History

Under the tutelage of industry pioneers, George and Edie Ingerman, John and Linda Svenson founded the Christmas Dove in Barrington, New Hampshire in 1973. In 1972, the young couple had returned to Linda's hometown and rented her father's aging poultry barn. Doing most of the work themselves, they transformed the loading docks and barn board into a Christmas wonderland. From the outset, Linda has coordinated the design and creation of the elaborate themed decor that has become the trademark of the Christmas Dove.

In 1975, the Svensons opened their second store in Perkins Cove in Ogunquit, Maine. Nestled between the lobster boats and shingled chowder houses of the small, vacation town, the store became an instant favorite with the summer throngs of tourists.

In 1988, the Barrington store was tripled in size. At over 10 thousand square feet, it is one of the largest Christmas stores in the country. The flagship store features an in-house design shop, a Gold Key Department 56 display, and a Starlight Christopher Radko gallery.

The Christmas Dove continues to look toward the future, developing new fresh decorating techniques, and, as always, features the hottest lines in the holiday marketplace.

web site: copyright © 1998-2007 The Christmas Dove