NGL, I procrastinated decorating for the holidays, so this is what I’m buying last-minute

Grabbing these decorations real quick

Yellow T Rex with a Christmas tree on his head and a shopping cart filled with baubles
(Image credit: Getty Images | Juj Winn)

One minute Christmas was coming up fast, the next minute it's mid-December and I'm panicking. Aside from the DIY Christmas wreath I made on a cozy Sunday evening with a sudden burst of energy, the house is bare. As someone who gets excited about the prospect of watching Elf (with hot cocoa, marshmallows, and too much syrup in hand) in July, I need to up my game ASAP.

The holidays get me every year, and while I like to be sustainable at Christmas — a real tree, eco-friendly gifts, reusing ornaments from Christmasses past always — I like to keep my festive home looking fresh with a couple of new Christmas decor additions every year. Picking up a cute new ornament with my roommates is also a little like an annual Christmas ritual for us.

Now that our tree has officially come through the door, things are getting real and these are the decorations I'm shipping to my apartment stat.

Last-minute H&M Home holiday decorations 

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The holiday collection at H&M is so cute this year — it's hard to pick favorites.

Last-minute Urban Outfitters Christmas decorations

Cute to boot, all in stock, and unlikely to eat into my prosecco budget. Things are looking up with these must-haves from UO. 

Last-minute Anthropologie holiday decorations

Anthro always brings the swankiest Xmas decorations to town. We're into these.

When to order

H&M Home holiday shipping times

Express shipping is currently unavailable in the US, but H&M standard shipping takes five to 10 days and is free for H&M members if you spend over $25.

Urban Outfitters holiday shipping times

Standard Urban Outfitters delivery takes seven to 10 days depending on which state you're in. Express and overnight delivery are still available too. Thanks, Santa.

Anthropologie holiday shipping times

If you want Anthropologie Christmas decorations in time for Hannukah on December 16th, you can still order up to the minute (Order by 1 pm EST Tuesday, Dec. 13) for US Express Shipping or by 1 pm EST Wednesday, Dec. 14 for US Overnight shipping.

If you want them for Christmas, perhaps to gift rather than to decorate, you have up until 11:59 pm PST Tuesday, Dec. 20 for standard shipping and for US Express shipping, order by 9 am EST Thursday, Dec. 22.

Hurry hurry, there really isn't a lot of time to waste. If any of these faves sold out, check Amazon's Holiday Shop for Prime delivery. Etsy is another go-to of mine for last-minute anything.

Camille Dubuis-Welch
Former Deputy Editor

I'm Cam, the former deputy editor of Real Homes who worked on the site from 2020 to 2023. As a renter myself, sharing a home with two friends (and my cat) in London, I know all too well the challenges that this can pose when it comes to creating your perfect setup. As someone who has always loved everything interior design-related, I cannot rest until a home feels right and I am really passionate about helping others get there too, no matter what their living situation, style, or budget may be. It’s not always the easiest to figure out, but the journey is fun and the results are so worth it.


After interior design, travel, art, and photography are my next big passions. When I’m not writing or editing homes content, I’m usually tapping into other creative outlets, exploring galleries in London or further afield, taking photos, scribbling, or drawing! 

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