The Best Places to Buy Christmas Decorations in Brisbane

by Geraldine Massey (subscribe)

Christmas decorations. They range from the traditional to the tawdry, the kitsch to the creative, and the religious to the really, really awful. They're everywhere at this time of year. Wreaths, angels, reindeer, santas in all sizes, lights, garlands, tinsel, trees, baubles and beads seem to adorn every shop window and shopping centre, hang on every housefront and even cling to cars.


I have a lifelong love affair with Christmas decorations and every year our house is very carefully and, I might say, artfully decorated. A few weeks before Christmas the whole family gathers to install and decorate our tree. This is an important festive occasion, complete with Santa hats, champagne and the first playing of Christmas carols. One of the highlights for me is hanging a very old and very treasured bauble that belonged to my grandmother in a prominent place on the tree.

When it comes to the decoration though, I'm ashamed to admit that I'm known as the Christmas Police, because of my insistence that decorations should firstly be beautiful and tasteful (no purple upside-down Christmas trees for me) and secondly, arranged artistically (I'm sorry dear, but that really needs to be moved an inch to the left).


In the past I have actually been known to rearrange the tinsel and baubles so lovingly hung by the children on the tree, after they have gone to bed. So you can believe me when I tell you that I know Christmas decorations and I'm always on the lookout for something new and interesting (and tasteful) to add to my collection.

So, where's the best place to buy good Christmas decorations in Brisbane? I know the current fashion is to buy everything online but I don't think you can ever get a clear idea of the quality of Christmas decorations without actually seeing and feeling them. What may look like a lovely, red-nosed Rudolph online can actually turn out to be an ugly white elephant.


Our Weekend Notes writers have already given you some tips about places to find the perfect bauble or new Christmas heirloom for your family. There are markets and special Christmas shopping events like the Christmas Design Market at GOMA and A Very Cultural Christmas. There are also many shops that pop-up specially for Christmas or stock Christmas items at this time of year.

Below is a list of some Brisbane Christmas stores, but we'd also like to know where you shop. Please leave a comment with your hot tips for purveyors of colourful, creative and classy Christmas decorations.

Christmas Alight: 27 Timms Road, Everton Hills

Oxfam Shops: 2 locations - Shop 230, Level 2 The Myer Centre, or Shop 2047, Upper Level, Garden City Shopping Centre.

Father Christmas: 2 locations - 2940 Logan Rd, Underwood and 1050 Manly Rd, Tingalpa.

Sunrise Imports: 6/7 St Jude Court Browns Plains

Christmas Festivities: 2 locations - 438 Samford Road, Gaythorne or Shop 3 /21 Veronica Street, Capalaba.

Classic Christmas Gems: 2 pop up locations - Westfield Chermside Shopping Centre and Westfield Garden City Shopping Centre.

The Christmas Shack: 3 locations - 3323 Pacific Highway
Slacks Creek, the corner of Sandgate Rd and Telford St, Virginia and 21 Brisbane St, Ipswich.


If you do go to any of these shops, just don't tell them the Christmas Police sent you. I trust you will keep my secret. My children survived the emotional trauma of learning that there's no Santa Claus. Finding out about my Christmas tree redecoration habits might just push them over the edge.

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Why? Because we all need to deck the halls.

Where: Shops all around Brisbane. See article for details.

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