The Christmas countdown starts now! Find out which holiday items you need to buy now before they sell out! Make sure your festive season is stress-free and fabulous.
I know it’s still Fall. We haven’t celebrated Halloween let alone Thanksgiving, and here I am talking about Christmas! But as we eagerly await the most wonderful time of the year, it’s essential to plan ahead and get a head start on your festive preparations.
Today I’m spilling the eggnog about the must-have holiday items that if you don’t scoop up early, they’ll be gone by the time you try to buy them! I’ll give you details of each and tell you which are the best to buy! *This post gets updated annually to reflect the most recent products.
Holiday Decor Items to Buy early
While Hobby Lobby 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, grab a cup of cocoa, put on your favorite holiday playlist, and let’s dive into the quest for the perfect festive decor – early birds, after all, get the best tinsel. You can use the Table of Contents below if you want to jump straight to my favorites.
1. 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.
I always prefer pre-lit artificial trees because of course, one of the benefits to an artificial tree is having the lights already strung for easy setup! I own both Balasm Hill and King of Christmas trees. I really like both but for different reasons. But Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot also offer some fantastic trees at affordable prices!
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.
This year I got the Alpine Fir from King of Christmas and love it’s traditional shape and light options.
My Favorite pre-lit Trees
Click the image below to see each of my picks!
2. 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!
3. Faux Garland
Much like artificial trees, the most realistic-looking garland sells out quickly. I realize you might not be thinking about garland when we haven’t even celebrated Halloween, but this is the time!
Tip: 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 juniper garland was from Terrain and they no longer offer it, but this one is similar. I mix it with this Norfolk Pine from Afloral on Amazon.
Tip: If you’re putting the garland on your railings, I love these garland ties that protect your banisters from scuffing!
My Favorite Evergreen Garlands
Click the image below to see each of my picks!
4. Greenery Picks
Greenery picks are so versatile! I use them to make my garlands look a bit fuller, but I also add them to vases or tabletops for a pop of green. 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.
Here’s a look at how I combined the cedar garland from Terrain with the picks from Michaels in my mantel last year.
5. 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.
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.
You can flock a real tree, but you can also flock an artificial one if you just want to give it a different look. Two years ago, I flocked my Balsam Hill Carolina Hemlock to give it a new, softer look.
After several years of use, I wanted to give my artificial tree a new lease on life. I had actually thought about doing it sooner, but hesitated thinking it would be difficult. Boy was I wrong! It was so easy and I wished I had done it sooner!
Get my step-by-step tutorial for How to Flock a Tree the Easy Way! Pictures and details for each step along the way.
6. Bells
The sound of jingling bells is inextricably linked with the holiday season. But these days, bells are used for more than just sound. They’re also a gorgeous element of decor!
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.
Beautiful Holiday Bells for Your Home
Click the image below to see each of my picks!
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
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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