I know there’s still 58 days until Christmas but a few weeks ago I was sitting in a restaurant with Carl and Alfie and I noticed that across the road, the shop that’s been vacant for two years had a ‘Leased’ sign in the window. As well as the sign there were Christmas trees and Carolers and a Nativity scene and hundreds of flashing festive lights. Alfie was mesmerised and couldn’t believe his luck that a little piece of wonderland was directly across the road. Clearly still in the set-up stages I promised I would take him there as soon as the shop opened.
A Nativity Scene
Rudolph’s Christmas opened a few days ago and is owned by partners, Russell the Australian and Rick the American. If you live nearby a visit to the store is an absolute must. It’s not just what they have for sale, it’s the whole shopping experience that has to be seen to be believed. Russell will be there to greet you on arrival with a generous grin and a, ‘Hello Hun’, and you’ll immediately think of Cameron from Modern Family. You’ll hear the jingle jingle of Christmas bells and next Shayna (which means, ‘Pretty Little Thing’) will be there to greet you too and Shayna is Russell and Rick’s Yorkshire Terrier crossed with Shih-Tzu. Shayna has jingle bells in her hair-do and on the harness she wears on her back.
Shayna – ‘Pretty Little Thing’
The Welcome Committee will then step aside so you can take a few steps forward and there in front of you is a giant Santa with a sign letting you know just how few days there are left between now and Christmas.
Letters can be posted to Santa from here too
As I ventured further forward utterly amazed by the incredible collection of trees and lights and decorations and Mark Roberts collectibles, Russell followed behind me letting me know he’s also a designer and can make me a centrepiece for my table in the colour theme of my choice and that he also makes wreaths to order and everything else besides.
Mr and Mrs Claus
He seemed eager to chat so I asked him if he was a floral artist and he said, ‘Well no, not professionally trained but I do do floral art. I have a background in set design and costume design but I’ve been exclusively doing Christmas for 30 years’. I just knew there was a creative background there somewhere.
Is your name on the list?
Santas, Santas and more Santas
So life-like
A music box that lights up and snow falls
Santa in a truck styled on the old Coca Cola trucks
Lights in action
All the ‘must-haves’ for your front yard
Something for the mantlepiece
Flying fairies
Pretty trees are everywhere
Another music box with Santa painting a scene
One of the Mark Roberts originals showing incredible attention to detail
Cinnamon Sticks
Another beautifully decorated tree with Russell’s special backdrop
I don’t think there’s anything missing here!
This is a shop where you could spend quite a bit of time browsing and always see something new. I’ve been there three times now and Russell is always creating a new display or building a new ‘set’ to display the latest of what they have to offer. The shop is open seven days a week from 10am until 7pm and later on Thursdays. New stock is arriving all the time with feathered birds being pulled out of boxes today and another 11 pallets of lights arriving next week.
A beautiful Nativity scene
While Russell and Shayna are there to greet you on arrival, Rick is there to farewell you and being American, it’s a loud, ‘Have a nice day!’
You’ll definitely leave this shopping experience with a smile on your face!
Oh…and here’s a look at something I just had to have…
(And for no good reason I can’t seem to get this link to work. You’ll have to click on it. Who knows what’s going wrong!)
Rudolph’s Christmas
9 Spit Road, Mosman Ph: (02) 4737 8624 There is parking available under the building and it’s free!
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Love it!!!! I will be heading over there this week. Thanks for alerting me.
My kind of store, I could spend hours! Too bad it’s on the other side of the world, but at least another reason to visit Australia (as if you weren’t enough of a reason already!). Love the train, I’m sure Carl rolled his eyes as JT would.
Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com
What a great store! It’s sad that I’m already thinking to Christmas and Halloween hasn’t even passed. Gah!
And everything is so wintry .. christmas decorations are all so wintry.. I know it is winter over here but not there, look at those jandals.. such a sweet boy.. and all those santas. Much to my delight I will be on a plane this christmas so there is no need for me to think about it at all!! Aren’t I awful! c
They are setting up an Australia display full of Santa’s with surfboards under their arms and kangaroos instead of reindeers etc but it hasn’t been created yet. I’ll take a photo for you when it’s done!
Oh, I love it! I WANT that full-sized Santa…and you can send the boy, too! Too cute!
The “Painting Santa’ would be a great gift for an artist…I love the Santa and Bear in the plane…in the cars…I love it all.
Amazing video. I would have never imagined that little scene was inside Santa’s truck. 🙂 Everyone needs a shop like that in their town to put them in the Christmas spirit. Time to start making hot chocolate with cinnamon and Christmas cookies.
