Create holiday magic with festive greenery and décor found at local farms, nurseries, and markets. Their trees, wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and candles, will set the stage for “hygge,” the feeling of coziness as well as contentment of enjoying life’s best things with good people.
Must-Shop Pittsburgh Holiday Markets and Nurseries
Handmade Arcade Holiday Market
Home decor, handmade clothing, accessories, perfumes. It’s all here and bigger than ever. Load up on gifts at this annual extravaganza of extraordinary makers held at downtown’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center, complete with a Gift Wrapping Station. This year’s gathering (December 5-6) once again showcases one-of-a-kind handmade products from 290-plus talented creators and artists at the region’s largest holiday market. Make a day out of it by visiting the Personal Shopper Booth, enjoying tunes from a live DJ, live art demos, and then trying your luck for raffle baskets. Sensory-friendly and early bird shopping plus a Friday Night Preview Party give you options for a more intimate experience, too.
Holiday Market in Market Square
All-out themed and open daily, downtown’s signature holiday market is a must-visit. For two weeks in November and nearly all of December, alpine-style wooden chalets create a festive atmosphere in downtown’s Market Square, inspired by the bustling Christkindlmarkts of Germany. Explore this beloved European tradition while wandering the wares of global artisans and local makers, featuring everything from pet gear to ornaments. Enjoy delicious (and again, on-theme) fare like strudel or Irish coffee and then catch a live performance along the way.
Lake Forest Gardens
Grab the family (dogs included) and head out to this 600-acre farm in Fombell for some fresh kettle corn, a hayride, and a cute gift shop. Beginning the day after Thanksgiving, create special memories while cutting down your own Christmas tree or finding a pre-cut gem, in varieties ranging from Canaan, Fraser, and Douglas firs to Colorado blue spruces. Ride the holiday wagon and cut down your chosen tree using a saw supplied to you, then carry it to the closest wagon stop to return to the farm and gift shop. (Back at the farm, a special machine helps remove loose needles before having it wrapped for the journey home.)
Quality Gardens
Head to Valencia year-round to wander this happening hub for seasonal annuals, perennials, bonsai, herbs, pond plants, and live Christmas trees (when holiday-time rolls around). You’ll find beautiful poinsettias in red, pink, and yellow varieties, too. Look out for updated info on wintertime happenings like a wreath workshop, various crafts, and the annual tree auction and market known as The Festival of Trees. Have a gardener in your life? This is the perfect place to find a gift. The on-site Bloom Cafe proves a cozy space in which to pause for breakfast, lunch, locally-roasted coffee, and other sweet treats while shopping for your perfect greens and decor.
Robinson’s Home and Garden
This quaint family business has served the Sewickley community for decades, and now sells a range of home, garden, and hardware items. Be sure to visit The Basket Loft on their second floor, especially for Christmas gift ideas, seasonal items like luminaria candles, plus wrapping and ribbon adornments, too. By Thanksgiving, they keep fresh Christmas trees, live garlands, and wreaths in stock, though it’s wise to show up earlier in the season since they typically sell out by mid-December. If you’re starting a new tradition this year, you can get a quality live tree stand here as well.
Sewickley Creek Greenhouse
Giant polar bears or bells. Candy cane wreaths or striped bows. No matter how funky or traditional your style is, find something joyful here. This colorful venue celebrates every season with flair so you can too. Holiday months bring an abundance of decorations to the ornate display rooms, from life-like artificial trees and gingerbread houses, to unique ornaments ready to bedazzle your home. Find cozy options here as well with a selection of festive mugs, plaid throw pillows, stockings, and more.
Shadyside Nursery
Since 2010, this city site has sold exquisite plants, gardening supplies, and landscaping services. During a short autumn reprieve, the nursery undergoes a transformation. In late November, it reopens into a multi-use green space for celebrating the holidays with community events like wreath workshops. The Shadyside Nursery team also sells handmade done-for-you charity wreaths to benefit Big Brothers & Big Sisters. From the day after Thanksgiving until they sell out, find fresh greens, wreaths, and trees — whether you’re in the market for petite tabletops or towering twelve-foot treasures.
Soergel Orchards
Just off Route 79 in Wexford, this farm store filled with good foods, plants, and Christmas trees, also offers holiday ornaments and all the trimmings. Across multiple buildings on the grounds, explore a whimsical greenhouse, a quaint wine shop, a delicious deli counter, a taproom serving Arsenal Cider, and more. The Gift Barn offers a fulsome assortment of great presents for everyone on your list and their Old World Christmas ornament display is sure to charm you into a new addition.
Trax Farms
Looking for a “winter wonderland” experience outside of the city? Touted as “Your Place in the Country Since 1865,” this seventh-generation, family-run, Finleyville property boasts rich history and modern-day fun for everyone at its farm market and lawn/garden center. Toward the end of November, cut down your own 7- to 10-foot-tall tree; throughout the season, find poinsettias and live greens. Pick up delectable goodies from the bakery, deli, and taproom to take home, and find special gifts for your loved ones — and furry friends — to leave under the tree. Look for seasonal events like a wine tasting complete with pairing education, snack boards made by the deli department, and souvenir wine glasses.
The Terminal Holiday Market & Tree Lighting
Kick off the holiday season and enjoy a stroll with views of downtown at this “mini light-up night.” The Terminal will host its Holiday Market on November 14th from 5pm-9pm. Situated between the Strip District’s main drag and The Terminal building’s permanent retailers, the sidewalk will transform into a bustling mix of local vendors in a block-party-like atmosphere. Plan to encounter live music by DJ Breis Gordon and a tree lighting ceremony at 5:45 p.m.
I Made It! Market
This pop-up marketplace and maker community aims to make handcrafted goods from small, local businesses available year-round. Its signature event, featuring over 100 vendors, pops up in the North Hills and the South Hills. With seasonal retail locations in The Mall at Robinson and The Galleria of Mount Lebanon, you now have even more opportunities to catch this market. Find everything from candles to pet portraits to sweet treats and jewelry, and enjoy something from food vendors while you shop. Check out the event calendar to find out more.
Holiday Haus Pop-Up by Dip a Toe
Saturdays and Sundays from November 29-December 14 as well as Friday December 5 and 12, Holiday Haus is your opportunity to shop luxury local and worldwide vendors. Their handpicked selection includes goods like knitwear, home goods, accessories, and artisanal finds. Not to mention, exclusive art will be available from a wide range of artists. It’s an immersive, travel-inspired experience working to bring a global marketplace right here in Pittsburgh.
Story by Corinne Whiting , Samantha Leon and Kylie Thomas
Photography by Katie Long and Dave Bryce
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