Posts Tagged ‘dollar stores’
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.
Shopping for Christmas Tree Decorations
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