Posts Tagged ‘Big Lots’
Shopping for Christmas Tree Decorations
Have you noticed? Halloween hadn’t even arrived yet and the Christmas decorations were already starting to take up shelf space in the stores.
One of my favorite holiday pastimes — in fact it is really one of the only times I enjoy window shopping — is shopping for Christmas decorations, especially for the Christmas tree.
Each year, I usually have to retire some of my ornaments. After a few years of hanging on the tree and then being stored in a box, they give out. So I need to replace them.
One of the easiest ways to purchase decorations for your Christmas tree is to visit one of your local department stores. Department stores are nice because they sometimes double as discount stores; meaning you should be able to purchase your Christmas tree decorations, whether they be lights or ornaments, for a relatively affordable price. Also, depending on the size of your local department store, you should be able to find a fairly large selection of Christmas tree decorations.
Stores where I’ve noticed a decent selection include Target, WalMart and Big Lots. Dollar stores sometimes have a nice selection, as well, and are good for stocking up on basics like tinsel, garlands and the like.
Then, of course, there are the specialty Christmas shops. Depending on where you live, you should have at least one specialty Christmas shop in or around your home. What is nice about specialty Christmas shops is that they specifically focus on Christmas. Essentially, that means that if you are looking for the largest selection of Christmas tree decorations, you may want to do your shopping at a specialty Christmas shop. The only problem is that their items tend to be higher priced; however, the quality is often better than what you would find in most department stores.
If you’re looking for keepsake ornaments … Hallmark is the most obvious choice. And you can usually find a Hallmark store in your local mall. Chain drug stores also often carry a line of Hallmark ornaments.
If you are looking for high quality, elegant Christmas tree decorations or ornaments, but don’t have access to a local specialty Christmas store, you can do your shopping online. Online, there are a number of retailers who specialize in selling Christmas tree decorations.
In addition to the Christmas tree decorations that you may find in your local department store, you may also be able to find individuals or companies who specialize in creating unique, handcrafted Christmas ornaments. As you might expect, handcrafted Christmas ornaments, especially those that are customized, cost a pretty penny, but it could be worth the extra cost to get exactly what you want.
While it is fun to shop for Christmas tree decorations, the fun part starts when the tree decorating process actually begins. For the best memories, decorate your Christmas tree with someone that you know and love.
Christmas Ornament Resources Online
Christmas On a Budget
With the current economic climate, you might be thinking of reducing your Christmas budget this year. But that doesn’t mean that you have to have less fun or give out bad (or no) gifts. Here are a few ideas for creating a festive Christmas holiday while keeping the expenses down.
Gifts from Dollar Stores, Big Lots and Thrift Shops
You’d be surprised at the gems you can find at your local GoodWill. Remember, retail stores often donate merchandise that isn’t moving, so you can find unused items there.
Also, thrift stores often have a great selection of interesting baskets. Buy a few and fill them with goodies that you get at your local dollar stores and Big Lots.
Exotic Foods for Less
Speaking of dollar stores and Big Lots, you can find some very interesting and exotic food stuffs there, as well. Why not stock up on the basics and save your higher purchases for the fresh stuff when your holiday meals are closer?
Shop All Year Round
I always keep a look out for gift items and I buy them when I see them. I have a box in the closet that is filled with gifts just waiting for the right occasion. Shop at the after Christmas sales for your next Christmas gifts and you’ll save a lot!
The key here is to shop earlier, rather than later and always keep an eye out for bargains.
Christmas Day Games
Just because the gifts are opened and the wrapping paper is strewn about the living room doesn’t mean the fun of Christmas is over. Add some fun party games to Christmas day and extend the fun of Christmas.
Have a lot of people over for Christmas Day? Then try playing the hat game. When people arrive, give them a Santa hat. These are inexpensive and can be purchased for $1 at the dollar store, or even less in bulk, if you plan ahead. As everyone goes about their business of getting food, chatting with others and the like, the room will look very festive with everyone wearing their Santa hats.
But, of course, that’s not the point.
The point is to get rid of your hat and not be the last one wearing a Santa hat. But you can’t take your hat off until you’re finished with getting your food at the buffet table and have sat down to eat. Inevitably there will be one person so wrapped up in a conversation or the buffet table, they forget to take off their hat and will be left the game’s “loser.”
One fun memory game that kids particularly like is to make everyone pay careful attention to all the gifts that are opened on Christmas day. After the gifts are removed from the room (or you remove yourselves from the gift room) have everyone try and remember every single gift that each person received.
For a greater challenge, include stockings and any food gifts.
Tell people they only have to remember the items that were opened that day, not any gifts they received and opened prior to Christmas day. This can be a fun game that’s particularly popular with kids because they love to relive the gift magic. In addition, if they were so immersed with their own gifts they didn’t notice anyone else’s this is a good chance for them to educate themselves about what everyone got that day.
If you need a game to keep everyone busy before dinner, try the guess me game, “What’s In the Sock?”. Buy some large heavy socks — not low-rise, but the type that are worn outdoors in the winter that are thick and come at least to the calf. You can often find these at a dollar store or other discount store, like Big Lots, for a fairly low price.
Put several items in the socks. Make sure identical items are in each sock. These items should be related to Christmas in some way. You might include a small ornament, scotch tape, a pinecone, a Hershey’s kiss, and the like. Have each person feel the socks (having two socks just makes the game go faster, but you can play with just one sock), and write down their guesses about what’s in the socks. Be sure to tell everyone how many items are in each sock.
The winner gets, you guessed it, one of the socks!
Do you have some hams in your group? Then this game is for them!
Set up a small table for the “judges” and have teams of 2 people (or individuals, if they want) sing a Christmas carol. Tell them to have a lot of fun with the song, and even add a Santa hat or other dress-up items if they wish. The winners can take home a CD of Christmas music. This game is particularly fun if just the children want to perform and be judged by the adults, or if, conversely, the adults perform and are judged by the children.