Rogers’ Christmas House - Brooksville, FL • Rediscover FL

Remembering Roger’s Christmas House: A Holiday Wonderland in Brooksville, Florida

Brooksville, Florida, was once home to a magical Christmas village, where twinkling ornaments and holiday figurines filled every nook and cranny. Rogers’ Christmas House (not to be confused with Robert’s Christmas Wonderland in Clearwater) was more than just a store; it was a community staple that drew in visitors from across the state and beyond.

Busloads of tourists would roll in. Orders came in from as far as Europe. And every year, moms from Tampa and Orlando would drag their kids into their minivans to make the annual pilgrimage of browsing Christmas knick knacks.

A Christmas Dream Turned Iconic Destination

Rogers’ Christmas House first opened in 1971, when Margaret Rogers Ghiotto transformed a single home into a holiday decor and gift shop. As its popularity grew, she acquired the neighboring homes, eventually creating a complex of shops that captivated guests with its immersive, themed rooms. At its peak in the 1980s, the store saw up to $1.5 million in annual sales, solidifying its status as a must-visit Christmas destination.¹

A Five-Cottage Complex

Rogers’ Christmas House was made up of five houses in total, each transformed into a shop decked with elaborate Christmas displays. Guests could explore these decorated spaces by following an interconnected garden path, moving from one festive set to the next. While every house featured Christmas tree displays, each had its own unique theme:

The Christmas Cottage (Main House) – The largest collection, featuring high-end holiday decor such as Swarovski crystals, hand-carved Italian wood figures, and Victorian-style porcelain dolls.
The Magnolia House – A rustic space filled with country-themed decorations long before the farmhouse aesthetic became the trend I love to hate.
The Little House Under the Oak Tree – This one had a music-themed selection, plus gifts tailored for men… by the way, what do dads even want for Christmas? A new set of slippers? A gadget they’ll never use? (Note to self: figure this out before December 24th.)
Storybook Land – A set decorated in fairytale murals, stocked with games, toys, and stocking stuffers targeted towards children.
The Bride’s House – Here was basically everything a ‘lady’ was supposed to like: fine china, jewelry, linens, and kitchenware.

A Tale of Confusion and One-Star Reviews

After Margaret’s passing in 2006, her family decided to sell Rogers’ Christmas House to Donna Jones.² The beloved holiday wonderland carried on until 2010, when, much to the dismay of Christmas fanatics everywhere, it closed its doors for good. In the video below, you can see the items that were auctioned off during the liquidation sale.

For years, the once-magical houses sat vacant, their halls undecked, until 2014, when Dorothea and Greg Stephens swooped in with a new vision.³ They transformed the property into a wedding venue but, in a nod to the site’s past, kept one of the homes as a tiny gift shop.⁴

This, however, led to a ton of confusion. Some visitors, still expecting the kitsch and grandeur of the original Rogers’ Christmas House, wandered in expecting a full-blown Christmas experience – only to find a much smaller and much less Christmas-y shop. Cue the indignant poor reviews from confused customers who hadn’t gotten the memo: the OG Rogers’ Christmas House had been gone for years.

(Click on images above to expand)

This Lite Version of Rogers’ Christmas House appears to be permanently closed now according to Google, but the wedding venue Saxon Manor is still available for celebrations.

Had you ever gone to Rogers’ Christmas House before it closed? I would love to hear your memories and thoughts about this treasured landmark from Brooksville’s past.