It’s that time of year again! Ghosts and goblins, bright lights and freaky… holiday prices? That’s right, this season is the time for stocking up on holiday decorations, and we have some spooky thoughts to share.

Rachel Flindall and Katie Holt are fourth-year interior design students from the VIU Council for Interior Design Accreditation (CIDA). Interior designing has fueled both of their passions for designing and creativity.

“We think decorations can be tastefully used to create a festive and cheery environment around the holidays, but in excess, they can become tacky and wasteful,” Flindall and Holt share during an email interview.

Although decorating is a small part of their job, it also includes consideration of the environment. Interior designing includes planning an environment for functionality, circulation, and accessibility.

 Here are their thoughts on keeping your holiday decor timeless.

“If you want to spend money on seasonal decor, we think you should invest in a few quality pieces that you love rather than a higher volume of
cheap decorations,” they say.

Less is definitely more, considering each Canadian contributes an average of 2.33 kg of waste daily, as reported in a Made in CA’s 2025 article. With wrapping paper and decorations contributing a great portion of yearly waste, minimizing over-consumption, especially during holidays, is a step in the right direction.

Every year, you may see neighbourhoods going all out with extravagant decorations for holidays, as VIU sociology professor, Michael Lait, points out. Lait is a VIU sociology professor with a research interest in the degrowth movement. The degrowth movement encourages using what is available, in contrast to the growth movement, which encourages expansion and consumerism to the highest possible extent.

“All traditions are invented, of course, but decorating one’s home for Halloween or Christmas is of fairly recent origin,” Lait says. “For the most engaged consumers, much of this is competitive, whether with one’s neighbours or friends.” 

But there is a cost, both literally and environmentally.

“These socially influenced—and socially constructed—traditions are, at this point, inescapable, and the environmental costs have gone unaccounted,”
Lait says.

We should help the best we can as consumers to minimize our waste, which will contribute further more to the wellness of our planet. If you’re feeling lost on where to start, here are a couple of helpful tips for this holiday season.

“I am a big proponent of thrift stores, online marketplaces for used items, and reusing people’s discarded holiday decorations,” Lait says.

“As far as possible, try to avoid buying new—that’s the degrowth approach.”

As interior design students, Flindall and Holt encourage repeatedly that a great place to start is using what you have to decorate. Use your year-round plants or quality pieces you’ve acquired over the years to add to the festive ambiance in your environment.

“Items such as family heirlooms have the exact same charm (if not more) as any piece that you would buy for your homes, they save you money, and they stop the cradle to grave cycle,” Flindall and Holt share.

So, how do you like to decorate for the holidays? We can’t wait to see all the frightfully delightful ways you incorporate these thoughtful decorating tips. Tag us at @navigatorviu on our socials with all your amazing decorations!