10 Holiday Decor Items to Steer Clear Of—And What to Buy Instead, Recommended by an Interior Designer

As both an interior designer and a seasoned shopping editor, staying updated on the latest and greatest home products is at the core of my profession. When Black Friday arrives, I have a keen eye for identifying the best deals worth your investment—not just the ones with the steepest discounts or the lowest prices. With Black Friday being an ideal time to purchase Christmas decor, this includes everything from artificial trees and advent calendars to practical ornament storage solutions. 

Holiday decorations are meant to spark joy, making it tempting to grab every shiny, discounted item in sight. However, this year, take on the challenge of investing in decor you’ll cherish and reuse for years to come, rather than opting for cheap, disposable items that may end up in the trash. Below, discover the 10 Christmas decorations I recommend avoiding this Black Friday—along with timeless, eco-friendly alternatives that will simplify your life and elevate your holiday spirit. 

Black Friday Christmas Decor Deals Endorsed by an Interior Designer

• Govee Permanent Smart RGBIC Outdoor Lights, $280 (originally $420)
• Puleo International Pre-Lit Teton Pine Artificial Christmas Tree, $210 (originally $419)
• National Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Wreath, $40 (originally $70)
• StorageWorks 26-Inch Water Hyacinth Christmas Tree Collar, $40 (originally $50)
• Daord USB Rechargeable Flameless Tea Lights, $24 with coupon (originally $33)
• Sinyasan Embroidered Christmas Tree Pillow Covers, $15 (originally $19)
• Best Choice Products Wooden Christmas Advent Calendar, $50 (originally $75)
• Watayo Mini Crystal Prism Ornaments, $13 (originally $15)
• Best Choice Products 15-Inch Ceramic Christmas Tree, $40 (originally $50)
• Hold’n Storage Adjustable Ornament Storage Box
  , $30 (originally $50)

Avoid Purchasing: Temporary Outdoor Lighting

Opt Instead for: Govee Permanent Smart RGBIC Outdoor Lights

While Christmas decorations can feel enchanting, the annual chore of putting up and taking down holiday lights is something most people dread. Fortunately, there’s a solution: permanent Christmas lights. Govee’s innovative lights attach to your home’s eaves with adhesive backing and are built to endure extreme weather conditions, allowing them to stay up all year. These smart lights seamlessly integrate with your home’s exterior for a polished appearance and can be controlled via smartphone or voice commands using devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Plus, their customizable colors make them versatile for other occasions, such as Halloween or festive celebrations. 

Skip Purchasing: A Low-Quality Christmas Tree

Choose Instead: Puleo International Pre-Lit Teton Pine Artificial Christmas Tree

While it’s tempting to stick to a strict budget and opt for the most affordable tree that fits your space, investing in a high-quality, lifelike tree with pre-installed lights is worth every penny. Though it’s a bigger upfront cost, choosing a premium tree like this Puleo option—currently 50 percent off and Mytour’s top-rated pick—ensures a fuller, more attractive tree you’ll cherish for years. This model features realistic branches with varied needle types, integrated clear white lights, and effortless setup. In contrast, a cheap tree you discard after a few seasons due to poor quality and appearance not only contributes to landfill waste but also ends up costing you more over time. 

Avoid Purchasing: A Pre-Decorated Wreath

Choose Instead: National Tree Company Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Wreath

While there’s no shortage of adorable wreaths adorned with glitter, bows, pinecones, and more, I recommend opting for a simpler pre-lit wreath that you can customize each year. Adding your own ribbons, ornaments, or bottle brush trees allows for endless creativity. This versatile wreath from National Tree Company, now nearly 50 percent off, serves as the perfect blank canvas for your unique holiday style. It’s an eco-friendly way to incorporate trendy decorations over the years without needing to replace the entire wreath or generate unnecessary waste.

