Oct 25, 2010

Check it out: Canterbury GardensBy Amanda StrouseSignOnSanDiego.com

The place: Canterbury Gardens

You would think you just walked through a portal and into the North Pole after stepping inside the Canterbury Gardens Gift Shop in Escondido.

This seasonal gift store sells elaborate décor, dishware and unique decorative arrangements year-round. When the store opened in 1983, its 1.5 acres included a nursery. In 1993, the garden center was closed, leaving the gift shop, plenty of warehouse space and a manicured back yard, which currently includes a gazebo and roses.

Its 10,000-square-foot building is filled with décor and tree ornaments separated into 36 Christmas themes, with more than 40 fake Christmas trees and decorations from about 600 companies. Full-time designers are available to help customers with decorating, which includes everything from creating the perfect centerpiece floral arrangement to deciding how to cover each inch of your Christmas tree.

Although most of the store is now decorated for Christmas, the backrooms have what remains of Thanksgiving décor and dishware. When the seasons change, the store changes.

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