Oh! Our kids would be in Christmas heaven in there! That photo of the tree – the tree is just gorgeously decorated. 🙂
WOW I can’t believe it…. only 58 sleeps until Christmas! This year has just flown by way too quickly! I’m having trouble catching up and thinking back what I did this year 😛
This Rudolph’s Christmas seems like a dream shop for anyone who needs Christmas supplies! Damn I wish I had known because I would have loved to visit, it’s the first time Mr Bao and I have celebrated Xmas here in Australia with just the two of us. And this time in our very own apartment ~ I’ve gotta get myself a nice big Xmas tree 🙂
58 days!?! How is it that close already? Now, I feel like I need to start planning some decorations. What a fun shop for inspiration!
What a fun store–and you showed it so well, Charlie, with all the great photos. I must admit, II’m not yet inspired to get into the spirit. Of course, we Americans still have our Thanksgiving to plan! Love the photo of Alfie particularly.
I love pop up Christmas stores, we don’t have many here, but this one looks great. Great Santa truck! GG
Oh wow this store looks incredible my friend, I should definitely check it out soon 😀
Thank you!
Cheers
CCU
Oh no…only 58 days. I love Christmas shops and it looks like you have a nice one in your area.
I can’t believe you managed to make exactly the kind of shop that normally gives me serious heebie-jeebies into somewhere I almost want to go. But I don’t think I can forgive you for mentioning how close it is to Christmas…
Im still laughing at “Alfie was mesmerised and couldn’t believe his luck that a little piece of wonderland was directly across the road”. Really tickled my funny bone. All I can think is that Sue from Accoutrement will be VERY unhappy, as Christmas decorations are usually something they throw themselves into. You dont get all the personality of Russel, Rick and Shayna there though! I have to agree with Hannah you have made a shop I would be scared of actually sound like a destination
What a fun place! You describe it in a way that brings it alive. I love the cinnamon sticks, so beautifully done.
Oh, my goodness. This looks like a fun, fun place, with something that appeals to everyone, no matter your taste. I especially like the cinnamon sticks.
My goodness! That is one store I’d love to have closer to home. I especially love those Christmas lights, Shayna the cutie pie, and the expression on Alfie’s face! Priceless!
What a wonderful place for anyone to visit, but a little boy would find it magical! I love the different Santa and Mrs. Santa dolls! Fifty-eight days? Yikes! I hadn’t done any calculating lately. I’m a little shocked! 🙂
omg 58 days till xmas.. i better start shopping… >.<
awww cute photos!
If I had kids I would want to buy one or maybe two of everything in that store!
🙂 Mandy
Isn’t this so wonderful? Your photos are so gorge, too.
Oh no! Not Christmas already! I am definitely not ready to even think about Christmas yet! I make the most of every single day and Christmas doesn’t even rate yet!~ But if I was in the Christmas business I would certainly be ramping it up by now! Mind you I think it is probably well and truly time to have the fruit soaking in alcohol to make those puddings and cake! Great photos but ……no christmas is too far off yet!
I can imagine how mesmerised Alfie was at it! I thought, and still think, Christmas is magical 😀
Well, I have come to accept that Christmas comes earlier every year, and if it is going to come early, it may as well have some fun attached to it 😉 It looks like a really enjoyable find!
These shops are wonderful, aren’t they? Santa’s Truck is really something. That would capture any Li’l One’s imagination. Heck! It captured mine! This would make a great “must see” stop during the holidays.
Oh my goodness it’s like a Christmas wonderland!!! Love Santa’s truck! Oh now I want Christmas now. I spoke to a friend last night who has already put up her tree. I’m waiting until December 1 but the planning has definitely started already.
Cool shop – I’ve always wondered what it must be like to celebrate Christmas “down under”. For me Christmas is synonymous with snow, cold weather, darkness, hot drinks and the like. It must be so, so bizarre to have it in hot weather. I had an Australian friend once who told me she spent Christmas morning in shorts and a t-shirt eating ice-cream, lol 😀
We have a Christmas store just around the corner but it’s got wacky things in it and everything is so overpriced. We need Russell, Rick and Shayna on the Sunshine Coast please.
I will domy best not to be loud. 🙂
Oh Oh Oh!!!! I love Christmas!!!! I have three trees, including an upside down one, so I can totally get their passion for this wonderful season. I so wish I could pop into the shop to visit (and probably spend lots of money!) I’m not suprised Alfie was excited 🙂
Beautiful pictures, dear Charlie! Christmas is everywhere around, also here in Belgium.
But we do see more Sinterklaas because it is here on December the 6th! Cool stuff!