“Everyone’s doing a very traditional and classic Christmas,” said Tim Baker, general manager at Unkel Joe’s Woodshed. Classic oval bulb lights and bubble lights are popular for the tree, and for windows, single or candelabra-shaped plastic electric candles have been flying off the shelves.

Christopher Radko Shiny Bright glass ornaments in a variety of colors are popular decorations as they are made using 1940s-era molds, Baker said.

At Adler’s Landscape Nursery and Christmas Shop, the nostalgic trend continues with sales of ornate lighted paper houses, oversized large ornaments that range from 6 to 10 inches in diameter and brushey trees, said owner Jeff Adler. Brushey trees became popular about three to four years ago and “keep on rolling.” They started as trees used to decorate a model train layout and then “exploded” into a variety of sizes and colors that stand alone as a tabletop piece or atop a mantle.

Mushrooms first became popular in outdoor gardens and have since transitioned into a popular Christmas item, Adler said. Mushrooms rimmed in gold glitter or with snow add a whimsical touch. They also have crochet mushrooms and mushrooms made of felt.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Adler’s Landscape Nursery and Christmas Shop landscape foreman Damon Brunhuber hangs an ornament in the shop.

At The Old Log House in Bedford, holiday shoppers can find mushrooms in natural wood. Mushroom ornaments come in two sizes and have a rusty metal cap that hangs on trees. Owner Cindy Sanders said her shop specializes in unique tree embellishments such as decorative feathers and fluffy feathered white owls.

“Owls have been hot for all seasons lately,” Sanders said. “We sell a lot of flying owls as ornaments.”

Adler’s also has owls, but red cardinals remain the front runner, Adler said, as they appear etched on a tabletop lighted globe or hung on the tree.

Some customers like vintage decor which he defined as originating in the 1900s and exemplified by Polish and German glass ornaments. Retro looks are defined, he said, as from the 1960s and 1970s, with aluminum trees and ceramic lighted trees being most popular with people in their 60s and older, who strive to recreate childhood Christmas memories.

Unkel Joe’s specializes in offering a variety of trees with the latest LED technology built in. A prelit tree ranges in size from 4 feet up to 12 feet. They come in a variety of shapes, too.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Adler's Landscape Nursery and Christmas Shop features many different types of decorations.

“We have trees you won’t find anywhere else,” Baker said, because they custom design many of the trees they carry and import them from Germany. Prelit trees with “Instant Connect” lights built in found favor with many customers. The tree comes in two sections and when put together instantly lights up — without any visible cords. If a bulb falls out, the tree stays lit.

Other trees have built-in lights and tinsel interwoven into the pine or embellishments like pine cones and snow. A customer can expect to keep a tree for five to nine seasons, Baker said.

The oversized ornaments work best on trees that have more space between branches, Adler said. These types of trees work well when decorating with paper lighted houses. Adler’s created a tree that has lightweight shelves positioned on branches.

The shelves hold a winter wonderland made of the houses, brushey trees and ornaments that creates a scene within the tree.

Officials at Adler’s and Unkel Joe’s visit a large Christmas vendor event each January in Atlanta. Yes, Virginia, these retailers think about Christmas year round. After attending the vendor show, retailers place orders and goods that begin arriving in June and July, Adler said. Come October, the showroom transitions from outdoor gardening into a Christmas wonderland.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / Adler's Landscape Nursery and Christmas Shop features many different types of decorations.

At Unkel Joe’s, a portion of the Christmas shop will be staying up year round. It’s a change to meet customer’s preferences, Baker said, by offering traditional Christmas items such as nativity sets.

“We put Christmas items out early in September this year,” Baker said. “We had a really good response.”

At the annual Atlanta show, the popular Barbie trend infiltrated Christmas as vendors displayed bright pink trees and accessories in Barbie pink. Pink flowers, foliage and accessories can be found at Adler’s and that made shopper Diana Hocker happy.

“I come here quite often during my lunch hour. They have unique items not found at other places,” she said. On this day, she was selecting some advent pink foliage, which she’ll use to decorate her new house for Christmas. “I love pink and I’m finally at a point in my life where I can decorate however I want.”

At The Old Log House, Sanders said florals such as amaryllis flowers and bundles of dried hydrangeas come in different shades of cranberry, pink and burgundy. Pine cones in assorted sizes and styles remain popular to decorate mantels or can be wired together to adorn railing corners. Framed prints — often showing pine cones and snow covered trees — are also popular.

Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski / A multi-tiered tree is featured at Adler's Landscape Nursery and Christmas Shop.

Greenery whether faux or fresh is a popular choice for front door wreaths, mantles and more.

“We sell a lot of wreaths and we make a lot of swags. We add pine cones, feathers, antlers and some ribbon,” Sanders said. “Some (customers) prefer a more natural look with a grapevine decorated with pine cones and holly branches.”

Candles in all shapes, sizes and scents are popular, all retailers said. At Adler’s, candles come in all shapes in sizes — some are shaped as wax houses and can be hung from the tree and others are taper candles shaped to look like branches.

“We sell a lot of candles, melts and flameless candles,” Sanders said.