Some people can’t get enough of Christmas. Some are marking today, July 25, as Christmas in July. Others are counting down the days to December 25 – 153 days to be exact – but some merchants in Estes who operate Christmas boutiques live Christmas year-round.
At Nana’s Christmas Cottage, Christmas music is played in the background every day all year round. The shop has its own special loop of songs so the staff does not have to listen to the same song multiple times a day, said Melanie Felix, one of the “elves” who has worked at Nana’s and also the Christmas Shoppe for seven years.
Estes has three dedicated Christmas boutiques. Sisters Melissa Chick and Shelly Addington own both Nana’s and The Christmas Shoppe, and Carissa Streib owns Simply Christmas.
This time of year, shoppers wander in dressed in shorts, not winter attire, but they have Christmas on their minds.
Some want to find a souvenir ornament to hang on their tree of their trip to Estes, and others are looking for a particular item to add to a collection of nutcrackers or Santa figurines.
Credit: Patti Brown / Estes Valley Voice
Streib says the number one thing people want is something with “Estes Park” written on it. She spends hours daily listening to an audiobook while hand-lettering and personalizing ornaments. Other shoppers want to add to a collection of Jim Shore or another designer.
Nana’s displays ornaments and Christmas collectables in themed and color-coordinated groupings. There are the red and green ornaments, and then those that are blue and white. One area displays animal and pet-themed ornaments, and another has natural and neutral-toned ones
The merchandise at The Christmas Shoppe is more contemporary, while Nana’s carries more traditional items.
Simply Christmas has an enormous display of collectible nutcrackers. One grouping of a limited-edition series introduces a new nutcracker of the Twelve Days of Christmas annually. The shop also carries many sports-themed ornaments with the colors of collegiate and professional teams.
And if Christmas ornaments aren’t enough this time of year, The Taffy Shop is on board this week with eggnog and peppermint-flavored taffy.
The Christmas Shoppe, 332 E. Elkhorn Ave.
Simply Christmas, 129 W. Elkhorn Ave.
Nana’s Christmas Cottage, 125 Spruce Drive
The Taffy Shop, 21 W. Elkhorn Ave
You must be logged in to post a comment.