As the owner of a year-round Christmas store in Boerne, Emily Carvalho said she never gets tired of the holidays.

“When I was little, I wanted to be Mrs. Claus one day—I was decorating Christmas trees for nearly everyone in my family,” Carvalho said.

Her love for the holiday continued into adulthood as she began working as an employee at The Christmas Shoppe in 2002.

How we got here

“I knew the first night I worked here that I’d found my career,” Carvalho said.


Then, in 2015, the store’s original owners planned to retire and sell the business, so they turned to someone who knew the shop more than anyone else.

“They wanted it to stay with somebody like me,” Carvalho said. “It was my dream.”

So, for the last 10 years, Carvalho has been in charge of The Christmas Shoppe, a business that has been in Boerne’s downtown since 1998.
Emily Carvalho said she took ownership of The Christmas Shoppe in 2015 but began working there as an employee in 2002. (Andrew Creelman/Community Impact)
Emily Carvalho said she took ownership of The Christmas Shoppe in 2015 but began working there as an employee in 2002. (Andrew Creelman/Community Impact)
Read all about it

While Carvalho said her store has a lot of holiday decorations, collectibles and figurines, she said there’s so much more for customers to discover.


“One of my favorite things to do is finding really unusual but meaningful gifts for people, regardless of if it's the holidays or not,” Carvalho said.

Some of the most popular items at the shop are the Old World and glass-blown Christmas tree ornaments.

Carvalho said the shop is now selling a San Antonio-made collection of 3D printed gingerbread-style ornaments.

“You won’t be able to find something like that anywhere else,” Carvalho said.


Additionally, there’s a room full of lighted miniature displays, nativities and other decorative figurines for inside the home.

Aside from purely Christmas-themed merchandise, the store also carries merchandise for other holidays throughout the year, from Halloween to Easter.
This cat ornament is one of thousands on displays at The Christmas Shoppe in Boerne. (Andrew Creelman/Community Impact)
This cat ornament is one of thousands on display at The Christmas Shoppe. (Andrew Creelman/Community Impact)
Mapping it out

Moving forward, Carvalho said the goal is to continue sourcing locally-made and handcrafted items for the shop.

“We’re going to continue to expand our connection with local artists,” Carvalho said.


Along with more handmade items, Carvalho said she wants to continue connecting with the community in downtown Boerne.

In the meantime, she’s already in the early stages of preparing for 2026’s holiday season next year.

“As soon as early January rolls around, I’m already planning for next Christmas,” Carvalho said.