For Christmas Decor and Ornaments, Search Secondhand and Toy Stores

When visiting typical retail stores, I've often seen special trees designed for children or for the "child in all of us," complete with stuffed animals and Santas and angels or other ornaments with kid appeal, from fake candy canes to revolving music boxes. Since we're on a tight budget most of the time, I decided to try to find similar items at a less-expensive store -a local resale store aimed at parents, with tons of toys, clothing and other items for kids.

First, a price and quality comparison of items found in retail stores and those you can adapt from consignment shop finds or other sources for great savings.

Idea One:

Full price Christmas items - Target's Mickey and Friend's Resin Ornaments: See them at the Target site at www.target.com by using the search words Mickey and Friends Resin in the search form.
Cost : $9.99 for set of four ornaments plus shipping

Resale or Consignment Shop substitutes:
Our local store was full of Disney items, from Cinderella to Mickey Mouse. For less than $9. 99 we were able to buy enough stuffed animals (miniature) as well as other Disney characters to nearly fill a small tree, perhaps for a child's room or playroom.
Cost: Around $8.90 and NO shipping fees.
Tip: Use metal ornament hanger to put through loops or the fur of stuffed animals to hang on tree.
Bonus - Stuffed animals can be played with afterwards. Kids love Disney items.

Idea two:

Full price Christmas ornament - Two Glass venetian masks from Target at www.target.com/Glass-Venetian-Mask-Ornaments/dp/B000GCCEVU/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_2/601-0256148-2612149
Cost - $18.99 for two plus shipping. Lovely and unique.