The Most Popular Christmas Decorations (and how you can save money this year)

According to a study done by the National Retail Federation, the average American adult spends over $1,000 per year on all Christmas-related expenses. Though a large portion of this figure comes from things such as food, travel, and gifts, roughly one-fifth of all Christmas expenditures went to decorations.

In fact, the study claims that the average person spends about $215 per year on decorations. Collectively, the Christmas decoration industry is valued at around $150 billion. This figure is even more impressive considering these purchases are made every year. Even if a family spent hundreds of dollars on high-quality Christmas decorations, they are likely to make another major purchase within the next calendar year.

In light of this information, many consumers find themselves wondering where—exactly—all of these purchases are being made. While LED Christmas lights are among the most commonly purchased Christmas decorations, other decorations (such as Christmas trees) also sell incredibly well.

In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular Christmas decorations. We will also discuss how you can effectively reduce the cost of Christmas decorations and create a display that is within your budget. Even if you feel pressured to constantly keep up with your neighbors, there are still plenty of things you can do to save money.

Commercial Christmas Lights: Driving the Modern Christmas Decoration Market

When asked about changes in Christmas decorations purchases, True Value’s Ryan Kennedy stated, “People are going after LED bulbs, saving money.” Kennedy then goes on to say, “I think people still take pride in what [their] yards look like, getting that kind of Christmas spirit. I don’t see that going away.”

When compared to sales figures from the past few Christmas seasons, it seems that Kennedy may have a good point. LED bulb sales have been significantly increasing and, unsurprisingly, older incandescent and fluorescent bulbs are no longer as popular.

There are quite a few benefits of purchasing commercial LED Christmas lights. When compared to other lights, LEDs require only about 10 percent as much energy, allowing you to reduce your carbon footprint and reduce your monthly energy bill. Furthermore, LED Christmas lights are well-known for their increased brightness, longer-lasting bulb lives, and their ability to be incorporated into almost any Christmas display.

Many of last year’s best-selling Christmas decorations incorporate LED light bulbs in some way. These bulbs are often featured in complex commercial displays, which often offer flashing lights, changing colors, and various other special features.

Commercial christmas decorations can also include pre-installed in artificial Christmas trees, wreaths, and other traditional forms of Christmas décor. Light up characters—ranging from Santa Clause to Dickens Christmas characters to even the Nativity scene—have also become quite popular.

A recent Goldman Sachs report states, “The rapid adoption of LEDs in lighting marks one of the fastest technology shifts in human history.” LED Christmas lights have transformed nearly every element of the Christmas decoration industry despite the fact that, outside of these revolutionary lights, total consumer spending levels have remained somewhat flat.

Other Major Industry Developments

While the movement towards the use of LED lighting technology represents the largest change in the industry, there have been numerous other remarkable trends occurring as well. In the span of just a few years, most Christmas decoration suppliers have entirely shifted their focus.

One major change has been the increased use of pre-packaged decorations. Though decorating the Christmas tree remains a major tradition, the use of trees with pre-installed lights and even pre-installed garland and ornaments has notably increased. Many families are also purchasing multiple trees for the same home.

Elsewhere in the industry, producers are responding to an increased level of demand for “themed” Christmas decorations. Beyond traditionally popular characters, such as Santa Claus and Frosty the Snowman, new characters from Disney’s Frozen and other recent films are making their way into the mainstream selection.

Beyond the changes to what consumers are buying, there have also been some changes regarding their personal values. For example, products that are made in an environmentally-friendly way have become measurably more popular since 2010. Consumers are willing to pay more for Christmas decorations made with recycled plastics, sustainable materials, and are made by local producers.

Bundles packages have also become quite popular. Decorations that were previously sold separately—such as Christmas tree lights and ornaments—are now often being bundled together, allowing consumers to save money while also reducing the amount of time needed to make a final purchase.

Even in light of all of these changes, there are still quite a few products that have stood the tests of time. Wreaths, nativity decorations, candles, Victorian Christmas figurines, and—of course—live Christmas trees still remain among the world’s best sellers. After all, Christmas is a holiday that is all about traditions.

Ways to Save on Christmas Decorations

Knowing that the average American adult can be expected to spend more than $200 on Christmas decorations this year, you are probably looking for creative ways to save money. While you may not be willing to cut down the amount of decorations you plan on purchasing (it is Christmas, after all), there are still quite a few things you can do to save.

The easiest way to save money on Christmas decorations is to make your purchases during the offseason. Whether you are purchasing wholesale commercial christmas lights, or anything else, you can likely find major discounts by making purchases between January and September.

You can also find discounts by making purchases in bulk. Most industrial Christmas suppliers have a bulk-friendly cost schedule, meaning the more lights you are willing to purchase, the less you will be spending on each individual bulb. Creating a dazzling display with thousands of lights is likely much more affordable than you’d initially assume.

Furthermore, shopping online is another excellent way for you to save on the most popular Christmas decorations. By making your purchases online, you can compare multiple different suppliers at once which—at the very least—will allow you to gain leverage when negotiating with major suppliers.

Lastly, the best way to reduce the amount you spend on Christmas decorations each year is to invest in high-quality decorations from the very beginning. Though led lights may cost slightly more than their older counterparts, for example, the longer lifespans of both the lights and the strings will reduce the amount that you spend overall. Additionally, purchasing energy-efficient bulbs (such as LEDs) can help you easily reduce the amount it costs to illuminate your display.

Conclusion

Over the past decade, the Christmas decoration industry has experienced some major changes. Beyond the introduction of LED lighting technology, themed displays, bundled displays, and character displays have all become quite popular. By keeping these trends and cost-cutting tips in mind, you can create your best Christmas display to date.