Last Updated on November 16, 2024 by Mitch
Using a bit of thrifty holiday magic, you can totally deck your halls for less!
Are you tired of overspending on holiday decorations year after year? Do you want to add a special touch to your home for the holidays without breaking the bank? Well, the answer to all of your Christmas decorating woes lies in the world of thrifting! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the art of thrifting for holiday decor and how it can transform your home into a festive wonderland.
Decorating Your Home For Christmas Using Thrifted Finds
Join me as we delve into the ultimate guide to thrifted holiday decorating: a one-stop-shop for all your thrifty and festive needs!
Budget-Friendly Holiday Decorating with Thrift Store Treasures
Hello, guys!
The holiday season is upon us once again. And, I don’t know about you, but I’m always looking for ways to spend less and save more, especially this time of the year.
These thrifted items can include:
- holiday gift bags and wrapping paper
- ribbon
- sets of holiday or Christmas cards
- candles (real or faux)
- holiday-themed napkins and paper plates
- dish towels or other Christmas linens
- holiday dishware, mugs, or drinking glasses
…the list goes on. You can find just about ANYTHING you are looking for to use for holiday baking, wrapping, tablescapes, etc…at the thrift store. It’s incredible the amount of money that can be saved by purchasing holiday items secondhand!
Shop the Thrifty Holiday Look!
The Ultimate Guide to Thrifted Holiday Decorating
Below, you will find six of my top tips for sourcing, and styling, Christmas decor for less. I’m here to tell you that you can totally have a magazine-worthy holiday home without spending thousands! Let’s get into it.
1. Best Places to Find Secondhand Christmas Decorations and Ornaments
First, let’s chat about where to find inexpensive Christmas and holiday decor.
My go-to spot, and the place I always check first, are my local thrift shops. This is your best bet for seeking out items such as:
- Christmas village houses
- ornaments
- garland or wreaths
- Christmas trees
- berry picks or other greenery
- bottle brush trees
Other secondhand options for sourcing Christmas decor include vintage or antique shops, Etsy, e-Bay, or Mercari.
Shop Vintage Christmas Ornaments!
2. Tips for Scoring the Best Deals on Thrifted and Vintage Christmas Decorations
One of the best parts of thrifting is getting the most amazing deals! You can find the best, most unique Christmas decor for just a few dollars. But, from experience, there are a few key tips to keep in mind, especially when hunting for holiday items.
- Subscribe to thrift store e-mail lists if they have them. That way, you will be the first to be notified when the Christmas section is out and available to shop. Try and get there early to get the good stuff!
- At most stores, ornaments are priced around $1.00 per one. However, there are some thrift stores that price ornaments in bulk, meaning they have a whole bunch of ornaments together in bags for between $3-5.00. I’ve found some incredible ornaments in these bags…even if you don’t want all of the ornaments in the bag, it’s worth buying for the ones you do want because it’s still a way better deal. Then, you can either gift the other ornaments or donate them back.
- I know it’s super tempting to buy all the things. Trust me. But, to help curb over-spending and buying things you don’t need, take inventory of your Christmas decor before you leave the house. Make a list on your phone of the things you need or that you’re looking for. You can even write down gift ideas for others to keep an eye out for…you never know what you might find!
3. Favorite Thrifted Christmas Decorations
I think all of us have our favorite Christmas decor that we like to style year after year.
Some of my all-time favorite Christmas decor pieces to thrift for include:
- milk glass
- ironstone
- green and white restaurant ware
- green glass jugs or jars
- vintage ornaments
- small flocked trees and bottle brush trees
- vintage creamers and pitchers
- vintage platters
4. Unique Ways to Decorate for Christmas with Thrifted Finds
Styling thrifted decor finds is, like, my favorite hobby…especially when it comes to thrifted Christmas!
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Stack vintage platters, plates, or butter pats.
I love to stack ironstone or other vintage dishes, either in a hutch, on a shelf, or on a credenza. Top the stack with a creamer, pitcher, or other vintage Christmas accessory. Then, to add a Christmas feel to the vignette, place holiday greenery, berries, or a small tree next to the display.
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Incorporate vintage Christmas postcards.
Another decor element that I recently started doing, and completely love, is styling antique Christmas postcards into vignettes. There’s just something so nostalgic and special about these old pieces of paper that brings a timeless feel into any holiday display.
Try a mix of both horizontal and vertical graphics. Postcards can be tucked into a garland or wreath, styled simply with ribbon, paired with milk glass or vintage brass, or hung on a tree!
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Place light-up Christmas houses inside a hutch.
A few years ago, I thrifted a light-up Christmas house for a few dollars. At the time, it was the only one that I had but just adored how it looked lit up at night. Well, fast forward to now and, to date, I’ve thrifted three beautiful, vintage light up Christmas buildings, complete with a Christmas barn!
Each year, it’s brings me such happiness to style a countryside scene with my houses, as if I’m out in the country near my favorite fly fishing river. My favorite way to style the thrifted Christmas village is on the bottom shelf of my hutch. After I have all my the houses placed, I add in trees in various heights and shades of green.
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Style vintage ornaments in bowls.
