Every year it seems as if more and more retailers are stocking up on new Christmas decorations for businesses. Business owners are getting into the holiday spirit in many ways. Even if you don’t buy an expensive, pre-lit and decorated Christmas tree, decorations for the office can be beautiful and festive on any budget.

When checking out the pricing and costs of Christmas decorations, think about the types of decorations that would work the best for your company:

1. Consider wreaths as the perfect Christmas decorations for business.

2. Enjoy a beautiful Christmas tree in any corner of your office.

3. Utilize lights to brighten up the rest of your Christmas decorations.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Use wreaths as a great way to spruce up your current outdoor Christmas decorations

Wreaths are one of the most versatile Christmas decorations for business. Much of the cost depends on whether you get a real wreath or an artificial one. But this is a great way to exhibit large-scale Christmas decorations on the front of your office building, for example, so keep the extra cost in mind when planning the rest of your business Christmas decorations budget.

I recommend: If you want to make a big impression with your Christmas decorations, then consider one of these 6-foot wreaths from Artificial Christmas Wreaths.com. It comes with or without lights and the prices range from about $360 up to about $430. This Christmas decorations business sells just about every kind of Christmas wreath you can imagine but they are one of the very few stores that sell wreaths that large. If smaller is more your style, but you still want a variety to choose from, then check out Rockdale Wreaths. Their prices are very reasonable for real Christmas wreaths and are about $20 up to about $260.

Start with a beautiful tree and then add Christmas tree decorations for the perfect finishing touch

Christmas trees are probably the first thing you think of when you are considering Christmas decorations for business. The size of the tree you choose plays a large part in the price. A smaller, artificial tree in a pretty pot to fit in an entry-way will be much less expensive than a large tree to go in the center of a 2-story atrium. Most online Christmas tree sellers carry both, so be sure to check out various sites.

I recommend: Tree Classics is a great place to start when you are looking for trees to use as business Christmas decorations. These particular trees are perfect for a lobby or reception area as they come self-contained in a beautiful urn. Prices range from about $90 up to around $150 depending on the size you choose. While Balsam Hill can do smaller trees as well, their version of commercial trees are large-scale Christmas trees that are up to 15 feet tall. These range in price from anywhere between $240 all the way up to about $7,400.

Light up the season with sparkling lights as business Christmas decorations

When it comes time to buy Christmas decorations, business owners will usually add lights to the existing mix. Whatever retailer you choose, lights are the least expensive option for both indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations.

I recommend: If you’re looking to brighten up your office, check out the All American Christmas Company website. These mini-lights cost from around $6 up to about $13 per set, depending on the number of lamps on the set. If you’re looking for less traditional lights, but still at great prices, stop by ChristmasLights.com. Some of their best-selling light strings cost about $6 all the way up to around $420. This store is more expensive, yet they have a bigger commercial light selection.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Depending on the size of your company and budget, large scale Christmas decor or large scale Christmas decorations may not be an option. Ask employees to bring in their own decorations to add a festive look to the office.

It’s amazing what a few Christmas decorations around the office can do for more morale. Whether you prefer bright, blinking Santas and reindeer or more refined poinsettias and ribbon garland, you can establish a good overall feeling in the workplace to close out the year.

Christmas decorations for businesses abound; in fact, you’ll probably have to rein yourself in because of the many delightful options. From Christmas tree decorations to large scale Christmas décor, you can quickly and easily transform a typical office space into a holiday wonderland.

Before you start hanging the garland and stringing the lights, keep the following in mind:

1. Establish a budget for business Christmas decorations. While it sure is fun to find the best of the best Christmas decorations, business is business, and you don’t want to end up in the red at year’s end because of an inflatable North Pole standing watch over your company’s entrance.
2. Stick to a theme. As we’ve mentioned, Christmas decorations for businesses are so varied that they can bcome overwhelming if a theme is not selected. Find information on Christmas decorations related to a theme you like (Winter Wonderland or Santa’s Workshop come to mind), and only select items that fall within it.
3. Throw a party. If you’re already spending the money on business Christmas decorations take an extra step and throw an afternoon Christmas party.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Buy Christmas decorations online

There are a variety of wholesale and discount retailers online that provide Christmas decorations for business customers. Just be sure to order with plenty of time for the items to be shipped to you.

I recommend: Holiday Decorations Express offers free shipping and no sales tax on Christmas decorations business orders over $39. Fun Express is a supplier of Christmas decorations, but keep in mind this is a wholesaler, so minimum orders are $100.

Take it outside

Don't limit your Christmas decorations to just inside the office. Outdoor Christmas decorations can really have an impact, and who knows - you may catch the eye of a potential customer driving by who hadn't noticed you before.

I recommend: The Decoration Zone proudly displays a wide variety of outdoor Christmas decorations. Business-appropriate displays include plastic candy canes, snowmen and more. Find unique Christmas lighting options at NoveltyLights.

Get this party started

If you're going to the trouble of decorating your business with Christmas decorations, why not throw a Christmas party? All you'll need are some Christmas party paper products like plates and napkins to serve Christmas cookies and the like. Make it a potluck to keep costs down. For an all-out Christmas bash, find a festive employee to dress up like Santa and pass out inexpensive holiday favors.