Skip Purchasing: A Low-Quality Tree Skirt

Choose Instead: StorageWorks 26-Inch Water Hyacinth Christmas Tree Collar

While tree skirts add a cozy and charming touch, they often fail to conceal the unattractive metal bases of artificial Christmas trees. For a more polished look, consider a tree collar instead. These structured pieces wrap neatly around the tree’s base, eliminating the visibility of the stand or unsightly gaps between the branches and the floor. This elegant woven water hyacinth collar is an excellent choice for various design aesthetics, especially while it’s discounted. Plus, there’s a wide array of options available to suit any preference. 

Avoid Purchasing: Battery-Operated Candles

Choose Instead: Daord USB Rechargeable Flameless Tea Lights

Flameless candles are undeniably appealing—they allow you to create a cozy holiday atmosphere with tea lights and votives without the fire hazard, and they’re reusable. However, this season, I encourage you to opt for rechargeable candles like these USB-powered tea lights instead of the usual battery-operated versions. Not only will you save money over time (no more buying batteries!), but you’ll still enjoy the same warm, safe glow that enhances your winter decor. 

Skip Purchasing: Seasonal Throw Pillows

Choose Instead: Sinyasan Embroidered Christmas Tree Pillow Covers

For those living in compact spaces, purchasing additional throw pillows solely for the holidays can be tricky—where do you store them the rest of the year? Instead of buying new pillows, consider festive pillow covers that fit over your existing ones. These can be easily washed and stored when not in use. These charming embroidered Christmas tree covers come in a set of two for less than the cost of a single throw pillow, making them a practical and stylish choice. 

Avoid Purchasing: Disposable Advent Calendars

Choose Instead: Best Choice Products Wooden Christmas Advent Calendar

While branded advent calendars with tiny surprises behind each door are undeniably appealing, they often feel wasteful since they’re discarded after a single use. A better alternative is a reusable advent calendar that you can refill annually with chocolates, candies, or small gifts of your choice. These calendars also serve as festive decorations. For example, this stunning wooden advent calendar, complete with a shooting star and holiday village design, would make a beautiful addition to your mantel. Each numbered drawer can be filled with new surprises every year. 

Skip Purchasing: Tinsel Decorations

Choose Instead: Watayo Mini Crystal Prism Ornaments

While tinsel adds a festive sparkle to holiday decor, it’s unsustainable, messy (with strands shedding everywhere), and potentially hazardous for pets. Instead of opting for shiny plastic, consider decorating with prisms that reflect light beautifully and create a similar iridescent effect. These mini prism ornaments are a fantastic alternative, currently priced at just under $13 for a set of 16—less than $1 each. Plus, they’re easy to store and reuse year after year, making them both eco-friendly and pet-safe.

Avoid Purchasing: Overly Trendy Decorations

Choose Instead: Best Choice Products 15-Inch Ceramic Christmas Tree

Trends fade quickly, often before you even realize they’re popular, but timeless pieces remain beloved for a reason. While it’s fine to incorporate a few trendy items you genuinely adore, it’s wise to focus on classic holiday decorations that will stand the test of time. This approach ensures you’re investing in pieces you’ll cherish for years, rather than discarding them after a single season. Take this retro ceramic Christmas tree, for example—a decades-old classic featuring multicolored lights and a glowing star topper. It adds vintage charm to your decor and is sure to become a cherished part of your holiday traditions. 

Avoid Purchasing: Oversized Decoration Storage Bins

Choose Instead: Hold’n Storage Adjustable Ornament Storage Box

While tossing all your holiday decorations into a single large plastic bin might seem convenient, it’s not the best way to protect your cherished items. Delicate and fragile ornaments, in particular, require specialized storage to prevent damage. Opt for an adjustable ornament box like this one from Hold’n Storage, which is designed to keep your decorations safe and organized. With multiple stackable trays and customizable cardboard dividers, it can securely hold up to 96 ornaments, accommodating both standard and uniquely shaped pieces with ease.