In the stores, Christmas sales, songs and decorative displays have likely reminded you it’s time to do your own Christmas ornamentation. Listed here are stores, big and small, in which to find the fixings you’ll need to do this decorative deed.
Another garden centre gone Christmas HQ, Golden Acre carries Christmas plants as well as real and artificial pine trees. Its halls are also decked with garlands and ornaments as well as handcrafted Department 56 Christmas porcelain village collectibles and nativity scenes.
A way-hip gift boutique, Steeling Home carries a handful of decorative wreaths, Christmas stockings and cards, but also an extensive lineup of fun and frivolous tree ornaments. Trim your pine with everything from gnomes, squirrels and yetis to sock monkeys and outhouses.
This Inglewood arts and crafts shop is now bedecked for the season with all sorts of Christmas tchotchkes from dishes and bowls to wreaths and handcrafted tree ornaments.
A wee boutique gift shop in West Market Square, Cobblestone Corner carries a tidy selection of Christmas bits and bobs. Christmas tree ornaments include animal-themed glass orbs and glass angels. The store also stocks collectible Painted Pony ornaments and figurines as well as holiday wine glasses, mugs and more.
Downtown shoppers will find a small but attractively eclectic selection of Christmas ornaments at the Glenbow Museum gift shop. Wood, hand-blown glass and ceramic tree trimmers feature animal imagery such as bears and lambs as well as decorative patterns. Also find initialed ornaments and a special orb depicting with the Calgary skyline at nighttime.
A landmark 17th Avenue Southwest boutique, Rubaiyat carries handcrafted gifts and crafts as well as home decor items. Well known for its selection of Christmas ornaments, over 3,000 of them are now on display. These include a great many European hand-painted glass ornaments as well as felt and paper styles. Seasonal parking is free behind the store – just make sure to inform a shop clerk.
Christmas is a global, fair-trade affair at Ten Thousand Villages on Crowchild Trail Northwest. The shop’s huge selection of ornaments includes hand-painted-gourd nativity sets, owls and Santas. Also find recycled paper tree decorations from Vietnam, olivewood versions from Jordan and a heavenly host of Indian-made birds, snowflakes and bulbs crafted of papier mâché, buttons, felt, wire and metal.
Year-round, you’ll find kitchenware and tableware as well as home decor items and accessories at this shop in Britannia Plaza. Now in for the Christmas season, Britannia Ornamental Hardware & Gifts also carries an array of tree ornaments. Designs feature animals, soldiers, dinosaurs and skates. Canadian-made tree treasures include Basic Spirit pewter ornaments and hand-blown glass bulbs by Kitras Art Glass, which sport messages such as “Tree of Peace.”
This Willow Park Mall home decor boutique is wall-to-wall with seasonal decorations and accouterments. Find wreaths and wall hangings as well as tree ornaments in many shapes and styles including animals such as deer, owls and penguins. Also in stock are seasonal figurines by Snow Babies, Precious Moments and a big batch of Jim Shore Disney characters from Mickey Mouse to Olaf the Snowman.
About a one-hour drive west of Calgary on the Trans Canada Highway, The Tin Box in Canmore is always full of stationary, jewellery, home decor items and kitchenware from the whimsical to the artful yet practical. This time of year, it also carries many seasonal decorations such as festive stuffies, stockings, tree skirts and table runners. Novelty tree decorations include shiny gnomes, cars, guitars and beavers as well as tree pickles (Google it!).