The Christmas House Est. 1985!

In 1985, Merrie Untermann and her friend Cindy Wookey launched the Christmas House to offer well-priced, unique ornaments and decorations in Marin. Originally a quaint Christmas Corner with just a few trees and decorations, the Christmas House has blossomed over the past 30 years into a beloved holiday destination, featuring more than 60 dazzling trees, each beautifully themed and adorned by our talented staff of “elves.” Now led by Barb Untermann, whose experience as a photo stylist and designer has infused new life into the Christmas spirit at West End, the Christmas House continues to be a cherished community tradition. The Christmas house historically opens on the first weekend of November.

The Christmas Spirit

How many ornaments does it take to keep 60+ trees, each with a different theme, looking magical throughout the entire Christmas season? No less than 10,000 (O.K. it’s a guess!)! And since we want The Christmas House to be different every year, we’re always looking for the truly unique, the eclectic, the one-of-a-kind ornaments, stockings and decorations that you really can’t find anywhere else. Santa has also been known to send us plenty of special gifts from The North Pole, including Elf on the Shelf and all of the accessories!

Santa Cop

While we’re always looking for new ways to make The Christmas House bigger and better than ever, there is one tradition that is near and dear to our hearts. In partnership with the San Rafael Police Department, Santa Cop is an organization that collects toys for needy children during the holidays. To support their toy drive, Santa visits the nursery every year and takes free photos with all the good little boys and girls. It’s truly one of our very favorite days of the entire holiday season.

Ornaments

We’re always looking for the truly unique, the eclectic, the one-of-a-kind ornaments

Special Gifts

Santa has also been known to send us plenty of special gifts from The North Pole, including Elf on the Shelf and all of the accessories!

Greenery

We stock a full selection of fresh wreaths and garland that we bring in from Oregon in late November.

A Holiday Tradition at
West End Nursery

VISIT US

This weekends Special Events @west_end_nursery. Photos with Santa and his First Responder friends Saturday, Dec 7 from 1-3pm. &. Cookies with Mrs. Clause Sunday Dec 8 from 1-3pm. Photos are free. We will be collecting gifts and donations for Santa Cop first responders. #west_end_nursery #santaiscoming #santaiscomingtotown #santafael #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #thechristmashouse #holidaydecor #itsatimeofgiving #photoswithsanta

Coneflowers are low-maintenance #perennials visited by pollinators 🐝🦋 from early spring through fall, thanks to their continuous bloom. We think you'll be attracted to them, too, with the bright colors in the Evolution™ series from #MonroviaPlants!

Creating a bird-friendly garden is easier than you think! 🌳🐦 Follow our top garden tips and plant recommendations, and watch your feathered friends flock to your garden.

🐛 Leave some spaces a bit wild for insects! Insect-friendly gardening is hummingbird and bird-friendly gardening.

🌻 Include plants with long-lived flowers and long blooming periods (or shorter bloom times with overlapping bloom windows) to provide hummingbirds with a continuous source of nutrition.

🌳 Add seasonal and structural diversity with evergreens for year-round shelter, and use plants and shrubs of various sizes to support nesting and food for birds and insects.

🌸 Delay the deadheading. Let flowers go to seed, and keep seedheads standing to provide nutrition through the winter months.

#monroviaplants #shrubs #pollinatorgarden #birds #hummingbirds #pollinators #gardendesign #gardeninspiration #birdgarden #birdgardening #habitatgarden #backyardhabitat #wilding

We are proud to partner up again with San Rafael’s Santa Cop and First Responder Elves. We have a drop off bin located inside the store for gift donations for kids of all ages. Santa will be visiting @west_end_nursery on a firetruck December 7th. Bring a donation and get your free photos with Santa 1pm-3pm. #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #marin #thechristmashouse #theholidaysarehere #santacopfirstresponders #santacop

Ornaments are a perfect gift or gift accessory. #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #marin #holidaydecor #theholidaysarehere

Grab your favorite morning beverage and come see us this morning! #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #thechristmashouse #holidaydecor #marin #holidaydecor #theholidaysarehere #timetogetshopping #thingstododuringthanksgivingbreak

We wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings. ❤️ #family #familytime #grateful #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #thechristmashouse #marin #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #theholidaysarehere

Do you have a favorite food? Why not get it in an ornament. We have tons of different food ornaments to choose from. Come check them out. #foodornaments #west_end_nursery #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #sanrafael #thechristmashouse #holidaydecor #marin #thegiftforthepersonewhohaseverything #christmasiscoming #theholidaysarecoming #theholidaysarehere #theholidayseason #giftgivingideas #giftgivingmadeeasy

A little birdie told us.... they want you to plant a #tree this fall!

Psst: a shrub filled with tasty berries, an evergreen of any size to shelter them, or even a vine to offer quick cover or nectar to hummingbirds would also suit them just fine.

Come on in and see the choices we have in stock from @MonroviaPlants to grow a backyard #birdgarden!

Lots of flavors to choose from. #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #thechristmashouse #holidaydecor #marin #theholidaysarecoming #christmasiscoming #wreaths #wreathsforalloccasions #wreath #wreathsforsale #wreathsoftheseason

Holiday shopping 🎁 this #SmallBusinessSaturday? We think plants make perfect gifts!

