Where to Shop for Holiday Decorations in Indianapolis, Indiana

Year after year, there are some special stores that make shopping for Christmas decorations a pleasure. Here are some favorites in Indianapolis, where you can find everything from nativity scenes to new and unusual wreaths, ornaments and other holiday accents for your home or office.

1. Global Gifts

In the spirit of the season, starting off with a store which gives something back to those in need seems particularly appropriate. Every year, this store carries a wide range of Christmas decorations and accents from around the world, all made according to Fair Trade policies, so that workers keep a share of the profits and help build better communities.

If you are trying to give a nod to a particular ethnic background or heritage of a family member, this is the store for you.. There are traditional Christmas ornaments and creches and nativity scenes for those who prefer something traditional. For those wanting something different or new, there are batik hangings featuring shepherds and wintery views. A nativity scene made of recycled newspaper caught my eye last time I was in one store and environmentally-friendly decor and ornaments are easily found here.

Open from

Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 10am - 6pm

Th 10am - 7:30pm

Sat 10am - 5pm

Global Gifts
1468 W. 86th Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46260
(317) 879-9090

2. Steinmart

While this isn't the largest store around, the huge variety and quantity of seasonal holiday decorations is truly impressive. You can find artificial Christmas trees, some complete with lights, ready to display or you can get plain ones and add your own decorations.

There are also a wealth of stockings to suit every taste, from country to modern and available in all sizes, from small to super-sized. Many of the gourmet food items in Steinmart come in packages that double as decorations, complete with ornaments or other accents to save and reuse again and again. If you plan to get a stocking or Christmas decoration for your pet, this is the place to go, as they have a huge range of attractive stockings for dogs and cats, as well as other holiday items for pets, including Christmas food dishes and bowls and mats to go under them.. From angels to Santas, ornaments to poinsettias, this Steinmart store has it all.

Steinmart
1488 W. 86th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46260
228-0228

Hours: Monday through Saturday - 10 am to 9 pm and Sunday 12-6, with special holiday hours, open till 10 pm most nights.

3. Lowes

You can't beat Lowes for the perfect outdoor display or for their selection of Christmas trees, whether real or artificial. You'll also find the perfect bulbs for indoor and outdoor lighting of your Christmas displays or scenes. If you want something new, there are deer or snowmen, complete with lights or all sorts of specialty and novelty trees. An air-blown animated house,with soldiers standing guard would delight chllden, doing double duty as a yard decoration.

For inside accents, there are unique decorations such as animated holiday ferris wheels, complete with snowmen and Santa Claus. Lowes is a must if you want real wreaths and greenery for your door or over the fireplace. Professional installation is available for unusually large items.

Open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 am until 9 pm and Sunday from 8 am till 8 pm. Lowes will have special holiday hours, staying open till 10 pm, starting the day after Thanksgiving and through the holiday season.

Lowes
8440 N. Michigan Road
Indianapolis, Indiana
(317) 875-7500
www.lowes.com

4. Macys

Absolutely upscale and fabulous, Macys offers the ultimate Christmas experience. Quality and taste are hallmarks of the decor in these stores and the prices can range from moderate to expensive for holiday items but you are likely to use the ornaments and decorations for years, passing them down as heirlooms. If you can stand to wait, you might consider shopping the sales here but you may find it too hard to hold off on buying till then. This year, Martha Stewart Christmas trees, stockings and ornaments should be featured, as well as Lenox ornaments. Want a train to set under your tree? Macys is the place to find one and it should be no surprise that the store even carries an ornament to commemorate their annual Macys parade, so famous it is shown on television each year.

Open from
10 am to 9 pm most days and from 11 am to 7 pm on Sundays, with special stores hours during the holidays, including possible late sales up till 11 pm. Check with store for details.

Macys in Castleton
6020 E. 82nd Street
Indianapolis, Indiana 46250
(317) 579-4248
www.macys.com/

5. Brookstone

This is one store that is impossible to leave out, especially as it might not immediately come to mind as a place to find Christmas items. You might be surprised to discover that there are plenty of wreaths,digital photo ornaments which display up to fifty family photos, tapered and pillar candles and even seasonal music boxes, (some as small as matchboxes, ready to play Christmas carols when opened). Faux spruce garlands, complete with lights, are ready be draped over bannisters and stair railings, making holiday decorating a snap.

One of the best things about Brookstone? The store has a supply of storage containers and bags for keeping your holiday items safe when you're ready to pack them away again. For the unusual and one of a kind item, this is the place to go!

Since the store is located in downtown Indianapolis, you might want to combine a visit with the annual lighting of the Circle Center Christmas tree, right in the center of downtown, a major highlight of the season, with lights stretching several stories high to form what has been billed as the world's tallest Christmas tree.

Open from Monday through Saturday,10 am till 9 pm and Sunday from 12 till 6. As of this writing, no special hours were planned, according to the Brookstone customer service line at 1(800) 926-7000.

Brookstone
Circle Center
49 W Maryland Street
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317-624-9117