The best Christmas stores NYC has to offer

Sure, you can shop for tinsel and ornaments here, but the real treasure of this shop is on the lower level. There, you’ll find a life-size, 24-exhibit Christmas Village featuring Mrs. Claus’s Café, a nativity scene, Santa’s Workshop, a toy-making school for the elves and more. It’s open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, and tickets are $5.

This two-location holiday megastore—there’s another in Little Italy—has all the Christmas-y accouterment you’d imagine, including special sections such as Irish-, Hanukkah- or white-and-gold-themed décor. The Little Italy location is known for its actual village of exhibits, but get ready—a similar one will finally open at this location this season.

This tiny Midtown store feels a little like stepping back in time to when the holidays were less maniacal LED and more soft candlelight. The place is all ornaments and seasonal decorations, and because most people stopping by are tourists, the New York items are especially prevalent and popular. But there are also about eight totally #goals-worthy trees decorated by theme—think glass, wine, ballet or gingerbread—that spruce up the space.

Head out to Queens to pop into a former artificial tree factory dating from the 1800s that’s best described now as a traditional old Christmas store on steroids. Loads of New England charm meets themed trees, nativity scenes, angel décor, winter villages and more. It’s the biggest holiday store in NYC, and there are lots of little nooks and crannies to explore, so plan to stay awhile.

By law, SoHo Trees—with nine tree-stand locations and one huge SoHo store—can’t officially open until after Thanksgiving, so hold off on heading over until then. When it does open, go wander among the trees and decorations to pick and choose—or have the store take care of all the trimming and shipping for you. You’re also welcome to just wander around and pretend you’re walking in a winter wonderland.

This two-floor shop on 5th Avenue is stuffed with Christmas goodies, including 21 exhibits of animatronics bringing the holidays to life. After a tour, head upstairs to the ornament shop, where you can get free personalization on anything from a Santa Claus statue to a taxicab figurine. The location is open year-round, and if you head over during the warmer months you’ll likely find a solid selection for half price.