(Statepoint) This holiday season, stretch your budget when shopping for gifts, including toys and stocking stuffers, as well as last-minute needs, meal prep and more!

Spend more time creating memories and less time preparing with a few tips from experts at Dollar General.

Joyful Gifts

One of the best parts of the holidays may be seeing the excited reaction of someone opening a gift, especially children. Save on some of America’s most popular name brand toys at Dollar General, which recently announced an enhanced 2022 toy selection from popular brands such as Melissa & Doug, LEGO, Fisher-Price, VTech, Play-Doh, Barbie, Pokémon, L.O.L. Surprise!, ZURU 5 Surprise and more. Most toys are priced at $10 or less. Another option for the person who has everything is a gift card. Available at neighborhood stores, gift cards provide the recipient with various ways to enjoy your thoughtfulness!

Dashing Decor

To transform the home, consider choosing one holiday color palette to stay consistent in each room. Color options may include gold and silver, various shades of green, red and green or blue and silver. Next, shop for decorations in your preferred palette and sprinkle throughout the home. Ornaments, bows, ribbons and stockings aren’t just for the tree and fireplace. Add accents to the kitchen table, front porch, living room surfaces and everywhere else for more holiday spirit throughout the home.

Festive Food

The holidays are often synonymous with family meals, get togethers with friends and coworkers and seasonal dishes. For all household essentials, such as canned foods, milk, bread, eggs, baking items and more, consider shopping at a discount retailer to save in one convenient shopping trip. Additionally, consider using healthier variations of the season’s comforting and tasty dishes with DG Better For You recipes found at dollargeneral.com. Created by a registered dietician and nutritionist, these recipes include options like risotto and hamburger soup and all use ingredients available at every Dollar General store.

The holidays are a busy time for everyone, but keep your sights on the essentials! Simplify shopping by creating a signature theme for your home décor, finding deals on gifts for everyone on your list, and serving something easy and delicious for the whole crew. Plan ahead this year and enjoy the extra time you’ll have celebrating the season with friends and family!

Photo Credit: (c) monkeybusinessimages / iStock via Getty Images Plus