The Incredible Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge: Everything You Need to Know

In Pigeon Forge, it's Christmas every single day of the year. The Incredible Christmas Place — the South's largest Christmas shopping village — has been spreading holiday cheer since 1986, and whether you visit in July or December, you'll walk into a Bavarian-style wonderland of twinkling lights, decorated trees, and the smell of fresh fudge.

What is The Incredible Christmas Place?

The Incredible Christmas Place is a year-round Christmas store — the largest in the South — located in the heart of Pigeon Forge. It began in 1986 as a small gift shop founded by Hurshel and Marian Biggs and has grown into a seven-store complex now run by the third generation of the same family. The building itself is a landmark: a Bavarian-inspired village facade festooned with garlands, wreaths, and enough lights to make it feel like a tiny North Pole tucked into the Smoky Mountains. It's open every day of the year, so no matter when you visit Pigeon Forge, the doors are open and the Christmas music is playing.

Explore the magic inside

Step through the doors and you're in a Winter Wonderland you can get lost in for hours. The store organizes its enormous inventory into curated themed rooms and galleries — think Gingerbread Lane, Candy Cane Christmas, and a room devoted to all things Grinch — making it easy to shop by style or just wander. You'll find towering designer trees, hundreds of personalized ornaments, nativity scenes, collectible villages, garden decor, women's fashions and accessories, and gifts for every occasion beyond Christmas.

Serious collectors come specifically for the brand lineup, which includes Department 56, Lemax, Christopher Radko, Old World Christmas, Disney, Peanuts, and many more — it's one of the best-stocked retailers of collectible Christmas lines in the Southeast. Don't miss Mrs. Claus' Candy Kitchen, filled with homemade fudge, candy treats, light meals, and hot and cold drinks for when you need a break from browsing.

The live ornament-painting station

One of the most beloved features — and the one visitors mention most in reviews — is the personalized ornament station, where talented artists hand-paint names and dates onto ornaments while you watch. It's a live demonstration and a custom keepsake in one, and it's the kind of detail that turns a shopping trip into a genuine memory. Budget extra time here; it's easy to get absorbed watching the artists work, and the finished ornament makes a meaningful souvenir of your Smoky Mountain trip.

Meet Santa Claus year-round

Because it's Christmas every day at The Incredible Christmas Place, Santa makes appearances well outside the holiday season. Kids can visit with Santa at scheduled times throughout the year — a rare treat in the middle of summer. Between the Santa visits, the candy kitchen, the ornament artists, and the sheer spectacle of decorated trees and themed rooms, it's a genuinely enchanting stop for children. Check the store's schedule or reserve a Santa visit ahead if it's a priority for your trip.

Make a holiday getaway of it

The Christmas spirit extends beyond the store. Directly across the street, The Inn at Christmas Place is a Bavarian-style hotel decorated year-round with garlands, lights, and themed touches. And if you're visiting the Smokies in the winter, the store is the perfect place to pick up a lifelike artificial tree and ornaments to transform your cabin into a cozy holiday retreat. Can't carry it all home? The store offers shipping, and the online shop lets you keep shopping after you leave town.

Frequently asked questions

Is The Incredible Christmas Place open year-round?

Yes — it's open every day of the year, typically 9 AM to 9 PM. Even in the middle of summer you'll find the full holiday experience: decorated trees, themed rooms, the candy kitchen, and often Santa himself. It's a genuine 365-day Christmas destination.

How big is The Incredible Christmas Place?

It's a seven-store complex and the South's largest Christmas shopping village — far bigger than a typical gift shop. Plan for significantly more time than you'd expect; many visitors spend an hour or more exploring the themed rooms and galleries.

Can I ship my purchases home?

Yes. The store offers shipping so you don't have to fit a designer tree or a box of ornaments in your luggage, and its online shop lets you continue browsing the same collections after you leave Pigeon Forge.