Finding a North Star

Explore a Christmas Shop

A family and their dogs spread Christmas joy at their Springfield business.

Nestled in Springfield’s historic district among a cluster of red-brick buildings is North Star Christmas Company. The sudden pop of pine-green-painted bricks, along with spruce garlands adorned with bows and ornaments above gold-accented windows, makes it hard to resist going in to explore. Inside, handmade snowflakes hang from the ceiling, nutcrackers and ornaments line the walls, eight Christmas trees overflow with decorations, and the smell of a sweet Christmas candle wafts through the air. You might also find two large security guards sleeping beside the door: English bulldogs Piggie and Peanut.

“I wanted it to feel like you walked in a Hallmark movie,” says co-owner Jennifer Besse-Baker. Jennifer and co-owner Derek Baker work with their children to keep the shop running smoothly.

Both Derek and Jennifer grew up in families in which Christmas decorations weren’t a priority, and Christmas, Jennifer says, “was just another day.” When they got married in 2000, they decided that they “were going to be extra” with big holiday decorations but soon realized how expensive being extra could be. They decided to sell Christmas lights online to help pay for their holiday decorating habits. Next, they rented a booth at Relics Antique Mall in Springfield to sell other holiday knickknacks. Then they started decorating other people’s homes and businesses. When a store space became available on Commercial Street, Derek and Jennifer, who had dreamed of owning a Christmas store, pursued it.

While the couple shares responsibilities for the business, Jennifer dotingly calls it her husband’s store. Derek works hard behind the scenes to keep the store running, while Jennifer’s love of quirky aesthetics adds a whimsical touch to the space. If you find decorations like a feathered parakeet, a marshmallow using an outhouse, or a pickle on one of the many trees, chances are Jennifer put it there. She loves the challenge of finding nontraditional decorations. Derek, by contrast, is fond of traditional, nostalgic decorations, like snow globes and large multicolored ’80s-style string lights.

What brings this store to life is the love and joy Derek and Jennifer share with others. In addition to running a business and raising five children, they once ran a foster home with up to 20 children at any one time. With their love of the holidays, they strove to ensure the foster children enjoyed Christmas to the fullest, knowing it might have been their only chance to celebrate. Their love of family and their philanthropic pursuits embody the spirit of Christmas year-round, in and out of the shop.

On December 5, North Star Christmas Company hosts kid photos with Santa along with homemade cocoa and cider, candy, and chocolate. And Derek, Jennifer, Piggie, and Peanut will be there, eagerly waiting to welcome you in.

• 301 East Commercial Street, Springfield • NorthStarChristmasCo.com

All photos courtesy of North Star Christmas Company.

---

This article was originally printed in the November/December 2026 issue of Missouri Life.