20 Smart Dollar Store Buys for the Holidays

Need an easy way to keep your holiday spending down? This list introduces you to some of the best dollar store gifts available. But keep in mind that a name is just a name. Dollar General and Dollar Tree are more like discount retailers than true dollar stores given the latter's recent price hikes. Nevertheless, here are the best dollar gift ideas you can snag at these chains for around a buck. Many are available in bulk quantities online, but to buy individual items, you'll have head to the store.

Prices and availability are subject to change.

$5 from Dollar General
Shop Now

Perfect for crafts, gift-wrapping, and plenty of other holiday fun, this three-pack of wrapping paper measures 110 square feet. It's available in-store only and includes classic themed images like Santa and snowmen.

Related: Thoughtful and Easy Holiday Gifts That Will Save You Money

$1 from Dollar General
Shop Now

What Christmas tree is complete without a few reindeer ornaments? In addition to adding them to your own tree, they can be gifted to others. Available only in stores.

For more smart holiday shopping tips, please sign up for our free newsletters.

Starting at $1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

The Cobblestone Corners Christmas Village Collection contains numerous plastic and polyresin pieces, which you can buy in stores one by one — or you can buy an entire set. You can add LED tea candles to the buildings in this small-town Christmas scene diorama.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

These are cool because they come in four different colors that all share the same general theme, which means your family can match without getting their stockings mixed up. Find them in person at your local Dollar Tree.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Deck the halls, the Christmas tree, the mantel and more with bells. The 13.75-inch plastic jingle bells are accented with glitter, tinsel, and bows.

Related: Gifts That Are Made in America

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Instead of generic-looking totes, these bags allow crafty kids to put their own mark on them, highlighting Santa, the gnomes and snowmen as they see fit.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

If you're the type of person who bakes their gifts, you're going to need some tins, so why not get tins that could double as gifts on their own. The tins are 3 inches deep and 6 and 6.75 inches in diameter, enough to cover the goods whether you're known for your brownies, cookies, or whatever else your friends look forward to every winter.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

These heavy-duty checkered sets comes with 13-inch oven mitts and 7" x 7" potholders. Available design phrases include "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and "Home for the Holidays."

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

When you give a holiday give basket this year, keep the contents from spilling all over the place with a sturdy cellophane wrap. They come in packs of two.

$1 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Dollar Tree is promoting a holiday line of the very products that made Hallmark famous — cards. Cards in the Expressions line are a dollar each, and the Heartline line is two for $1. In select stores, you can also find specialty card lines from Hallmark, including Tree of Life, Vida, and Mahogany, which celebrate Jewish, Latino, and African-American culture, respectively.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

These hefty stoneware plates are 10.5 inches wide and will add a festive look to your holiday meals. You can pair them up with other holiday dishes, too.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Create your own unique Christmas tree with hand-crafted decorations. These Christmas balls can be filled or painted, making them ideal for a holiday family activity. Once complete they can be used in your home or given as gifts.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

There are few decorations that better signal the Christmas holiday than nutcrackers. Each of the 9-inch nutcrackers is holding a club, horn, scepter, sword, ax, or gun. You can display them around your home or give some away as gifts.

$10 from Dollar General
Shop Now

These trees offer a cheap and simple solution for tight spaces and tight budgets. They stand 4 feet tall. 

Related: Gifts for People Who Say ‘Don’t Get Me Anything’

$1.25 at Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Add a Santa or Frosty the Snowman to your entryway with these holiday signs. They're nearly 2 feet tall by 7 inches wide.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

You can never have too many festive candles on hand during the holiday season. These scented candles can be used for your home, in office lobbies or at special events.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Christmas buckets with handles for easy carrying, these can be used for displaying produce, transporting presents, or as a decoration for your table. Each of the buckets is decorated with a message – either “Merry Christmas” and "Believe in the magic of Christmas." Don’t need all 24? They can always be resold or gifted.

Related: 50 Last-Minute Gifts You Can Pick Up at the Drugstore

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Hang them by the chimney or fill them with goodies as to hand out as gifts, these cheerful felt Christmas stockings will put your best foot forward.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

Brighten the holiday meals with a festive cover for the dinner table. These inexpensive plastic covers measure 54 by 108 inches and will make cleanup a breeze.

$1.25 from Dollar Tree
Shop Now

What would an office Christmas party be without folks sporting Santa hats for the occasion? Wear one at your family gatherings or to greet holiday visitors this season.