This Decades-Old Chain Restaurant Is A Hidden Gem For Seasonal Home Decor

If you're hitting the same stores year after year, holiday shopping can get a little boring. Find yourself hankering for cornbread and a game of pegs? Capitalize on that feeling during your next visit to Cracker Barrel. A half-century-old chain restaurant may not be the first thing that pops to mind when you think of shopping, but Cracker Barrel has so many options when it comes to home goods and seasonal decor. Browsing the aisles of the restaurant's Old Country Store, you can find everything from perfectly frightful Halloween blow molds to quaint Christmas ornaments.

The downside is that the shelves and retail displays in each physical Cracker Barrel store can only hold so much merchandise. If you can't find exactly what you're looking for while digesting the sausage and egg hashbrown casserole you ordered for lunch, you can turn to their online store. There you'll find a far wider selection of products and larger goods, like the life-sized Animated Invisible Witch. For those worried about inviting a few too many country store tchotchkes into their home, consider that seasonal decor can actually lead to a cleaner, clutter-free home. The process of decorating for the holidays encourages you to reorganize and simplify your collections.

When it comes to seasonal decorations, Cracker Barrel is well known for its themed blow molds. Blow molded objects have been crafted in plastic since the late 1930s. The technique has its roots in ancient glass blowing. To create a hollow form, plastic is heated and shaped inside a mold using air. These hollow forms make great lanterns and other decor. In fact, the familiar plastic Halloween pumpkin pail children cart around when trick-or-treating is made using this technique.

Blow molds fell out of style after the 1970s, but they have since returned, their popularity stoked by the current trend for nostalgia. Through Cracker Barrel, you can buy a brand-new blow molded decor that combines vintage charm with contemporary features like energy-efficient bulbs. And when December rolls around, don't worry if you think the blow molds on offer are kitschy. Tacky Christmas decor is the latest holiday trend taking over TikTok. Many of the best blow molds are not available in-store, so check out the selection online before you get in the car. You don't want to leave your local Cracker Barrel Old Country Store disappointed.

You might think of biscuits and gravy when you think of Cracker Barrel, but don't forget their large collection of home and seasonal decor. Shopping is best on a full stomach, after all. Outside of blow molds, perusing the aisles at Cracker Barrel can save you big bucks on seasonal decorations. Most items are more affordable than their impressive detailing would imply, like this Cowboy Boot Stocking for the horse lover in your life to hang from their mantel for just under $13.

The restaurant also frequently partners with beloved characters and franchises like "The Simpsons," "Home Alone," and "Bluey," as well as brands like Hershey's, Pringles, and Coca-Cola to create ornaments, kitchenware, and toys. You can indulge in your favorite fandoms without breaking the bank at the Old Country Store.

And yes, Cracker Barrel certainly sells overtly holiday-themed decor, like their spooky-but-cute Ghost Appetizer Plate and a wide selection of bright and cheerful Christmas ornaments. But it also offers more subtle products for those who like to approach seasonal themes sparingly, such as their Gardyn Pumpkin and Clove Candles. Their Summer Fun collection features bright, beach-themed decor perfect for backyard cookout decorating, while the Harvest collection has pumpkins, fall foliage, and things for the Thanksgiving table.