’Tis the Season for Christmas Shopping in the Smokies

By Scott Tidwell Every year the holiday season brings about the return of your favorite traditions. Family gatherings, twinkling lights and Christmas shopping! Think malls and major department stores are the only places to find outrageous bargains and creative gifts? Then you should head to the Smoky Mountains for a shopping extravaganza like you've never seen. The Christmas Place Located on the east side of the Parkway in Pigeon Forge, The Christmas Place is a perennial favorite with shoppers. Billed as the South's largest Christmas store, you'll find practically everything related to Christmas in one spot. After 25 years in business, they know how to do Christmas right. Unique nativity scenes, designer Christmas trees, elegant floral arrangements, distinctive apparel and much more can be found at this delightful shopping village complete with its own light show. Santa's Claus-Et If a more intimate Christmas shopping experience is what you have in mind, Gatlinburg, TN welcomes you to Santa's Claus-Et. Enjoy the country side of Christmas as you enter this renovated farmhouse filled with crafts and other treasures. Homemade recipes line the shelves. Take home a few jars of down-home flavor including jams, jellies, pickles, salsas and more. Your basket will run over (and your mouth will water) as you browse each of these taste-tested delights. From personalized Christmas ornaments to kids’ gifts including rustic, twig Crayons, Santa's Claus-Et is definitely worth a visit. The Village The winding, brick-lined walkways and traditional lampposts set the scene for an authentic-looking Old World village. You can experience the 27 unique shops that call The Village home and walk away with some truly uncommon gifts for yourself and everyone on your list. Stroll among the bubbling fountains and inviting park benches for a special shopping and dining experience. Amid the primarily local shops you'll find such notables as God's Corner, Celtic Heritage, Simply Animals and the Donut Friar, just to name a few. Finding Christmas gifts for every man, woman, child and pet on your list will be a breeze. Tanger Outlet Mall A short drive from Gatlinburg is the tiny town of Sevierville, TN, birthplace of Dolly Parton and home of Tanger Outlet Mall. Here you can shop acres of famous retailer outlet stores to find deep discounts on clothes, shoes, home furnishings, jewelry and more. With hundreds of stores and restaurants to choose from, you might want to devote an entire day to scouring this shopper's paradise. Antiques & Crafts Galore In addition to the established shopping centers and villages, the Smokies are famous for their vast number of antiques dealers and craftsmen. From mom-and-pop antique stores to the Arts & Crafts Village in Gatlinburg, you'll find variety and quality no big city could offer. Ready? Set? Shop! For a little extra fun, make it a girls’ weekend. Pack up the ladies, rent a log cabin and shop till you drop this Christmas in a Smoky Mountain shopper's dreamland.