Poinsettias have arrived and they are gorgeous! #poinsettias #poinsettiasarehere #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #thechristmashouse #sanrafael #holidaydecor #marin #theholidaysarecoming

Perfect timing to decorate! Our live wreaths, garland and swag are in. #west_end_nursery #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #sanrafael #sanrafael #thechristmashouse #holidaydecor #marin #livewreaths #livegarland

Bake Sale today @west_end_nursery. Sun Valley 5th graders fundraiser. #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #marin #holidaydecor #thechristmashouse #

Planting a tree this fall? Some tips to plant with care: Dig a hole twice the width and just as deep as the root ball. Place the tree in the hole, and backfill it with nutrient-rich soil and water thoroughly to help the roots settle. Make sure not to plant the tree too deep; you should see the root flare above the soil line.

Thanks to #MonroviaPlants for these tips and for the image of a coral bark maple in the landscape at their nursery in Oregon.

Need something to do but want to stay dry??? Come visit us at The Christmas House @west_end _nursery. Can’t wait to see you!! #rainydays #thingstodoinmarinwhenitrains #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #west_end_nursery #thechristmashouse #sanrafael #holidaydecor #marin

Does a landscape like this take time? Sure, it's an investment. But when you see the payoff, like this display garden at the @MonroviaPlants headquarters in Oregon, it may just put you in the mood to #PlantATree this fall!

Come on in to West End Nursery to see which trees we recommend for our region and your space. (Hint: they come in all sizes - you might be surprised what you can fit in to even a courtyard or container!)

#FallIsForPlanting #TreeHugger #ILoveTree #ConifersAreCool #WeepingWillow #PlantTrees #Trees #Landscape #LandscapeDesign #LandscapePhotography

Plant shrubs now, and thank yourself later! They're the perfect pick for #fallplanting, and offer a big payoff over multiple seasons.

Shown: Sweetmaroon™ Myrtle and Cream De Mint™ Dwarf Pittosporum, both from #MonroviaPlants.

Get prepped for a beautiful #garden now through next year. The garden pros at @MonroviaPlants share why you want to mulch now for fewer weeds next spring. 🌱

#gardentips #gardenhowto #gardenadvice

We love this photo that @MonroviaPlants snapped of a wagon loaded up with an exquisite selection of full shrubs, topiary, and lush grasses. Who else loves that "cart full of plants" feeling? 😍 Fall is for planting!

#monroviaplants #planthaul #gardeninspiration #foliage #topiary #shrubsofinstagram

For a rosy outlook on #waterwise #gardendesign, try this adaptable container combo formula from @MonroviaPlants. They designed it to be flexible to the plants you'd like to use, or come in and ask us for our suggestions!

1️⃣ Use a large, silvery succulent or other foliage plant for the "thriller" in the middle.
2️⃣ Fill in more silvery foliage in a contrasting form (think: rounded leaves like Eucalyptus if you used a spiky succulent like Agave for the first plant).
3️⃣ Now add more contrast with another filler in rich, rosy red. A sedum might work well here!
4️⃣ Finally, add a spiller with more rich red blooms, like a bougainvillea. Burgundy Queen™ Bougainvillea carries over that same color into the foliage for added oomph!

They have more plans like these in their Summer-ize Your Containers Guide, available as a free download under the Be Inspired tab at Monrovia.com

Get out there and vote today. #itsyourright

Love making bouquets? 💐 What you could make one like this every day—spring, summer, and fall? You can, with a 🌻 SunBelievable® 🌻 Helianthus!

This sunny sunflower pumps out 1,000 blooms (on a single plant!) and blooms now until frost. As you can see, it's perfect for cut flowers, or just for making your garden amazing.

#FloralFix #FlowerArrangement #CutFlower

The Christmas house @west_end_nursery is now open everyday during normal nursery hours. Monday - Saturday 8:30am to 5pm, Sunday 9am - 4pm. #thechristmashouse #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #holidaydecorations #holidaydecor #west_end_nursery #sanrafael #downtownsanrafael #christmasiscoming #theholidaysarecoming #holidayplants #christmasexperience #

The annual opening weekend of The Christmas House @west_end_nursery starts today! #thechristmashouse #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #thechristmashouseinmarin#thechristmashouseinsanrafael #theholidays #theholidaysarehere #christmasiscoming #holidayseason #holidaydecorating #holidaydecor #wheretobuyholidaydecor #christmasspirit

We wish you a fun and safe Halloween day/night! Looking forward to celebrating the holiday season with you all. Remember: The Christmas House @west_end_nursery opens this weekend! Saturday, November 2, 2024. #thechristmashouse #thechristmashouseatwestendnursery #theholidaysarecoming #shoptheholidaysearly #holidaydecor #holidaydecorinmarin

Sign us up for this trend, spotted by the plant pros at @MonroviaPlants. They're seeing more gardens designed for relaxing, with plants that provide soothing sounds (like grasses), lots of foliage, and just a few accent colors (we're loving the bright orange Crocosmia in this pic).

Do you have plans to plant or expand an outdoor oasis?

Bougainvillea loves the sun! It needs well-draining soil to prevent root rot. They also like an occasional feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (once in a season should be plenty) to keep blooming beautifully.

Shown: Barbara Karst Bougainvillea

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