December is one of the most beautiful months of the year. It’s also one of the most stressful ones. With all the Christmas preparations, present-buying tree-decorating fever, the money goes out of my bank account quicker than I blink. And I blink a lot. To get myself in the festive spirit, I love to dress my house with lots of different decorations ranging from fairy lights and little animal figurines to going all out with a Christmas tree all my neighbours could be jealous of. The “less is more” rule definitely doesn’t apply to anything I do in December. So if you’re like me and don’t fancy spending a lot of money but still want to feel festive in your house/flat/room, let me tell you where I find my Christmas decorations on a tight budget.

Primark

Is there anything you can’t buy in Primark? It’s quite possibly the only shop where I can get lost in and end up buying ridiculous Christmas tree earrings as well as a couple of festive throws, a suitcase and a coat that I will never wear but it looked pretty on the mannequin. Even though I went in there to buy something completely else. Despite their clothes lacking in quality when compared to other brands (not hating, I do shop in Primark), their home section might be my favourite place in the world of shopping. Especially when it comes to Christmas. This year I’ve got a cute little house that lights up and I can just stare at it for hours. I might need to get a life, but that can wait until after Christmas.

Poundland

Is there anything better than walking into a shop knowing that you can walk out with bags of products that only cost you £1? I can spend hours walking around picking dupes and decorations of products that work just as good as their more expensive versions from high street brands. It’s great especially if you want to buy something in bulk like Christmas crackers or wrapping paper since you wouldn’t want to spend too much on it as it only gets damaged/ripped anyway. A vast majority of my Christmas decorations were found in Poundland in my second year at uni and they’re still going strong 3 years later. What an investment!

Amazon

If you don’t have time to go out and shop for Christmas decorations in person (or just can’t be bothered to deal with the crowds), Amazon is the place to turn to. Even if you’re not entirely sure what you’re looking for, they have an entire Christmas section dedicated to decorating. In all shapes and sizes ranging from really cheap to slightly more pricey but still reasonable, there is not a thing you can’t find. And it’s great to know what other people think about a certain product before buying it. Especially if I want the decorations to last me more than one season. And with half-price Prime for students, you can even get your order the next day because who in today’s world has the patience to wait for anything?

Charity shops

I really enjoy shopping in charity shops. If you haven’t tried it, have you even lived? You can grab some of the best bargains in there. Like a whole Zumba DVD set with weights and recipe book for £2.50 which can make a great Christmas gift. But also some beautiful homeware pieces and decorations that are waiting to get their second chance in life. It can be a bit of a hit and miss sometimes because it’s not promised that you will find something you like, but it’s still a good shout. If you’re looking to find unique objects to improve your Christmas decor (or house in general) for a price that will not hurt your bank account, charity shops are the one!

Home Bargains

Ahhhh… my favourite place on Earth… Alright, it may be an exaggeration, but I do love me a bit of Home Bargains. Especially the really big ones where you can spend hours and not get bored. Their Christmas section is to die for. Endless baubles, tinsel, nutcrackers in all colours, dishes for Santa… Everything is there. Just prepare yourself to queue for a while because Home Bargains ALWAYS has queues.

Christmas is all about that warm loving feeling you get in your stomach. Don’t stress yourself out. Whether you spend lots of money on decorations or make them all yourself, do what feels right for you. No matter how you decorate your house, it’ll still be perfect. Watch this space for some more tips about decorating your house for Christmas! In the meantime, let me know in the comments where you buy your festive decorations, I would love to find some new places to shop at.

Until next time xx

Read more: Survival guide: Christmas dinner edition or Christmas gift guide for the furry friends

Tags : Christmas, Christmas at home, Christmas decorations, Christmas on a budget, decorations on a budget, festive decorations, how to feel festive