Five items that you need to buy now before they sell out! Some holiday decor requires early shopping to get what you want.
I know it’s still Fall. We haven’t celebrated Halloween let alone Thanksgiving, and here I am talking about Christmas! But there are a few things that if you don’t scoop up early, they’ll be gone by the time you try to buy them!
While HobbyLobby has had Christmas decor out since July, most stores are just now starting to stock their shelves. And there are a few items that once they become available, seem to sell out fast and are gone until next year! By the time you would naturally start to think about Christmas, it’s too late!

Much like that good friend who will tell you when there’s lipstick on your teeth, I’m here to tell you it’s time to shop for a few holiday items. Like right now.
So here are five holiday decor items that you need to buy before November!
Christmas Trees
Artificial Christmas trees sell out fast. Now you might be thinking that you’ve seen them right up until the day before Christmas! That might be the case, so let me clarify. The BEST, most beautiful Christmas trees sell out early. If you don’t want the Charlie Brown of artificial trees, start shopping now.
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I am a fan of Balsam Hill because after working with them once years ago, I realized that their trees look so much more realistic and natural than other brands. But of course, they come with a hefty price tag.
I have the European Fir with fairy lights and I love it. It doesn’t have the traditional cone shape to it, though. If you prefer a more traditional look, try either the Noble Fir or Fraser Fir, both of which have great reviews.

Last year, I bought this cute little Alpine Balsam Fir as a small accent tree for the dining room.

You can purchase less expensive Balsam Hill trees on Amazon. I personally haven’t ordered any, but they look nice online and I’ve always had great customer service with Balsam Hill.
I also found that the Nearly Natural brand sells trees at Home Depot. I love their plants and flowers so I assume I’d like their trees, too!
Faux Garland
Much like artificial trees, the most realistic-looking garland sells out quickly. Always buy more than you think you need and return any extras because if you don’t buy enough, there won’t be any left when you go to get more!
My current favorite is this faux juniper garland from Terrain. I made the mistake of only buying two last year and it was sold out when I tried to buy more! Hence my warning to you above.

The pine garland also looks beautiful!

I like to mix in magnolia as well, like this garland from Michaels.

You can sometimes use greenery picks instead of garland, which can be more cost-effective. For greenery stems, Michael’s is my go-to store but Hobby Lobby has a large selection.
I stumbled across this greenery stem at Michael’s on clearance last year and it looks and feels amazing! I’ve been adding it into my garlands to make them a bit fuller.

And if you’re putting the garland on your railings, I love these garland ties that protect your banisters from scuffing!

Flocking Powder
If you’re considering flocking your tree, garland, or wreaths, it’s time to buy flocking powder! For some reason, it sells out early each year.
Last year, I flocked my Balsam Hill Carolina Hemlock to give it a new, softer look.

I’ve been using this tree for several years now and just wanted something a little different. I had actually been considering it for a while but thought it might be difficult. I was wrong! It was so easy and I wished I had done it sooner!

I used SnoFlock Powder and chose to just lightly flock my tree. I’ve used the aerosol cans in the past and I like them for small projects, like pinecones. For wreaths, garlands, and trees I would stick with SnoFlock.
Get my step-by-step tutorial for How to Flock a Tree the Easy Way! Pictures and details for each step along the way.
Bells
These vintage-style bells are so popular right now that they sell out fast. I purchased three different sets last year but this one was my favorite and I returned the others.
I own the 5″, 4″, and 3″ set pictured below. I put some on my front door wreath just to give it a little bling…
But I’ve also had them hanging from my orchard ladder with a bit of greenery and antique grain sacks.

And they don’t have to hang! I used them last year as part of my dining table decor and below, they are part of a coffee table vignette.

Holiday Lights
Whether you have an unlit artificial tree or a live one, both have one thing in common. The lights break every year!!!
Every year I pack them away neatly, and every year a least one string doesn’t work! By the time I realize some of the string lights have broken, there is not a set to be found in the store! Or the ones that they do have don’t match the other strings you have at home!

This is true for both tree and house lights. So if you haven’t yet tested your strings for the year, do it now and get your replacements early!
I know it seems early to think about Christmas, but in my experience, these few items are worth shopping for early! And speaking of shopping, I’m updating my gift guides for this year, but in the meantime, here are some others you might enjoy:
- 15 of the Best Experience Gift Ideas to Give
- Christmas Gift Guide with Everything You’ll Want
- Holiday Gift Guide: 20+ Items For Her
- Gorgeous French Christmas Decor items
Next week, I’ll be back on schedule with Fall decorating ideas…I promise!

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I love the blue denim frayed ribbon you used for your gift wrap. Can you say where I can find it. Thanks much. I love your style!!
Hi Linda! You’re actually the second person to ask me about that ribbon from this post! It’s called “navy” but I don’t really think it’s navy because it’s much lighter. And it’s velvet which is gorgeous! I bought it here: https://www.hobbylobby.com/Fabric-Sewing/Ribbons-Trim/Trims/Navy-Frayed-Edge-Velvet-Trim—1-1-2%22/p/81040043