The Christmas Shoppe

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Logo - The Christmas Shoppe
I don’t like Spring Cleaning…. Those silly things bounce all over the place!

S’more Spring Cleaning

Hello, all my Christmas loving friends! Guess what time it is?!?….

That’s right! It’s time for s’more spring cleaning – ELF STYLE!

PLUS, we have a special coupon for you at the end to help you spring clean your Christmas ornaments.

Yup! Even at the North Pole, we are doing lots of spring cleaning. So, I thought you might enjoy some tips for cleaning and storing all your beloved Christmas items.

Spruce up your spruce!

You’ve probably already packed away your tree, but if you are like me, you were too busy right after Christmas.

Tips for trees:

  • Dust them good! It’s a good idea to get all that dust off before you store them, whether you just take it outside and shake off the dust or use a dust cloth sprayed with window cleaner or some other cleaner (extra points if it’s Christmas scented) to wipe the branches down branches.
  • DON’T put them back in their original box! Most trees come in a cardboard box, but if the tree comes with lights, trying to push a fluffed tree back into the box can break the lights.
  • Keep the dust off! It’s better to get a tree storage bag or put only part of the tree back in the box and cover the rest with an old bed sheet. Another option is to walk your whole tree to wherever you are going to store it (the garage or a closet) and just throw a big old bed sheet over the whole thing.

Villages & Santas & Figures

These are easy! Most of these come in their own special boxes. So, all you have to do is dust them off and put them in their box.

A feather duster makes quick work of dusting most of these items without damaging any fabric or glitter accents. If you get a little schmutz on some fabric, use a little spot cleaner on them before it stains.

“Don’t forget, darlings! Snow globes are extra special! Be sure to never store them where they might have extreme temperature fluxuations, like an attic.”

Mrs. C.

Caring for ornaments

Self-care is most important, but for elves…. ornament care comes in second! It’s always a good idea to clean your Christmas ornaments before you store them because the dust can damage them over time. So, even if they are already packed, if you never got the chance to clean them earlier, now is a good time to pull them out to give them s’more spring cleaning.

Tips on dusting ornaments:

  • Glittery ornaments – Best to use a feather duster to get all that dust off. Most of these are made with extra glitter. So, unless the item is getting old, you don’t need to be gentle.
  • Crystal ornaments – A buffing jewelry cloth is perfect for crystal, but if you don’t have one, just use a clean, soft cloth to wipe off any dust.
  • Silver, Sterling Silver, and Gold-plated ornaments – These are best cleaned with a polishing jewelry cloth so that they don’t tarnish. Mrs. C. has a silver jingle bell from Santa’s sleigh that came with a cloth. We rub it good and wrap it in the cloth when we store it.
  • All other ornaments – A simple soft cloth is best to wipe off any dust before you store them.

Tips for storing ornaments:

  1. If you have original boxes, those usually work best to store your ornaments.
  2. If not, look for storage boxes like the one in the picture above that are just slightly bigger than your ornaments.
  3. Movement is your ENEMY! Use tissue paper or paper towels to keep your ornaments from moving around in the boxes because if they are shaken too hard, they can break.
  4. Acid-free paper will keep the colors pretty for generations. All our Inge Glas ornaments come with special acid free paper that we save just for our shoppers who buy these special ornaments.
  5. Bubble wrap is bad! It’s good for playing with or if you are shipping them. It’s good when you are bringing them home from the store, but it can stick to the paint in storage and pull it off when you unpack (especially if you store them in a Texas attic!)!!!

For more tips, you can check out these blog posts by Martha Stewart and Reader’s Digest!

DON’T FORGET TO REMOVE BATTERIES!

No, seriously. Batteries will corrode over time and ruin the electric works in battery operated items. Another thing that causes corrosion is re-using old batteries or using different types of batteries. Don’t ask us why. It’s too scientific for us elves.

Try using your decorations all year long!

Crazy, we know. We’re all a little crazy here. However, it’s a shame to only see your beloved decorations at Christmas. Old World Christmas even has a blog full of ideas for showing off those ornaments outside of Christmas.

Putting them in jars like in the picture above is really cute, but we like to hang them in windows using fishing line. They really catch the light!

Even just setting them in plain site is great! Every time it catches your eye, it will make you smile. 🙂

S’more Updates!

Here’s what’s been happening on social media that you may have missed.

Ever heard of the “rubber chicken fix”???

Neither had we!

🤫Truth be told, our go to for perplexing situations is always prayer, but this is a fun gift for someone facing difficulties. If anything, laughter is usually good medicine.

😉And, you thought the pickle tradition was odd!

Christmas ornaments are starting to arrive!

My dad came out to help me fix some stuff around the house the other day, as Dads do! I stood nearby nodding and holding tools and flashlights, as I do.

Anyone else with a dad who goes above and beyond who deserves all the love?

These beautiful snowflakes are made for every family member, and I think they would be lovely tied onto a gift.

Only the worthy get cards like this.

🧐

Know someone who is the awesome-est of sauces?