Another one of my all-time favorite Christmas decor ideas is to style vintage ornaments in bowls. I do this all over my house! You will find bowls of ornaments in my bathroom, on the bottom of my nightstand, in the kitchen, and on end tables, just to name a few.
Putting vintage ornaments in bowls is one of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to use thrifted ornaments! And, to take it one step further, try utilizing vintage, glass bowls like milk glass, green glass, or pressed glass.
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Utilize thrifted linens for Christmas decor.
Finally, a super cool hack that I love to use for holiday decorating is to use thrifted linens such as plaid scarves or vintage lace tablecloths for Christmas decorating.
Years ago, I found this red plaid scarf at the thrift store for a few dollars. It’s a super cozy and colorful accent that I add to my shelf each season!
Another way to use thrifted linens, that I just love, is to wrap a lace tablecloth around the base of Christmas tree as a tree skirt!
Tablecloths or other table linens can be found at thrift stores for a few dollars a piece and make the most lovely, neutral tree skirts. I simply wrap the table linen loosely around the tree base, making sure to leave enough play in the fabric so it flows nicely on the floor.
5. How to Decorate a Christmas Tree with Thrifted Items
Another biggie when it comes to Christmas decor on a budget is the star of the show…the Christmas tree!
Budget Christmas tree decor ideas can include:
- shop at thrift stores for ribbon, lights, ornaments, tree toppers, tree skirts or collars, etc…you’ll be so surprised at what you can find for cheap!
- create or DIY your own ornaments
- shop secondhand for a Christmas tree if you need a new one. FB Marketplace is a super good option as are thrift shops.
- try a minimal aesthetic on your tree
- ask your family members if they have any hand-me-down Christmas tree decor items that they aren’t using
- a completely free option would be to forage the woods for pinecones, sticks, dried hydrangeas, or pine boughs to stick into your tree
6. Easy DIY Christmas Decor from Thrift Store Items
The last thrifty Christmas tip on the list is to make your own decor!
Some DIY Christmas decor materials from thrift stores can include:
- ribbon
- foam balls and cones
- fabric scraps
- stamps
- sheet music
- frames
- thread and twine
- beads
For a comprehensive list of DIY Christmas decor on a budget, you can check out these posts:
DIY Christmas Gift Tags with Stamps
Homemade Clay Christmas Ornaments
Christmas Garland with Vintage Sheet Music
How to Make a Wood Round and Bead Garland
Closing Tidbits on Decorating for Christmas with Thrifted Items
You guys…decorating for the holiday does not have to cost hundreds of dollars…I promise! You can completely turn this expensive holiday into one that is super fun, frugal, and budget-friendly.
Take a deep breath and know that, will a little help from a few thrifted finds, you can totally create a beautiful Christmas home for all to enjoy. And who knows? With all of the guests and hosting of gatherings this season, you might just nudge someone else into the world of thrifting!
Be encouraged to thrift this season, finding unexpected treasures and saving money along the way.
Leave me a comment! How do you decorate for Christmas? I love hearing from you!
If you are new here, I’m Rachel, the writer and content creator here at The Antiqued Journey. I’m so happy to have you! I encourage you to stop by the ‘about me’ page to get to know me a little more.
Here on the blog, you will find loads of inspiration for decorating with vintage and antique decor, simple DIY crafts and many thrifting adventures. If that interests you, I invite you to sign up for my e-mail. You will receive a free digital download as a thank you!
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Other Christmas Posts to Enjoy
How to Decorate with Ribbon for Christmas
11 Comments. Leave new
Great ideas, Rachel, I decorate most of my house with thrifted items from the trees to the kitchen towels. It’s. cost effective way to decorate and you get to have a little treasure hunt at the same time. Thanks for sharing.
Lynne
Thanks so much, Lynne! Isn’t it amazing the amount of money you save when thrifting vs buying brand new?! SO good! Thanks for coming by today…I do appreciate it!
Great tips Rachel! ‘Tis the season… XO- MaryJo
Thanks, friend!! Sure is!
Thanks for sharing so many great ideas on how to decorate for less! You are right, you don’t have to spend a fortune to make your house look festive! I found several thrifted items I plan to upcycle for Christmas decor this year and I can’t wait to start decorating!
You are welcome! I’m so excited for you…can’t wait to see!
You really don’t have to shop for ideas, when everyone is posting so many ideas online. I did go out to two of my favorite ‘inspiration’ stores, and only replaced some 30 year old garland and some lights, we will now be all LED this year for our exterior displays. I know I’m going to trim some bushes this year for greens…lol…can’t get thriftier than that, Sandi
Hi, Sandi! I love it. Free decor is the best!! Thanks for stopping by today…I do appreciate it!
Thanks, I now have some great ideas for things I already have in my Thrifted stash. Love your decorating technique. I don’t decorate till after Thanksgiving but know you have too.
Hi! You are welcome! I’m so glad! These photos are actually from last year…I am just starting to get Christmas decor going this week. Thanks so much, Marlene!
[…] past Thursday, I shared a brand new guide to thrifted holiday decorating. In it, you will find a plethora of tips on sourcing and styling thrifted decor as well as some of […]