The garlands I put up along the top of the kitchen cabinets all came with pinecones attached. I fill in with a few extra from a bag I have on hand. Picked up a large trashbag full of pinecones at a garage sale one year for $0.50?
I have a really pretty red glass vase set inside a metal frame that I fill to bursting with various artificial flowers and greenery – all thrifted from garage sales and assembled in one arrangement. I found really nice faux red amaryllis stalks at one sale, one really large arrangement at another, and so on…It is a really big piece but works perfectly up on the high shelf in our living room!
I use greenery EVERYWHERE but it is all artificial. I try to buy the realistic looking ones – or I will layer the cheaper ones and add branches from extra/old Christmas trees, picks and sprays until I have the look I want! May not have that nice smell of the real stuff but it works!
I have a few other pieces that incorporate artificial greenery and poinsettias. A wooden sleigh that I’ve used as a centerpiece, up on a high shelf or dresser, etc.
Found a really pretty small urn type arrangement with various artificial red flowers that looks great nestled in greenery on top of our dresser, etc. $3 at garage sale J
I have one of those artificial “pots” that comes wrapped in green cello paper – the poinsettias are really pretty and have a shimmer to them. I slip the whole pot down into a pretty round basket with a handle – hides the “pot” part completely and you can just see the flowers. This sits on the floor in the corner in the entryway. And yes, the poinsettia pot was from a garage sale - $0.50? Can you see a theme here?
Honestly other than very occasional splurges at Hobby Lobby (sale or coupon!) I limit my Christmas décor purchases to garage sales or things I make myself! I just have fallen into that habit and am enjoying it!