5 Mistakes I Made Buying Holiday Decor (And My Checklist to Avoid Them)

Who This Checklist Is For

If you're a retailer, gift shop owner, or event planner sourcing holiday decorations for the 2025 season, this is for you. I've been ordering Kurt Adler products for about 3 years now, and in that time I've made mistakes that cost me time, money, and a bit of pride. Last year alone I wrote off nearly $1,200 in damaged or wrong items.

This checklist covers five steps I now run before approving any order. It's not comprehensive — just what I've learned the hard way. If you work with massively larger volumes (think 500+ SKUs), your process will look different. But for mid-size orders, these checks work.

Step 1: Verify Kurt Adler Christmas Train Details Before Ordering

My mistake: I assumed all Kurt Adler Christmas train sets were roughly the same size. First year, I ordered 60 pieces of a locomotive set based on a catalog image that looked just like the one from the previous season. Turns out it was a smaller scale — about 8 inches long instead of 14. My display shelves were designed for the larger ones. The whole order looked awkward, and I had to discount 40% just to move them.

Checklist point:

• Check the product dimensions in inches and centimeters (catalogs sometimes use different units).
• Cross-reference the SKU with Kurt Adler's official site — don't rely on distributor photos alone.
• If possible, order a single sample first. I know it adds a step, but it's way cheaper than a whole batch that doesn't fit.

I now keep a physical sample of each train set on a shelf marked "reference sizes" so I can compare new SKUs visually. That one change saved me from repeating the same mistake in 2024.

Step 2: Check Materials on Nativity Sets – Don't Assume "Premium" Means Porcelain

My mistake: I'd read online that nativity set quality varies by material. Everything I'd seen in person was ceramic or porcelain. So I ordered a new "heirloom" collection blind, assuming it was stoneware. It arrived in resin — lightweight, good paint, but not what my core customers expected. They'd bought from me because of the weight and feel, and this felt cheap.

Checklist point:

• Always check the material specification: porcelain, ceramic, resin, polyresin, or composite.
• For "heirloom" or "collectible" lines, verify whether the finish is hand-painted or applied by stencil (Kurt Adler's product pages usually note this).
• If you serve a premium clientele, stick with porcelain or ceramic unless you're deliberately offering a budget line.

I should add that resin isn't bad — it's durable and affordable. But I misaligned it with my store's positioning. The vendor that sells it will tell you what it's best for. A vendor who says "this versatile material works for everyone" might not be wrong, but they're not saving you from your own customers' expectations.

Step 3: Inspect Snow Globe Quality – Especially the Seal

My mistake: I once ordered 40 snow globes from Kurt Adler's new collection. They looked gorgeous in the catalog. When the shipment arrived, I opened one to display — noticed a tiny leak around the base. By the time I checked the whole batch, 8 had leaked or had low water levels. That cost $320 in returns plus a 2-week delay restocking.

Checklist point:

• Request a sample of any snow globe you haven't carried before. Check the base seal — plastic or rubber gasket vs. glued.
• When the order arrives, do a spot-check on 10% (min 5 units). Gently tilt each one and look for bubbles or seepage.
• Know your return policy before you buy: some distributors accept leak-related returns within 30 days, others don't.

Oh, and if you do find a leaky globe, don't throw it away — sometimes you can repair the seal with a silicone adhesive (though I'm not a handyman, so I now just return them). The point is: quality control on snow globes is non-negotiable.

Step 4: Handle Wax Disasters in Candle Jars (Yes, Even from Kurt Adler)

My mistake: Last December a customer returned three candle holders from our Kurt Adler line — all with wax spattered on the interior, some with soot staining. She wanted to reuse the jars as decor but couldn't get the wax out. I had no answer. I ended up comping her order plus shipping, $95 total.

That night I researched how to take wax out of candle jar (I'd never needed to before). Turns out it's simple: Freeze the jar for 2-3 hours, then use a butter knife to pop out the wax disc. Any residue can be wiped with hot water and dish soap. (As of January 2025, this method is widely recommended on housekeeping sites like The Spruce — but always check the jar's material; thin glass can crack from extreme temp changes.)

Checklist point:

• When ordering candle holders or gift sets with candles, note whether the wax is removable (clip-in vs. poured-in).
• For reusable containers (glass jars, ceramic holders), include a small care card with cleaning tips — or at least have a one-pager ready for customer questions.
• Test a jar yourself — I froze one of my display samples to confirm the method works. It did, and now I share that tip at checkout.

I'm not a cleaning expert — my experience is limited to about 15 different candle products. If you're dealing with antique or hand-painted candle holders, consult the brand first. Sometimes full immersion in water will damage the finish.

Step 5: Final Walk-Through Before Confirming the Order

This is less about a single mistake and more about all the little ones that added up. I used to rush through the last step of ordering — just hit approve after seeing the total. Now I run this 5-minute checklist:

• Did I verify dimensions for items that sit on shelves (trains, figurines)? ✅
• Did I confirm material for nativity sets and premium ornaments? ✅
• Is the snow globe seal quality checked on a sample? ✅
• For candle products: do I have a cleaning protocol ready for customers? ✅
• Are the quantities aligned with our seasonal forecast? (I once over-ordered 200 snow globes — that's a whole other story.) ✅

Since I implemented this checklist in early 2024, I've caught 17 potential issues — things that would've cost us around $2,100 total. Not bad for a few minutes of double-checking.

What I Wish I'd Known Earlier

My experience is based on about 40 orders with Kurt Adler products over 3 years — mostly mid-range finishes and standard sizes. If you're buying luxury limited editions or working with custom finishes, your checkpoints will be different. Talk to the vendor. A good supplier will tell you when to push and when to pause.

At least, that's been my experience with the Kurt Adler team — they've been upfront about material differences and shipping timelines. That kind of honesty is worth more than a 5% discount, honestly.