What to Buy in May for Christmas

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Want to save time and money this year? Buying the right things at the right time can help. These are the things you should buy in May.

person holding colorful shopping bags with text what to buy to save money this May

This post was most recently updated on May 4th, 2026 to make sure all the information is up-to-date.

Have you started buying things to have on hand for the holidays yet? Buying ahead is a great way to reduce stress, especially on your budget!

I recommend setting up a budget in a Christmas planner and keeping track of the things you buy in your planner as well. That helps prevent you from overbuying or forgetting about what you bought.

The best way to do this is by buying things that go on sale throughout the year. Each month has different common sales so it’s great to plan ahead.

With Mother’s Day sales and Memorial Day sales, May is full of great sales that can help you stock up and save for Christmas. These are some of my suggestions for good things to buy in May.

Produce- Do you like to can? Stock up on in-season produce like strawberries and peaches to can to eat later when they are no longer in season or even to give as gifts.
Gift Sets- After Mother’s Day gift sets and other great gifts will be on sale. It’s a great time to stock up on some gifts. Don’t forget to keep track of them in your Christmas planner.
Jewelry- Another great gift item to pick up at Mother’s Day sales is jewelry.
Other Gifts- Journals, candles, perfume, and more will be on sale around Mother’s Day.
Paper Products- Paper plates, napkins, and other paper products often go on sale around Memorial Day. Stock up on anything you may need during the holidays.
Sunscreen- Do you plan to travel somewhere warm around the holidays? Stock up on sunscreen now.

Garage sale season tends to get going in May so don’t forget to keep an eye out for good deals on Christmas decor people are cleaning out. A lot of people now post on Facebook sale sites as well. The best way to save money and what’s best for the planet is buying used when possible so also check thrift stores.

May Sales to Check Out

These are some of the online sales I’ve found lately that could help stock up for the holiday season or in general to save money.

King of Christmas– Get a new Christmas tree and save up to 40% and get free shipping.
Balsam Hill– You can also get a new Christmas tree from Balsam Hill and save up to 25% during their spring sale. This is where my Christmas tree is from.
King Arthur– Think about what you want to make this holiday season and take advantage of King Arthur’s kitchen tool sale.
Craftsy – Craftsy is a great place to learn new crafts and right now you can get a premium membership for only $1.79 for the whole year!

Get Cashback While Shopping in May

graphic of cell phone with Santa hat and wallet

Another way to save money in May is by using cashback apps and websites. This will help you save more on the items that are on sale as well as your everyday purchases.

When shopping these sales you can also earn cash back to use for gift cards to save even more money. My favorite cash-back app is Fetch Rewards. You get points for every receipt you scan, instead of other apps where you have to buy certain things to get points.

You can sign up using my referral code TN8EW and get 2,000 points for your first receipt. That’s $2 just for starting to use the app. It adds up fast, and you could have a nice collection of points before Christmas gets here.

Save Money All Year

Don’t stop with February, you can save money all year for Christmas by checking out all my lists of deals for each month.