Houses and apartments throughout New York are beginning to decorate for Christmas. Whether people are looking for ornaments, a new Christmas tree or decorations, there are countless places to shop. With the countdown to Christmas in full gear, here are some of the best Christmas stores in the area. By John Friia/Jessica Allen Authentiques Past and Present 255 West 18th Street At Authentiques Past and Present, everything is for sale, as it has been for going on four decades. While this overstuffed Chelsea shop specializes in collectible kitsch from the 1950s and 1960s, it has a legendary collection of vintage New York City postcards. Once you’ve finished browsing those, turn your attention to the holiday extravaganza, a veritable wonderland of lights, colors, and razzle-dazzle. Ornaments are sold all-year-round. Ozone Park, NY 11416 More: Best Holiday Markets In NYC There is no shortage of Christmas decorations and ornaments at House of Holiday, located in southern Queens.

The 35,000-square-foot bi-level wonderland is one of the largest holiday stores in the city. From the large selection of live and artificial Christmas trees, to an endless selection of decorations, people will find themselves strolling through the themed rooms and discover holiday treasures. Offering pictures with Santa, House of Holiday brings the joy of Christmas to everyone. More: Best Shops For Holiday Party Decor In NYC With a locations in Little Italy, Fifth Avenue and Midtown, people can choose their favorite ornaments from an enormous selection at Christmas and City. Carrying more than 15,000 Christmas products, the store is an authorized seller of Radko, Kurt S. Adler and Department 56. Shoppers also have the chance to personalize ornaments for special gifts and keepsakes. 151 West 34th Street More: Best Holiday Window Displays In NYC OK, OK, it’s not like New York City has a monopoly on Macy’s. You can find one in practically every mall around the U.S.

But the city does have the world’s largest Macy’s, which surely counts for something, and said store includes an enormous holiday display. And guess who you’ll find nestled among the 13,000-square-foot Christmas Village, replete with tinsel, candy canes, and sparkle? diy room decorations for summerPrepare for your visit by watching Miracle on 34th Street, the holiday classic set in this very store.best exterior paint for old house Christmas Shoppe at The Milleridge Innchristmas decorations to make for table More: Tri-State Christmas Tree Farm Guidewall decor for childrens bedroom

Spanning nearly 350 years, The Milleridge Inn boasts a quaint village of various shops, including The Christmas Shoppe. The year-round store brings the spirit of the season every day of the year, offering a vast selection of Santas, an assortment of ornaments, nativities, nutcrackers, gingerbread houses and more holiday home décor.shop home decor london More: Family-Friendly Holiday Activities In NYCchristmas tree with blue decorations An iconic home furnishing brand throughout the Tri-state area, Fortunoff has reopened as Fortunoff Backyard Store. The seasonal retailer brings the holiday season to their 27 locations by offering a selection of Christmas trees, wreaths, ornaments and outdoor decorations. With stunningly decorated trees, people will find it hard to resist buying all the holiday decorations they see.

New York, NY 10019 More: DIY Crafts For Your Holiday Party Spreading holiday cheer for over 30 years, The Christmas Cottage is one of the oldest holiday stores in the city and a destination for Christmas decorations. As people step inside this Midtown store, they will feel like they are transported to the North Pole. With an array of nutcrackers, snow globes, ornaments and home décor, The Christmas Cottage has everything related to Christmas. John Friia is a freelance journalist and native New Yorker writing about food, drinks and lifestyle. Jessica Allen is a New York City-based writer. On the day after Thanksgiving, the neighborhood of Dyker Heights undergoes a transformation, as residents along several blocks in the area festoon their homes with elaborate holiday decorations. And we're not talking about a Christmas tree or a simple nativity scene: Among the kitschy pieces you might see are life-size reindeer, huge inflatable Santas and snowmen, Christmas carols blaring from loudspeakers and tens of thousands of lights.

Yes, Rockefeller Center is a major tourist trap during the holidays, but you can’t deny it’s beauty. (You can be a jaded New Yorker without being a total a Grinch.) Folks travel near and far to hit the slick stuff and ogle the humungous Norway Spruce covered in 45,000 LED lights, as well as the golden angels and other illuminated shrubbery. Needless to say, this inviting landmark certainly brings it’s A-game in terms of spreading holiday cheer. Winter Village at Bryant Park Before Jack Frost starts nipping at your nose, the Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park will already be attracting the masses (opens October 29). Apart from a free, open-to-the-public ice-skating rink, over 125 holiday shops, outstanding food and tons of planned seasonal activities, this holiday market attracts passerby with it’s stunning display of holiday lights adorning the park grounds, including its larger-than-life Christmas tree. Even if you’re simply passing by this Christmas utopia, take a moment to grab some hot cocoa, sit back and admire the magic.

Saks Fifth Avenue’s ten-story facade makes this department store a can’t-miss stop on your Christmas lights tour. In the past, festive LED light projections included “Snowflake Spectacular,” and a yeti, who according to a tie-in tale by Daily Monster creator Stefan J. Bucher, came down from Siberia to live on the roof of the department store (as is the wont of fashion-conscious horror beasts the world over). The usually two-minute show repeats every seven to eight minutes and ties in with the holiday display in the store's 12 windows. Holiday Under the Stars Take a break from Christmas shopping and check out Time Warner Center’s state-of-the-art holiday light display. The spectacle features a dozen 14-foot LED stars that do a colorful “dance,” flashing more than 16.7 million color mixes in time to classic Yuletide tunes. You’ll be so moved, you won’t even care that you maxed out your MasterCard getting Aunt Judy that back massager she’s been wanting. There are many stunning Christmas trees in NYC, but the bushy spruce erected in Lincoln Center’s main plaza is one of the prettiest.