A NUMBER of savvy Brits have already secured their 2025 Christmas decorations for a fraction of the original retail price.
That includes one woman who saved herself an eye-watering £135 on ornaments, tree baubles, nutcrackers and even gift bags.
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Sofia Spencer Rachel Stevens didn’t nab the bargains in her local supermarket, though.
Instead, she found them at a local garden centre – retailers which are often overlooked when it comes to bargain hunting.
Sofia took to Facebook group Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK to boast about her finds and alert other shoppers.
She wrote: “I love shopping at garden centres.
“I bought all this and it should have been £205, but got for £70.
“The wooden stars, one is 60cm and one 50cm – gorgeous quality.
“Nutcrackers, decorations and gift bags ready for next year.”
It’s not just Sofia who has twigged onto garden centre bargains.
Sarah Green commented: “Love a garden centre Christmas sale.”
Garden centres often stock premium and unique Christmas decorations, including hand-crafted ornaments, wreaths and garlands, many of which are unavailable in mainstream stores.
They’re also a good place to pick up a faux Christmas tree at a good price.
What’s more, countless garden centres in the UK have loyalty programs that offer members exclusive discounts or vouchers.
These can often be redeemed against sale items, making your year-early savings even better.
And it’s no secret that garden centre bosses and staff last Christmas.
How to look after your real Christmas tree
HERE’S what you need to know if you’re buying a real Christmas tree:
First thing’s first: buy a pot (if it doesn’t come in one already).
You’ll need to treat your tree just like a houseplant and give it water and attention.
Make sure the container has good drainage – and it’s a good idea to put something underneath to catch the excess water.
Check the soil everyday to make sure it’s not drying out.
If it feels dry, give it some water. If it still feels moist, leave it alone as too much water can also kill a tree.
Also check the LED bulbs on your tree lights aren’t too hot as they could burn it, and keep your tree away from radiators.
When Christmas is over, try planting it in the garden so you can dig it up and use it again next year.
It’s a good idea to take it out of its pot when you do re-plant it though, as large trees don’t survive well in pots as their roots need space to grow.
In August, The Sun reported that one put out Christmas trees and decorations on the hottest day of the year.
Staff at Summerhill’s in Basildon, Essex, spruced up the shelves with seasonal stuff as temperatures hit 32C.
Manager Charlotte Harrington said: “For many, many years now, we’ve opened our Christmas department on the August bank holiday.
“The stock comes in early and we gradually start putting it out on the shop floor. This is just a small fraction of what we have.
“But our Christmas displays are so spectacular it takes time to get everything set up, so we have to start early.”