Tag them in the comments or (better yet!) buy them their very own card from The Christmas Shoppe! They will treasure it FOREVER! 😳

Now that I have your full and undivided attention…

Should we bring back #sundayinspirationwithsmore ?

News! Come join the fun!!!

DIVA NIGHT 2022 is coming April 7th.

Visit the Facebook Event Page for more info.

Ever been to a German Christmas festival?

Me neither!

But, apparently they have booths set up to sell all sorts of Christmas decorations just like the booth depicted in this little light up wooden figure. I hope we do Germany justice in our little German town this Christmas. 🥰

🚨 Restock Alert 🚨

Our ever popular, perfectly detailed, musical ornaments are back in stock! Shop in store or online at: https://shop.thechristmasshoppetx.com/…/musical…/

🎶

Think outside the basket this Easter!

Our little adoption kits make the perfect add on to anyone’s Easter basket. They are fun and silly and sugar free! Talk about shopping small! 🤣 Get it? Small!

Plus! Who can resist this little Bigfoot from the Great Northwest? This cute critter needs a home, hugs, and socks! By adopting this young Sasquatch, you pledge to act as its guardian, mentor, and friend. Bigfoot Rescue Kit includes lovable plush Bigfoot and 16-page Caregiver’s Guide with adoption certificate, informative text, and nurturing advice. Feel the love!

Kit box measures 3-1/2” wide x 3-1/2” high x 1-5/8” deep.

Too early?

We’ve got new fall already arriving. After all, we do “celebrate always” (I Thessalonians 5:16). Welcome fall a little early with this handcrafted figurine’s warm hues and striking design. A wise owl sits perched on a pumpkin, hand-painted with a soft autumnal scene. Jim Shore’s signature rosemaling and quilt patterns add folk art-inspired charm.Shop in person or online at:

https://shop.thechristmasshoppetx.com/js-whoo-loves…

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I mean really.

It may not feel like spring yet, but it is just around the corner!

Click the photo to visit their Facebook event page for more info!

Think outside the basket this Easter!

Easter baskets aren’t just for kids, you know. Someone’s mom or friend or coworker needs a special gift to celebrate.

Stop by for lots of fun little gift ideas.

Yes! We did that quote in triplicate! You see…. Mrs. C. and I did an update to our normal #SundayInspirationWithS’more backdrop, and we couldn’t decide which we like best. Santa was NO help! We posted the one in the middle, but if you think one is best, give us an email at christmas.elves@gvtc.com.

Itty bitty Easter gnomes in our window!!!!

Did you peep 🐥 them with your eyes yet?

They are so sparkly and cute for Easter baskets or as a little decoration for your desk.

They are EVERYWHERE!!!!….

The elves of The Christmas Shoppe firmly believe that faith and fun go hand in hand, and we take both quite seriously. As such, we have been carrying gifts that inspire both for years.

However…. The big news is that we are adding everyday gifts to our online store! So, if you can’t make it by during normal hours or you live far, far away, you can now peruse more of our gifts like these online! https://shop.thechristmasshoppetx.com/jesus-germs-soap…

Elfy Selfie Time!

Who are your selfie buddies? S’more (our elf on the shelf) loves hanging with our baby friendly plush. 😉

Someone needs this vinyl sticker to cover a ding on their car.

We are loving our new faith-filled stickers!

Pick me! Pick me!

Our Easter plush is now on our website! Go check out our Easter department online by clicking here: https://shop.thechristmasshoppetx.com/seasonal…/easter/

🐣 We have even more options in store!

⏰ 33 days until Easter…. (as of our post)

Santa came to visit!

Be sure to look for him around town today to see if you’re still on the nice list. 🎅🏼👍🏼

Happy Wednesday!

What could be more fun than creating an Easter basket for Hill Country Daily Bread!

Do good, do gooders!

As Ariel the Little Mermaid sang…

What’s that word again? Oh, yeah! FEET!

And, our fun socks want to be part of your world, too.These are kids socks, but don’t PB & Jelly because we have fun adult socks, too. Plus, a bunch of new ones are on the way!

But, who was St Patrick?

Well, thanks to The Celtic Christian Tradition, we discovered:

Saint Patrick’s Story

Legends about Patrick abound; but truth is best served by our seeing two solid qualities in him: He was humble and he was courageous. The determination to accept suffering and success with equal indifference guided the life of God’s instrument for winning most of Ireland for Christ.

Read more…

Looking for a lucky 🍀 charm to put a little spring in someone’s step?

We have a few little things that will make you do a jig for joy. AND they are 40% off for the next week!

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As my good ol’ Papa Elf always told me… If you don’t take care of your things, you will lose them.

‘Tis true! I hope our tips above keep your Christmas decorations in tip-top shape so you can “Celebrate Always” (I Thessalonians 5:16) this Christmas!

LOVE FROM,

S’MORE

NEVER MIND! Make that 50% off the ornament storage container!
We are, also, happy to give you a free Old World Christmas box to hold 6-12 of your ornaments. Normally, we give these handy boxes out to anyone who buys 4 or more Old World or glass ornaments. They are saved from our shipments. So, we have quite a few.

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