Holiday Decor on a Budget

Photos by Ailee Petrovic of Snapshots & My Thoughts 

Outfit: It's Our Time Santa sweater (under $18!!) | Hue leggings | Accessory Concierge necklace ℅ | Zayver Designs bracelet | Gold Hoop earrings (on sale) - Home Decor: Z Gallerie mirror | Personalized Creations stockings | Nutcracker stocking holders {similar style} | Nordstrom Ikat pillows (under $20 and comes in seven different colors) | Faux fur blanket | Leopard Nutcrackers & holiday gift bags purchased from Walgreens | White Nutcracker purchased at a local store

It is starting to get a whole lot jollier in my house! 

I LOVE decorating for the holidays, but what I love even more is finding great inexpensive decorations that only look like a million bucks. I think investment pieces are key, but when you're purchasing cute odds and ends that are only going to be displayed for one month out of the year, there's no reason to break the bank. 

Some of my favorite retailers to shop holiday decor at reasonable prices are Pier 1, Walgreens, CVS, Home Goods & my favorite, the Dollar Tree. Unfortunately most these these retailers have pretty shabby websites (besides Pier 1), so you have to have access to shop in-store. Even if you're in a small town, trust me, it's worth the trip to get some eye catching pieces for a fraction of what people will think you paid. 

This year I went crazy for everything at Pier 1. You'll see all my purchases from there in a post later this week, but I shopped it all right after Thanksgiving when their Christmas decor was all 10-40% off - think cheeky wine glasses, festive napkin rings and ornaments. For tableware, without a doubt, the Home Goods store is the place to go. I hadn't ever been to Home Goods before moving to Houston, but it quickly became my favorite place to shop for everything seasonal, as well as home necessities. Walgreens and CVS have a great array of nutcrackers and fun bells/door hangers. Last year I picked up the Mr. & Mrs. leopard print Nutcrackers above, for only $10 a piece at Walgreens. This year, I came across a 4ft tall nutcracker at CVS, and the angel that tops our tree came from there too. When it comes to bows, tinsel, Christmas lights, wrapping paper, gift bags and paper plates/napkins, the Dollar Tree will not let you down. They truly have some great finds that you can hardly believe only cost $1. Plus, no one likes spending a fortune on wrapping paper. 

The best time to shop all the holiday decor you love that might be out of your budget or is more expensive, is AFTER the holidays. You're bound to find items for up to 75% off. They do this so that they can move the merchandise off the shelves and get ready for the next holiday. You didn't realize Valentine's was creeping up already, did you? Until then, let's enjoy the fact that Santa is coming to town tomorrow night!