I shopped for holiday decor at Dollar Tree and Party City, and the pricier chain has better items for gatherings
- I visited Dollar Tree and Party City to see which had the best decorations for the holiday season.
- Dollar Tree had a large selection of Christmas essentials like gift wrap, ornaments, and cards.
I've shopped at Dollar Tree to grab festive essentials like stocking stuffers and Christmas ornaments. But I've never visited Party City during the holiday season.
Curious about how the two chains compared, I shopped at both stores to get a good look at the seasonal offerings available at each.
Here's how they stacked up.
Dollar Tree was well-stocked with festive artificial flowers.
I found multiple displays of artificial, holiday flowers at Dollar Tree, including poinsettias and holly.
For $1.25 a stem, the floral offerings at Dollar Tree were more affordable than ones I've purchased from stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby.
The Christmas-themed balloon display at Party City lifted my spirits.
The store offered many different types of pre-inflated balloons, so it'd be a great spot to visit on the way to a holiday party.
Dollar Tree had a few Christmas accessories.
Dollar Tree offered accessories like holiday scarves and headbands.
Although the selection wasn't large, it was affordable, which is nice for pieces that aren't necessary year-round.
Party City is the place to visit for cheery accessories.
Although its holiday accessories were priced a bit higher, Party City was stocked with pieces like Santa hats, elf ears, and glittery headbands.
Dollar Tree is perfect for affordable greeting cards.
Greeting cards at Dollar Tree are typically priced at only two for $1.
The selection of Christmas cards was great and suitable as a gift for everyone, from grandparents to coworkers.
Party City had a beautiful selection of paper plates, napkins, and cups.
Clean-up tasks that come with holiday entertaining are no fun.
Luckily the superstore is a great spot for decorative paper goods that seem high-end.
Dollar Tree had lots of tinselled decorations.
There was a huge selection of home decorations made of tinsel at Dollar Tree, making it a great place to buy some bling on a budget.
Party City also offered tinselled pieces.
Party City carried an impressive array of shiny decor, like stand-up Christmas trees and wall art.
Although the pieces were pricier than the ones at Dollar Tree, the tinsel's quality seemed better and there was a bit more variety.
I'd recommend Dollar Tree for craft supplies.
Just like its floral aisle, Dollar Tree's holiday-themed craft section was loaded with inexpensive options, like glitter glue and stickers.
Party City even had car decorations.
My husband orders me a reindeer nose and antlers for my car every year, but I assumed the accessories could only be ordered online.
I was surprised to see both a glittery and non-glittery option at Party City.
Dollar Tree's decor was pretty diverse.
I've recently become more aware of how much representation there is in Christmas merchandise.
At Dollar Tree, I found everything from mugs adorned with Black Santa to yard decor that included Black Santa and elves.
Party City allowed anyone to be Santa.
I didn't find as much diverse representation at Party City, but its impressive collection of Santa costumes allows anyone to dress up.
In addition to the basic getup, there were lots of costumes for characters like elves and gingerbread people.
There were lots of ornaments at Dollar Tree.
Individual holiday ornaments can be pricey, which makes decorating a tree pretty expensive.
But at Dollar Tree, tons of affordable options were on display.
Party favors were all over Party City.
If you're hosting a holiday gathering and want to send guests home with thoughtful gifts, Party City has you covered.
I found an entire section filled with party favors appropriate for all ages, including craft kits and holiday-themed slime.
Dollar Tree had more wall decor than its competitor.
Whether your holiday decorating style is country chic or glittery and bold, there's bound to be something in the store's Christmas aisles that aligns with it.
Party City had an entire aisle dedicated to a time-honored tradition — ugly sweaters.
The store sold ugly holiday sweaters and the perfect tools for hosting a fun event with them, like award ribbons.
Dollar Tree is great for last-minute decor, but Party City is better for stocking up for holiday gatherings.
Neither store seemed to have much for other winter holidays like Hanukkah or Kwanzaa. But if I'm looking for Christmas decorations, Dollar Tree is a great spot for inexpensive, last-minute essentials.
Although Party City wouldn't be my go-to for decorations, it's great for stocking up on items needed for festive events.
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