Earlier this month, we had an absolute blast partnering with Costco and Sister Sites from all across the City Moms Blog Network for our second annual Costco Mom Hour Event. Locally, we hosted the event at five Houston-area warehouses {Galleria, Bunker Hill, Pearland, Sugar Land, & West Katy} and registered over 2,000 readers {yes, 2K!!!} for a morning of shopping, complimentary breakfast, membership specials, giveaways, and more. And nationally? Well, let’s just say that the national event as a whole registered 47,000+ people at nearly 100 warehouses from coast to coast. So yeah, there were A LOT of moms out doing A LOT of holiday shopping together on November 4th this year.
And lucky for you, all of that holiday shopping wasn’t in vain! While at the event {and on our many trips back since then!}, our team managed to snag some pretty sweet tips and tricks for surviving holiday season with the help of Costco this year. Pair these little tidbits of info with those 13 hacks we shared last month, and you are well on your way to the best. holidays. ever. You’re welcome.
DECORATIONS.
Costco’s holiday decor selection and prices can’t be beat. This year we have to bite the bullet and purchase a new Christmas tree, and I was so excited to see the selection of trees … and the prices! Trust me, I’ve been scoping them out this year, and these are good. My other two favorite things to hit Costco for during the busy holiday season??? Coffee and wine. Lots of coffee and wine. {Chelsea’s Tip}
PARTY FOODS.
If you are hosting holiday guests, don’t stress about making everything yourself! {Seriously, your guests will never know!} We often use Costco for help feeding a crowd on a budget. In the frozen food section you can find tasty mini quiche platters and mini tart puffs stuffed with spinach and cheese. Just pop them in the oven, and you have a hot appetizer ready to go! My husband orders from the deli department on a weekly basis for his work too. They get fruit trays, cheese and meat trays, and sandwich platters. I swear, it looks {and tastes!} like it came from a high end deli shop! Costco has samples out all the time – but head out on the weekends for even more variety so you can taste before you buy! {Andrea’s Tip}
GIFTS.
I love taking my kids to Costco during the holiday season to see what “big budget” items catch their eyes! Toys at Costco are at such great prices {I’m talking American Doll, LEGO, etc.}, and it’s a one stop shop – I can get things for our holiday events while also scoping out what Santa should have her eye on. And while we’re there, I also love grabbing gifts for neighbors, friends, and teachers too! {Meagan’s Tip}
FUEL.
Traveling for the holidays? Or maybe you’re just out running those last minute holiday errands? Be sure to pump your gas at Costco! With the inevitable rise of theft and purse snatching around the holidays, consider using their fuel center. It’s well-lit, members only, and they usually have a pump attendant outside. {Tiffanie’s Tip}
BATTERIES.
And last, but certainly not least, STOCK UP on Costco-brand batteries! Word on the street is that they are identical to Duracell. And there’s nothing worse than not having enough batteries on Christmas morning for all of those brand new toys your kiddos are begging to tear into! {Jenn’s Tip}
We know we’re just scratching the surface here, so chime in too! What are YOUR Costco Must Haves to help you survive the stressful, fun-filled, rollercoaster that is the holiday season???
