8 Holiday Decorating Choices That Read Cheap in Real Life

You don’t have to spend a ton to make Christmas look good, but some “budget” choices end up looking cheaper than you meant the second they leave the package. Most of the time it’s not that the item is bad—it’s how much, where, and what you pair it with.

If you want your house to feel warm and pulled together without screaming “clearance aisle,” these are the holiday decor habits worth rethinking.

1. Shiny, thin garlands that sag right away

Those skinny plastic garlands look fine in the store. Then you hang them up at home and they droop, twist, and show every bare wire. Instead of making your mantel or stair rail look dressed, they make it look tired.

If you’re stuck with thin garland this year, layer it: double it up, tuck in real or faux greenery, and add a simple ribbon. Long term, one fuller, better garland on the mantel looks nicer than five flimsy ones all over the house.

2. Tiny rugs at doors and entries

The little “Welcome Santa” rugs are cute…until they slide around, curl up, and look lost in front of a full-size door. They also do nothing to catch the wet mess that actually comes in with people.

If you want a Christmas rug, lay it on top of a larger neutral mat or use it in a smaller space like in front of a sink. At entries, go for something bigger and sturdier that actually earns its keep.

3. Plastic tablecloths on every surface

Plastic tablecloths have their place with kids and messy crafts. When every table and console is wrapped in thin plastic printed with candy canes, the whole house starts to feel like an elementary school party.

Use them where they make sense—kids’ table, cookie decorating—and switch to fabric or bare tabletops everywhere else. A simple cloth in a solid or stripe looks better, washes well, and instantly upgrades everything sitting on top of it.

4. Oversized printed pillows that don’t feel good

Those big pillows with sayings and stiff fabric do a great job in photos and a terrible job in real life. They’re scratchy, they don’t hold their shape, and they end up on the floor because no one wants to lean on them.

If you’re buying seasonal pillows, look for covers over full pillows. That way you can pop them over inserts you already like and actually use them. Simple patterns, plaids, or textures usually look nicer than giant words and cartoon Santas.

5. Too much glitter all in one room

A little sparkle is fine. The problem is when you’ve got glitter trees, glitter garland, glitter branches, glitter picks, and glitter ornaments all in the same space. It looks busy and cheap, and you’ll be vacuuming it up until July.

Pick one or two glittery pieces you really love and let the rest be matte—wood, glass, paper, greenery, metal. That mix feels more expensive than coating the whole house in shimmer.

6. Store-bought “collections” used as-is

Buying a matching set of ornaments, stockings, or dishes is convenient, but when you use it straight out of the box with nothing else, it looks straight out of the box. Guests can spot the big-box aisle a mile away.

Treat those sets as a base, not the whole story. Mix in a few handmade pieces, old family ornaments, thrifted finds, or different textures. The second you break up the “collection” look, it starts feeling more personal and less like a display.

7. Fake greenery with obvious plastic shine

Faux greenery can be great, but the super-shiny plastic kind with bright white seams and visible wires pulls everything down. It looks okay from a distance and cheap up close.

You can help it a lot by fluffing it, clipping off the worst bits, and tucking in real clippings from outside. Pinecones, dried oranges, or better ribbon can distract from the plastic. Over time, replace one piece at a time with fuller, more natural-looking strands.

8. Decorations that light up but barely glow

Battery-operated pieces with weak lights look magical in ads and sad on your shelf when you can barely tell they’re on. They also chew through batteries for very little payoff.

If something lights up, it should actually make an impact. Otherwise, skip the lights and choose solid decor you like in daylight, too. A simple ceramic house and a small lamp nearby looks more high-end than ten dim, flickering pieces you can’t really see.