Walking into Hobby Lobby felt like entering a home fully adorned in its holiday best.

The entrance had a bed with seasonal quilts and throw pillows and large ceramic figurines of Santa and Mrs. Claus.

The displays were so beautiful that I immediately felt inspired to try new things in my holiday decor this year.

My local Michaels' entryway didn't feel festive at all. Although there were some artificial wreaths and garlands, there wasn't much else.

I like to feel enveloped in holiday spirit as soon as I enter a store during this time of year, so I was disappointed.

Hobby Lobby had several entire aisles dedicated to tableware, all grouped together for easy shopping. The variety was nice, too, with items ranging from poinsettia table runners to wine glasses adorned with cardinals.

We're big entertainers during the holiday season, so I love stocking up on different cloth napkins, kitchen towels, and other items that add to my kitchen and dining-room decor.

At Hobby Lobby, the options felt endless, and the displays felt organized.

Michaels had seasonal tableware, but it felt harder to find.

Many aisles at Michaels were divided by theme, from nutcracker ballet to reindeer. Each section grouped all items from a certain theme together, from serving plates to wall decor.

This layout would be fantastic if you were shopping for lots of pieces that matched a certain aesthetic, but I prefer to see all of the plates or dish towels together so I can pick the ones I like.

My family has used the same Christmas stockings since my kids were small. Still, Hobby Lobby made me feel tempted to buy a new round of stockings just because.

I found designs with ballet slippers, snowmen, unicorns, candy canes, and so much more. It felt like there was truly a stocking design for every member of the family.

There's something quaint about those traditional chocolate-filled advent calendars with little doors that open each day leading up to Christmas to reveal a tasty prize.

Michaels had a pretty impressive selection of themed advent calendars featuring recognizable characters from Marvel, Nintendo, and other huge franchises.

Since Hobby Lobby is a Christian-owned retailer, it's no surprise that it had a huge selection of more faith-based holiday decor.

I found beautiful angel tree toppers and ornate nativity sets on display. Michaels had a few nativity items, too, but not nearly as many as Hobby Lobby.

Another iconic part of the holiday season, Elf on the Shelf was on full display at Michaels.

My store had several varieties of elfs, plus accessories, books, and other merchandise to pair with them.

If your family is big on Santa's scout elves and their antics, Michaels is the place to shop for everything you need this year.

Hobby Lobby's holiday-craft section was really impressive.

There were aisles upon aisles of supplies perfect for holiday crafters, from beads and glitter glue to scented markers and stickers.

Michaels had a few endcaps set up with holiday crafting supplies, from colorful jingle bells to beads to craft kits for kids.

Although I didn't spot as many festive supplies at Michaels as I did at Hobby Lobby, both stores carried enough of a selection that any holiday crafter could keep busy all season long.

Hobby Lobby excelled at stocking entire collections of merchandise for beloved characters.

I found full sections filled with linens, crafts, baking supplies, and more adorned with the familiar images of iconic characters, like the Grinch and Hello Kitty.

Michaels had an endcap that contained a few Hanukkah items like chocolate gelt coins and themed paper goods.

Hobby Lobby had nothing of the sort, making Michaels the winner for representing other winter holidays besides Christmas.

Since discovering the @blacksantaexists Instagram account several years ago, I've tried to diversify my own Santa collection at home, so all of my guests see themselves represented in my holiday decor.

Although I didn't find many Black Santa items at Hobby Lobby in 2023, the chain seemed to improve on its selection's diversity this year.

I was pleased to find mugs depicting Black Santa and Mrs. Claus and Black angel tree toppers.

Michaels also sold numerous Black Santa items as well, from throw pillows to wooden signs.

Although Michaels seemed to have more Santa representation last winter, both stores seemed to have pretty equal footing this year.

Both stores had a great, broad selection of ornaments for gamers, home cooks, and even shark enthusiasts like my 14-year-old daughter — I got her two glittery glass sharks at Hobby Lobby.

In addition to themed glass ornaments, there were also large packs of shatter-resistant ball ornaments at both stores.

Both stores also stocked many options for artificial Christmas trees.

Either retailer would be a great place to look if you're in the market for one this year. I found a variety of options for heights, widths, price ranges, and colors.

Although I certainly don't need another holiday item to collect, I was tempted by the cute display of gingerbread people at Hobby Lobby.

