10 Tips For Including Artificial Plants In Your Holiday Decorations

Summer is winding down and it’s time to kick off Fall decorations! I love this time of year because there are so many decorating options around the house. It’s time to start thinking of holiday plants and flowers!

For me, everything from the dining room centerpiece to the door wreath to the planter on the back deck gets rotated to plants and flowers that have that Fall look and feel. Bright yellows, dark oranges, and dusty browns, accentuated by a bit of green remind us that Autumn is upon us and the holidays are just around the corner.

As I start my Fall decoration rotation, I thought I might share a few tips that I have gathered over the years regarding the use of artificial flowers, plants, and wreaths in your decorating activities. I hope they help!

Please note: Some of the links in my posts are affiliate links. I get commissions for purchases made through those links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases when you buy something from those links. 

Table Of Contents

Tip 1 – Look For Artificial Plants That Can Be Used For Multiple Holidays.

If you’re like me, you have specific places in your home that you use to decorate for the specific season. I have decorations that I rotate in and out of those specific spots as the seasons and holidays change. If you’re looking to maximize your budget, think about purchasing artificial plants that are seasonal and not necessarily holiday specific.

For instance, during Fall, this bright Poppies arrangement could serve as a centerpiece on any table from September through November.

The bright orange/yellow colors provide a great “harvest” feeling that goes just right with a Pumpkin Spice latte.

Tip 2 – Save Money By Investing In Plants That Will Look Great Year After Year.

Big box stores and hobby stores might have a good variety to choose from and might give you that immediate satisfaction of bringing something home and putting them into place, but the quality just won’t be there. Those stores have a very tight profit margin and turnover requirements for their stock and they can’t afford to have the higher-quality (aka more expensive) artificial plants sitting on their shelves.

Since you want your artificial plants to last for years, be picky. Spend your hard-earned dollars on flower and decorations that you can pack away after the season is complete but know that they will still be beautiful when you unbox them next year. By purchasing higher-quality faux plants, you won’t be buying new fake plants each year, which will reduce your decorating budget in the long run.

Tip 3 – Think Of These Decorations As Investments.

On that note, while it might be harder to spend more on higher-quality artificial plants up-front, the fact that they will last longer and provide years of enjoyment makes them more of a decorating investment than an expense.

The return they provide is year-over-year smiles 🙂

Consider plants that work year-round like this beautiful taro plant:

Tip 4 – Think About How You Store Them And Give Them A Quick Clean.

When you put your seasonal artificial plants away for the season, do your best not to crush them or put pressure on the leaves/flowers in a way that would cause long-term damage. The last thing you want to experience is opening up the box or tub and seeing that your plants were squished for the last year. If that does happen, gently try to massage them back into place and give them a little time in the warmth and sunlight to return to their former glory.

Yes, even used fake plants can benefit from sunlight, as the warmth of the sun can help plastics relax and return to their original shape.

Also, be sure to give your artificial plants a quick clean before you set them out. For some tips on cleaning, check out this blog post.

Tip 5 – Definitely Think About The Pets And Kids.

Do you love Poinsettias but also have pets in your home? Unfortunately, the toxic nature of these beautiful plants often prohibits pet-parents from decorating with them. Similarly, plants like Peace Lilies or Oleander can also be toxic to kids if they ingest them. The great news about artificial flowers is they have all the beauty and none of the toxicity.

If you have kids or pets in your home and still want to include plants and flowers in your decorations, be sure to check as to whether they might be toxic. If the live plant presents a danger, consider investing in an artificial plant instead.

For a good list of some plants to watch out for, check out this post.

Tip 6 – Give Your Winter Trees, Plants, And Garland The Scent Of The Holidays.

One of the things I love most about the holiday season is the smell of pine trees and garland. There’s just something about that smell that puts me in the holiday mood.

Unfortunately, one of the few downsides of artificial plants is they don’t come with the natural smell that live plants do. The good news is you can use oils

Personally, I don’t like the “Christmas Tree” sprays that you can buy at big box stores. In my opinion, they smell too much like pine scented cleaners.

Instead, I opt to use high-quality diffuser oils like this one. Be aware, though, that one drop of these oils goes a LONG way, so be judicious with how much you use. Trust me, a bottle will last you a long time.

Tip 7 – Don’t Forget To Decorate Outdoors With Artificial Holiday Plants.

For me, holiday decoration is as much about the outside of my house as it is an indoor activity. I prefer artificial plants for my outdoor holiday decorations because they are much less susceptible to changes in the weather than live plants are. I don’t have to worry about bringing them in if it freezes overnight and a Summer drought has no direct impact on how beautiful they are.

The key, though, is to choose high-quality artificial plants. You don’t want the first impression of your home to be fake plants that look cheap. For example, these sunflowers and sedum in a glass vase mimic the varying shapes and colors of live plants without giving away the fact that they are artificial.

Tip 8 – As The Holidays Progress, Keep Notes About What Might Work Better Next Year.

This is especially important during the first couple of years of rotating your holiday plants and decorations. As the holidays progress, you might find yourself thinking “I wish I had a centerpiece for that table” or “I should find a festive fall planter for the front porch.” Be sure to write those ideas down. The reason this is important is you can often find great deals on artificial plants and flowers during the off-season or right after the season ends.

So, purchase your Fall decorations in December or January and your Valentine’s plants in March and April. That way, you get bigger discounts and stretch your decorating dollar further.

Tip 9 – Don’t Forget The Front Door.

One of the easiest ways to use artificial plants as part of your holiday rotation is to purchase a variety of decorations for your front door. Whether it’s a harvest wreath with bright beautiful leaves or an fall harvest wreath with pine cones, changing the decoration is as easy as swapping out the wreath or decoration.

Tip 10 – When The Holidays Are Over, Be Sure To Mark Your Containers Accordingly.

The last tip is a logistical one. As you put your artificial plants, flowers, and decorations away for the season, be sure to clearly mark the box or tub in a way that lets you know exactly what it contains. Trust me, you don’t want to have to open a bunch of boxes to find that Thanksgiving centerpiece you have been missing.

I also go so far as to store my boxes of decorations in the same location based on their holiday/season. I’m lucky enough to have a basement with large shelves, so I keep my seasonal decorations stored in boxes and each shelf gets a season.

Pro Tip: If you are considering throwing out the old artificial plants for new ones, consider gifting the plant to a family member or close friend. Holiday plant gifts are the perfect housewarming, nursery or e

I hope those tips help you as you begin your holiday decoration. Having a system of changing your decorations, along with using high-quality artificial plants and flowers will make holiday decorating a snap!

I hope you’ll give them a try and let me know if you have any questions I can answer.

—