The Christmas Decorations You Can (and Should) Cheap Out On

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There are some holiday decorating essentials you don't want to cheap out on—a quality tablecloth that isn't made from synthetic fibers, for instance, so you can actually get stains out—and then there are those that don't warrant overspending.

Sure, it may be worth splurging for fancy tableware for the big family dinner or high-quality outdoor lights that will last more than a season. And artificial trees can be pretty great, but you're going to have to spend a little more to get one that isn't going to look sparse and sad. But where can you save some money after you've invested in these better decorations? Let me tell you how I do it.

Spend less on Christmas tree decorations

As far as I'm concerned, there are really only two schools of thought when decorating a Christmas tree: Some people like uniform, unsentimental baubles in similar colors and textures, which create a look straight out of an interior design magazine. Others prefer trees stuffed with eclectic ornaments obtained throughout years' worth of life events and "baby's first" Christmases.

I'm not a sentimental person (nor a parent), so I don't really go for the second option, but I respect the game of anyone who has the commitment to see it through and keep those memory-laden ornaments safe in storage year after year. I myself prefer color-coordinated, aesthetically pleasing ornaments, but have learned the hard way there is no good reason to buy expensive ones.

When I started decorating my own tree some years ago, I paid a lot for fancy gold ornaments. This did not stop them from breaking, nor did it stop me from getting bored with them. Now, each year, I instead pick a new color for my decor and buy ornaments in that color as cheaply as possible. A 24-pack like this one, which costs about $15, is just right.

Other tree essentials you can get for cheap

• Get the cheap garland at the dollar store, since even the more expensive stuff is still going to look bad in a few years and even after carefully examining a $129 (!) garland I saw for sale, I am positive I would not be able to pick the cheap or expensive one if these were put in a lineup together.

• A fancy tree-topper is only going to break your heart by sustaining inevitable damage in storage, and no one can even see it that high off the ground anyway; opt for two glittery stars for $6.25 instead.

• If you want more than colorful balls on the tree, try 36 snowflakes for $9.99 instead of something more specifically Christmas-y. These can be made more worthwhile by using them to decorate your home into January and February.

• The same goes for glittery sprigs and twigs, which I've seen going for $59 at higher-end retailers but are just $9.99 on Amazon. These are easy to bend and break and aren't even necessary for a nice tree, so absolutely do not spend $60 on them.

But don't cheap out on...

The one thing I do think is worth a splurge for when it comes to the tree is a quality tree skirt. Whether you have a real tree and need it to stop needles from getting all over your floor or a fake one with an unsightly base that needs covering, a scratchy felt skirt won't lay nicely and will be hard to clean. A higher-quality fabric skirt will have a prettier drape and fold better for storage—and you still don't have to spend a ton (especially if you consider this year a wash and pick one up during after Christmas sales).

Cheaper decorating around the home

Saving money don't always mean compromising on aesthetics. In general, I gravitate toward decorations that are easy to clean and easy to put up and take down, but plastic can look cheap, and I only want to spend cheap, so I try to find a happy medium.

• Snowflake window clings (around $5 for 138) are ideal, as they can bring some festive flair to windows, mirrors, and tile all around the house, replacing the need for room-by-room specialty decor that is bound to set you back way too much money.

• If you're into the gnome trend that's popped up on Pinterest in recent years, I recommend resin figurines instead of fabric dolls because they're cheaper and easier to maintain.

• Target has a section of "$5 decor" that features a lot of homey, old-timey looking decorations for cheap, so you can still inject some charm into the scene. The deals include little wooden light-up house, for instance, which is the kind of thing you'll pay a lot more for at home decor shops. This offering from Target is actually perfect if you are craving some pieces that could become a tradition for your family or give a classy appearance.

• Don't overspend on indoor wreaths, either. Outdoor ones need to be sturdy, so spend your money there. An artificial, 20-inch wreath is under $4 at Walmart. For that price, you can toss it when the season ends instead of trying to come up with a way to store the giant thing without squishing it.

Time your shopping (and get creative)

Beyond that, the general consensus around cheap decorating is that, if possible, you should start about a year in advance. That is to say, according to decorators in the know on forums around the internet, make use of post-holiday sales to get quality items on markdown for next season.

If you don't want to wait 12 months to put your goods in play, I have another idea: Thrift stores. If you go that route, don't look for garland, wreaths, or anything prone to falling apart. Do aim to round out your collections of figurines, trinkets, and ornaments.

Decorate year-round items and make them Christmassy

All of these money saving tips aside, I'm not a big believer in keeping a bunch of holiday-specific decor lying around 11 months of the year. To me, the best money-saving technique is making use of what you already own. So instead of buying a lot of Christmas items, choose some nice year-round pieces, and make them festive for the season.

• I have LED strip lights all over my apartment. For about $14, you can get a strip of them 130 feet long and they can be controlled by an app on your phone. I keep mine pink for most of the year and transition them to red or green for the holidays.

• The same goes for puck lights, which are about $20 for six. I have these all over and, again, at holiday time, I turn them the appropriate colors. This reduces the need for me to buy holiday-colored lights and waste money.

• You can also opt for green or red refills for your air fresheners (you can get five Bath & Body Works Wallflowers for $27 right now). These replace holiday-specific night lights (which are spendy!) without raising suspicions. They blend right in.

• When in doubt, tie some bows everywhere and anywhere you can. Grab 50 yards of one-inch ribbon for $6.99 and put it around your everyday candles, storage boxes, tissue boxes, and anything else. Everywhere you go, you'll see yuletide-looking candles, tissue boxes, towels, and baskets. The look of these can be replicated with a bow and, as a bonus, ribbon takes up virtually no storage space, unlike those money-wasters.

You don't need to spend a bunch on specialty items for these purposes, especially when there are decorations you don't want to compromise on.