6 Low-Cost Options for Holiday Decor

If you’re looking to set up some holiday decorations, but can’t afford the flashier stuff, here are some low-cost, charming holiday decoration ideas. 

1. Do Some Thrift Shopping.

Gently used decorations are often more affordable than factory new holiday decoration options. Check out local thrift stores or other used goods sellers and you might find something you think looks nice. You’d be absolutely amazed at the kind of things you can find at thrift stores. A lot of random holiday stuff tends to find its way there in the weeks following the holidays. Ironically, the weeks immediately after a holiday are some of the best times to shop for reusable holiday decoration items, as they’ll be at a massive discount. If you can get nice-looking decorations that you’ll use year after year on the cheap, so much the better. Whether that’s checking out a thrift store, or waiting a while and getting something to put up next year, is up to you. 

2. Buy Reusable Decorations.

Another way to lower the cost of holiday decoration is to find reusable decorations that you can keep setting up year after year. Buying new, flashy decorations on impulse is a trap for people with more money than brains, and one you’re smarter than to fall for. Just get yourself a nice set of simple lights, themed blankets or other relevant holiday decorations. Just don’t be like me and forget to take them down for literal years. Granted you may need some places to store them, but reusable decorations will save you big in the long term. Get a set of decorations that will last, and you’ll be much better off. Another trap to avoid is treating reusable decorations like disposable decorations and constantly overbuying, but the same could be said of literally any product ever. 

3. Get a Cactus or Plant.

A slightly higher-maintenance form of holiday decoration, a seasonal plant like the Christmas Cactus or just a nice plant in general is a good investment. A houseplant can be displayed even if it’s not a holiday and Christmas cactus in particular are quite beautiful year-round. Only get a plant if you’re willing to take care of it long-term, and make sure it’s nice-looking even when not in bloom. I guess you could consider this a form of reusable holiday decoration, but nice-looking houseplants are different enough to warrant their own entry. My favorite holiday-specialized houseplant, and the one i’d recommend the most is the Christmas Cactus, because they’re just generally nice. Christmas Cactus thrive in warm environments, don’t need much sunlight, and are super easy to care for. They don’t need massive amounts of water, and are highly resistant to most pests and diseases. All in all these succulents are a no-brainer for a nice year-round decoration that really pops during the holiday season. Overall, getting a houseplant is a good way to spice up your decor in general, and if it just so happens to be the kind that blooms during the holidays, then that’s just two birds with one stone. 

4. Scale Down Your Decor Purchases.

A great way to save money when looking for holiday decoration options is to avoid buying large and complicated decorations. If you live in an apartment or dorm, chances are you won’t need or have the room to store large decorations you’ll only use for a few weeks a year. So shop small. You don’t need 100 feet of Christmas lights. You don’t need a full-size jack-o-lantern. While price is important, you should also consider where you’re going to put these decorations when the season is over. If storage space is limited, consider shopping for more compact decorations or things that can be used as decorations year-round. If you don’t want to get a full-size decoration, there are usually smaller options, and if they don’t match the larger versions one-to-one, you can get creative. Shop smarter, not harder, as the saying goes. There are plenty of options out there so make sure you’re getting only what you know will fit. 

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5. Make Your Own.

If you don’t feel like buying holiday decoration items, you can always just go to an arts and crafts store, buy some supplies cheap, and make your own decorations. There are many tutorials online for how to make various holiday items using art supplies or household goods. In my opinion homemade decorations are usually some of the best, because they have a uniqueness and character that mass-produced decorations just can’t copy. Another great aspect of homemade decorations is that the process of making them is fun. You can make whatever kind of decorations you feel are best, maybe even get some of your friends involved if they also enjoy handicraft. Basically any hobby that involves handicraft can be used to make holiday decorations, and you’ll end up with some unique, personalized stuff that not only looks nice, but has actual significance to you. There are numerous websites, books, and other sources you can use for inspiration, and no matter the holiday you’ll probably come up with something nice. 

6. Don’t buy at all.

Okay, hear me out. If you don’t want to buy or make holiday decorations, or if you know you’ll be traveling for the holidays, you can absolutely just not buy or make any. If you have some items you know fit the holiday’s general aesthetic, you can just sort of use stuff you have to make holiday adjacent decoration choices. Color theming, patterned tableware, or just a decoration style change can all go miles to increase the holiday stylings of an interior without any major purchases on your end. If you don’t feel like buying or decorating at all, that’s fine. Work with what you’ve got. Feel free to just experiment with what you do have until you find something that you think looks good. Heck you can even just not decorate at all. If you live in an apartment, and you know you’re going on a trip somewhere why bother making it look super festive. Decorate as much or as little as you want. 

Are there any tricks you use to score low-cost holiday decor? Tell us about them!

Featured Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-christmas-tree-near-window-3333199/