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 and contentment of enjoying life’s best things with good people.
Must-Shop Pittsburgh Holiday Markets and Nurseries
Handmade Arcade Holiday Market
Load up on gifts and decor for your home at this annual extravaganza of extraordinary makers held at downtown’s David L. Lawrence Convention Center. This year’s gathering (December 6-7) once again showcases one-of-a-kind handmade products from 250–plus talented creators and artists at the region’s largest holiday market.
Holiday Market in Market Square
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; enjoy delicious fare and captivating entertainment along the way.
Lake Forest Gardens
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 grown on 600-plus acres of Pennsylvania farmland. Bring along the whole family, even your furry friends, to 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). Look out for updated info on wintertime additions like poinsettia plants and handmade wreaths, plus a holiday-themed event schedule featuring workshops, various crafts, and an annual tree auction. 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.
Sewickley Creek Greenhouse
Feast your eyes on this colorful venue that celebrates every season with flair. 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.
Shadyside Nursery
Since 2010, this city site has sold exquisite plants, gardening supplies, and landscaping services. The nursery has evolved into a multi-use green space that celebrates the holidays with community events like wreath workshops. Last year they sold handmade charity wreaths to benefit Big Brothers & Big Sisters, too. 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. Their Old World Christmas ornament display is a great source for gifts for everyone you know. The Gift Barn completes the picture with a fulsome assortment of great presents for Mom, Dad, and the kids.
Trax Farms
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.
Story by Corinne Whiting / Photography by Katie Long and Dave Bryce
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