I recommend: Buy Christmas decorations for business parties from Windy City Novelties. They can provide your business with all your party needs, from Santa hats to paper plates. SantasWardrobe.com will outfit your company’s volunteer elf from head to toe.

Create the ultimate Christmas display

For large scale Christmas décor, considering hiring a Christmas decorating design company. They will come up with ideas within your budget as well as put up and take down the Christmas display.

I recommend: Christmas Designers Inc. provides custom Christmas decorations for businesses, both interior and exterior.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Recruit a Christmas decorations committee to establish a decorating theme, purchase decorations and plan a party. This will help contribute to morale as staff feels directly involved in an aspect of the company.

Rather than being "just a detail," Christmas decorations are part of seasonal retail, as any store manager will tell you. Setting out and bringing in business Christmas decorations is one of the pieces of a store's overall holiday strategy. The placement and pricing of these items helps give a business a seasonal edge in sales. So what about getting more info on how to sell these kinds of products?

Store managers or anyone with an interest can find Christmas decorations education and training resources online from a variety of quarters. Websites with holiday themes or dealing with retail or collectible sales can give insights into marketing strategies for the Christmas decorations business. Readers can find:

1. Business strategies for Christmas decorations for business from "helper" sites that include marketing or administration methodology information.

2. Blogs offering a variety of resources for learning more about types of Christmas decorations.

3. Online retail forums helping stores deal with the holiday season.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find business materials for Christmas decorations from online business advice sites

Some sites online seem to have been set up to offer specialized business reporting for helping small retail shops compete in today's market. Take a look at the information presented and how it might be helpful over the tough holiday sales season.

I recommend: HJVentures offers an unusual business resource: a "business plan" and related materials centered around Christmas ornaments! Get sourcing reports and more Christmas decorations info from Research and Markets online.

Check out Christmas blogs for more on Christmas decorations

The wealth of information on Christmas decorations presented by personal blogs is nearly endless. Christmas decorations remain a favorite topic of blog posters everywhere, and that means a reader who is contemplating any aspect of Christmas decorations sales or business can find a lot of good tips and inspiration from blogs.

I recommend: Find antique collectibles information at a Suite 101 blog posting. Blog postings like this one at Botropolis highlight some retro Christmas decorations for possible resale ideas. Other blogs, like the Real Christmas blog, show more views on Christmas decorations from various posters.

Look for sales or public forums for more Christmas decorations info

Another way to find out more about Christmas decorations for businesses is to go through online forums where individuals post on sales and acquisition of specialized custom Christmas decorations, or general posts on the topic of Christmas decorations.

I recommend: Get an idea of pricing and types of Christmas tree decorations or Christmas yard decorations on the market at the catalog site at BusyTrade. Another sales oriented forum, YuleLog, includes a lot of data on what Christmas decorations are selling for between private buyers and sellers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When looking to optimize your Christmas decorations sales and strategies, go for a multi-year approach. Look at what happens with your sales each year and adjust accordingly, to leverage your experience and beat the holiday blues with great sales, happy customers and general retail success in that stretch between October and January.

Christmas decorations for business can be an over-the-top blow-up Santa or a quietly conservative live wreath hung in the receptionist's area. Consider if the Christmas decorations are going to be seen by clients, are for the pleasure of you and your employees, or are for decorating your office party. Before you buy Christmas decorations, consider their function in your business.

Christmas decorations for businesses should take into account the type of business you own. If you're a CPA, a mechanized Betty Boop in a red suit, singing "Santa Baby" is probably not the message you want to send.

1. Think green with business Christmas decorations. Use decorations that do not use a lot of electricity.

2. If you're a new business, only buy a few items; you can add more decorations every year.

3. Buy your employees one ornament each for their trees as a Christmas memento.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consider how business Christmas decorations fit into your business image

Let's get down to Christmas decorations basics. Even if you don't have clients visting your place of business, consider the image you want to put forward to your employees. An elegant, uncluttered Christmas decoration could be an artificial tree with lights in the waiting area.

I recommend: You know you need the right size, but what kind of tree do you want? For a small price, Tree Classics will send you a box of tree samples. Get a tree that fits proportionately in the reception area. Tree Classics' trees come in a variety of sizes, and some trees are pre-lit. Go green for Christmas and buy LED lights--they're more expensive but much more energy efficient. Holiday LEDs recycles its lights as well as sells them.

Use Christmas decorations for client and/or employee presents

If it's in your budget, sending a Christmas token to your clients is a great marketing tool. For clients, it shows an appreciation of the business they give to you. A Christmas memento for your employees can create a bond between the both of you. Specially chosen Christmas tree decorations given with a bonus is a nice touch. Even without bonuses, or especially if it's not possible to give bonuses, it's an acknowledgment of your appreciation.

I recommend: SnowGlobes.com describes features of popular snow globe brands. Learn more about different types of ornaments at wiseGEEK.

Put up Christmas decorations for business to attract customers

If you're in a food or retail business, you know that Christmas decorations outdoors can bring in customers. Not only that, but making the outside of your business Christmasy gives every business in the area a boost. Large-scale Christmas decorations outside a shop can be pricey, but they'll last for years.

I recommend: Winterland has a "design your own" feature for outdoor displays. Check out the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission for tips on keeping your indoor and outdoor Christmas decorations safe.