(CNN) -- Even before Thanksgiving, people were decking their halls with Christmas joy. Now lights sparkle at home, trees stand tall in offices and Santa's at the mall. Aldridge's Always Christmas shop has more than 90,000 square feet of Christmas accessories. Let the Christmas countdown begin, and there's no better place to start than with holiday paraphernalia. Specialty stores across the country dedicate themselves year-round to fulfilling your Christmas needs. These stores are more than just shopping destinations -- they're an experience. We asked a few of the best-known Christmas stores to name their top competitors, enabling us to come up with this list. Here are five to check out:


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Santa's is also home to a glittering assortment of ornaments, decorations and collectibles from all over the world.


Hillary Clinton told reporters Sunday that the purpose of her return to Iowa for the first time in over six years was "to support candidates." But 2016's presidential politics were everywhere on a sun-soaked field in Indianola, Iowa. Clinton captured the sentiment best herself with a joke from the stage of the 37th and final Harkin Steak Fry: "Hello Iowa. I'm back!" Clinton left Iowa in 2008 after finishing a disappointing third place in the Iowa caucus. Six years have changed things, though, and Clinton has been followed by the possibility of running for president since she stepped down as secretary of state in 2013. Polls show her as the prohibitive favorite for the nomination, and her visit to Iowa this weekend has raised the specter even higher that she will likely run for president.

Clinton stuck with tradition on Sunday, flipping a steak with her husband, former president
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Clinton, who chose to flip veggie burgers.


(CNN) -- Rick Santorum awoke to a new reality Wednesday after sweeping all three Republican presidential contests a day earlier, reshaping the contest that will decide who runs against President Barack Obama in November. Santorum won caucuses in Minnesota and Colorado, as well as a nonbinding primary in Missouri to energize his campaign and raise questions about front-runner Mitt Romney's ability to attract broad conservative support. The victories by Santorum bolstered his contention that he is the strongest conservative challenger to the more moderate Romney for the GOP nomination, and the most formidable conservative candidate to take on Obama. "I don't stand here and claim to be the conservative alternative to Mitt Romney," Santorum declared to cheering supporters outside St. Louis. "I stand here to be the conservative alternative to Barack Obama."

He canceled stops in
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Minnesota scheduled for Monday to concentrate on Colorado, where he spent caucus night.