Gingerbread characters in different poses and outfits were scattered throughout the store in all sizes, styles, and heights.

I love buying a nutcracker at Michaels each year since I've found the retailer typically has unique collections of them.

This year, I spotted nutcrackers skiing, wearing biker jackets, and even holding cookies. I added a zebra nutcracker with a pink jacket and drum to my collection.

As a huge fan of Hobby Lobby's holiday decor, I only wish the store was a bit closer to my home. The nearest one is about 40 minutes away, so I don't visit as many times as I'd like to during the holiday season.

Still, whenever errands take me to that part of town, you can bet your candy cane I'll be stopping into Hobby Lobby to peruse its gorgeous aisles of holiday decor and pick up a few new items.

Although my local Michaels' selection of holiday decor felt less organized and a bit smaller than what I found at Hobby Lobby, it's still a great spot to shop this season.

In fact, since my side-by-side comparison visit to both stores, I've run back to my closest Michaels (a five-minute drive from my home) twice for some last-minute items I needed to put up this year's holiday decor.

The Crate & Barrel I visited didn't feel overly festive when I walked in, but I found its simplicity to be charming.

At first glance, its decor was minimal and chic. The entryway had a simple holiday display with greenery and lights. A few large shelves had white or clear trees, tiny houses, and reindeer on display — I didn't see a lot of color.

Once inside, the holiday decor felt spread out. I had to really look around to find displays that evoked the vibes of the season.

I felt West Elm's inviting holiday ambiance as soon as I stepped inside and saw three blinged-out trees with silver, red, and gold ornaments.

The store's entrance felt warm and welcoming with its soft lighting, sparkly accents, and holiday-themed decor.

Each display seemed to have thoughtful, festive touches that immediately set a cozy tone for my shopping experience.

As I walked around Crate & Barrel, I found minimal, elegant holiday tablescapes.

Most had neutral accents and featured white napkins, neutral table runners, and simple glassware. The vibe seemed perfect for those who love a streamlined look and pieces that can easily stay on the table past December.

West Elm's tablescapes seemed to prioritize richer, warmer tones.

Festive napkins, gold accents, and vibrant centerpieces made the displays feel ready for a festive gathering.

The tablescapes had a coziness to them, and I could picture the setups in a real home. One had mauve-colored trees and sparkly placemats that felt like they could easily transition from Christmas to New Year's Eve.

Crate & Barrel had a selection of cozy, holiday-themed blankets and pillows sprinkled throughout the whole floor.

I liked that every sofa I passed had some type of subtle holiday-themed accent, like beige pillows with simple-yet-elegant reindeer silhouettes.

Many of the accessories here felt like they'd be a nice way to add holiday cheer to a home without the loud vibrancy of red and green you typically see this time of year.

Because the pillows and throws were mostly neutral, they felt like they could be on your couch past Christmastime without feeling dated.

In my opinion, the throw pillows at West Elm were quite the opposite of the ones at Crate & Barrel.

Although the store did have some more neutral pillows with subtle designs, it mostly seemed to embrace the popular red and greens of the season.

I especially loved one rectangular green pillow covered in abstract-looking images of Santa Claus — so cute and festive.

The stockings at West Elm were some of my favorite finds. Many featured clean lines and traditional motifs that would complement a modern home, and a few had pops of color.

A lot of the designs felt like a fresh twist on a traditional holiday stocking.

On the other hand, the only stocking I found at Crate & Barrel was a small, decorative one meant for a tablescape — not one fit for a mantel.

In both stores, I found a great selection of holiday ornaments, including glass Santas, photo-frame designs, and other classic holiday motifs.

Although both chains' ornaments seemed to lean more traditional, I found a few fun designs at West Elm.

The store's squirrel-shaped glass ornaments, in particular, were a huge highlight of our shopping trip. My fiancé ended up buying a few for his family tree.

Although both stores offered beautiful decor, I felt West Elm had a wider variety of holiday pieces with a cozy, classic appeal. Walking through the store made me feel like I was in a Hallmark Christmas movie.

Crate & Barrel excelled in modern and elegant holiday decor but ultimately felt less festive to me than West Elm.

If you're looking to create a warm, inviting holiday atmosphere, West Elm is the store to visit this season. If your holiday style is more understated and neutral, you may prefer Crate & Barrel.