"If it were up to me, I’d blow my entire November and December budget on holiday decor. Unfortunately, this would leave no money for gifts, which is kind of the point of the season. Luckily for everyone on my gifting list, though, my husband has become an expert at reining in my spending. Bad for my inner Buddy the Elf, great for our retirement accounts.
Every year, my husband and I decide on a budget to work with for holiday decor. What’s great about this is it forces me to hunt for deals, get creative, and slowly build a collection of holiday decor I love over time. This year, I have $150 to work with. Of course, we already have a handful of holiday decorations, but we’ve only been in our current home for a couple of years, so our collection is slim. We have a great collection of unique ornaments, a wreath, a tree from Facebook Marketplace (a $30 find I’m still proud of), and a hand-me-down Christmas village collection. My plan this year is to build on what we have with pieces I know I’ll use and love for years to come. Here’s all the holiday decor I’m buying this year with my $150 budget.
We have a large arch that opens up to our dining room and typically decorate it with faux garland from Michael’s. This year, I’m repurposing that garland on our windows and going for something lighter for our arch. The antique gold bells and moody burgundy velvet fit so well with our decorating style. It’ll take two to fill our space.
Price: $14.99 (times 2)
I try to buy decor in either neutral or classic holiday colors (deep reds and greens), so that everything goes together as I add to my collection. These champagne gold bottlebrush trees are perfect for displaying basically anywhere, but mine will live on the bookshelves in my office.
Price: $19.99
This holly motif throw pillow has been haunting me ever since I first laid eyes on it. It will go perfectly with our large green sofa.
Price: $20
In case you somehow haven’t heard, bows are big for the holidays. Rather than purchase pre-tied bows with clips, I recommend buying a spool (or two) of velvet ribbon on Amazon and making the bows yourself. This will save a ton of money and, because they won’t all be tied perfectly, your bows will lend an effortless, lived-in feel to your decor.
Price: $7.99
I always pick up a pack or two of these fairy lights during the holidays. You can weave them through garlands or place them along shelves and they instantly add a touch of holiday spirit to your space. They’re such a steal this time of year—truly the easiest way to make a big impact for very little cost.
Price: $2.50 (times 2)
We somehow don’t have a holiday doormat yet, and I love how simple this one is. I’m not big on decor with words, especially not your classic “Happy Holidays!” that you see everywhere, but this saying is a little different, understated, and something I know I won’t get sick of.
Price: $12.99
That big arch I mentioned earlier is basically the focal point of our living area, and I love hanging mistletoe from the center of it. Whenever we have couple friends over—or even when I just pass my husband by on my way to let the dogs out—it makes for a sweet, festive moment. Our current mistletoe is due for an upgrade, and I love the bronze bow detail of this one from Etsy.
Price: $24
While we have a large vintage Department 56 Christmas Village collection that looks gorgeous on our entryway table, this little light-up ceramic village will look to die for on my bookshelves.
Price: $10
This is slightly cheating because I purchased these last year, but I truly recommend them if you’re trying to decorate on a budget. I use these matte ornaments to fill in the gaps of our tree and I couldn’t be happier with them. You can get 60 for just $24.99 and have basically all you need for a smaller tree.
Price: $24.99
I have a collection of antique candlestick holders leftover from our wedding that typically house your standard ivory taper candles, but for the holidays, I love the idea of using them to add a small festive touch to the space. These gold vein marble taper candles are so beautiful, I’ll be sad to burn them down.
Price: $7.99
Total spent: $137.94
Garri Chaverst, Senior Managing Editor
As Senior Managing Editor of The Everygirl, Garri oversees the pitching, planning, and creation of all content. You might also find her name pop up as a contributor throughout the site, though she mostly works behind the scenes, leading the team in their creative efforts and ensuring they have everything they need to create top-quality content for our audience.