passed down through generations.

Address: 1330 South Main St, Fond du Lac, WI 54935

Opening hours: Daily 10am–5pm

What is it? The Christmas Palace has been the home for all things holiday in South Florida since 1992. It doesn't matter how warm it is outside; inside the shop, it feels like the North Pole in its over-the-top, sparkly celebration of all things Santa Claus. You'll find Christmas trees, ornaments, outdoor decorations and lights. There are two locations, plus the shop sells online 24/7, so anytime is a good time to stock up for the holidays.

Time Out tip: We’re kind of in love with the wacky Jim Marvin Bubblegum Tree which the store carries ($8,495), with ornaments that look like a bubble blown from someone’s gum—or purchase individual ornaments for around $30 each.

Address: 9820 NW 77th Ave, Hialeah Gardens, FL 33016 and 200 East Sunrise Blvd, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304

Opening hours: For both stores, Mon–Sat 10am–9pm, Sun 10am–8pm

What is it? The cute candy-striped Forever Christmas, stocked to the gills with Christmas decor year-round, is part of Virginia City’s ridiculously charming historic downtown. In operation for more than 30 years, the shop showcases themed trees, Santas, nutcrackers, gnomes, gingerbread décor and a wealth of ornaments.

Time Out tip: Don’t miss a visit to the Silver Queen saloon and hotel a block away to have a cocktail and see the 15-foot high painting of a woman whose dress is formed of 3,000 real silver coins (worth, at a bare minimum, $75,000).

Address: 88 North C St, Virginia City, NV 89440

Opening hours: Daily 10am–5pm

What is it? Although the front room of Dorothea’s Shoppe on Folsom’s historic Sutter Street is more of a typical gift shop, multiple back rooms are devoted year-round to Christmas spreads, with wonderfully curated ornaments (including many devoted to various dog and cat breeds), villages, garlands and advent calendars. There’s even a corner of bird-based holiday ornaments (owls, cardinals, quails) with a chirping soundtrack to feel transported to the woods.

Time Out tip: Step across the lane to Snook’s Candies afterward, a small family-based candy factory in operation since 1963. Indulge in confections, ice cream, peppermint hot cocoa—and on certain days watch through the glass as the chocolates are made. Seasonally, an ice skating rink is steps away, too.

Address: 801 Sutter St, Folsom, CA 95630-2490

Opening hours: Sun–Thu 10am–7pm; Fri, Sat 10am–9pm