North Pole City - I-44 & 44th

[CMSturgeon]

Just went there on lunch and it was amazing. I will definitely be going there from now on before I decide on a theme for my Christmas tree again. There were so many beautiful things. It made me feel like a child again, all excited about Christmas and all that comes with it.

Anyone frequent this place?

[FritterGirl]

It is a must-do for me EVERY holiday season. I love the place, and try to get there as often as I can. It's like Christmas just exploded in there. In fact, I went there twice this past weekend - once with an all-too-impatient husband, and once later by myself when I could take the time to explore and enjoy.

Next time you get the chance, if you can squeeze into the back "design room" to where their Santa Claus is, you must see this man. He is beautiful. He is a local man who is genuinely portly, and has just the right natural beard and white hair.

In his "real life," he is a social worker who ministers to the homeless and underserved, and even lives in North Highland, one of the City's most crime-ridden areas, as a means of ministering to the people in his own neighborhood.

Every day before "Santa" sits down to hear all about the childrens' wish lists, he gathers everyone around and shares with them the real meaning of Christmas.

He also has an incredible demeanor with children, as if each is the most important child in the world. I sit and watch in wonderment. He's incredible.

If anyone knows who I am talking about and knows the name of his ministry, please feel free to share that. I've forgotten the name.

[u50254082]

Wait, so what is in the place?

If you went for lunch, is there a place to eat inside?

[FritterGirl]

No skwillz. No food inside. But if you were to go at lunch, you would become hungry for gingerbread cookies, sugar plums and candy canes, I'm sure.

In short, North Pole City is a Christmas store extraordinaire. And by extraordinaire I mean every square inch of its 10,000 + square feet interior is decorated for Christmas with every conceivable type and color of light and every conceivable shape, size and design of ornament, which they will gladly sell to you!

They also sell trees, stockings, swags, garlands, wreaths, floral displays, candle holders, and all manner of collectibles like miniature "village" houses, expensive glass ornaments, nutcrackers, and more.

It's enough to make any grinch's small, cold heart grow three sizes - at least for five minutes. It truly is a Christmas fantasyland dressed up in this obscure little warehouse space located along some random stretch of highway, and it is wonderful!!

I have a friend from Michigan (she lives in OKC now) whose family was in for Thanksgiving. They live not far from a place called bronners, which is a world-famous, tourist-attracting, Christmas mega-wonderland. They went to North Pole City this weekend and thought it spectacular there was so much to see.

[dismayed]

It's a great place to take kids and wander around a bit. The place is Christmas.

[PennyQuilts]

I always meant to stop in there and now I am sorry I didn't. I will check it out when we move back.