I shopped at Home Depot and Lowe's for holiday decorations, and one store made me feel like I'd stepped into a winter wonderland

I've shopped at both stores on numerous occasions in the past, but I'm not sure I'd ever browsed their winter items before.

Earlier this year, I'd shopped at Lowe's for Halloween decorations and preferred it to Home Depot — so I had high hopes for the retailer's winter offerings.

I could see inflatables on high shelves, at least a dozen Christmas trees, an archway flanked by two Santa animatronics, and aisles of holiday decor.

I noticed $20 pillows, which were cute and about the same price as those sold at stores like Home Goods, and $7 plastic candy canes that would look great along walkways.

But there were also small, outdoor flags with $20 tags and simple plastic dinnerware around the same price, which I thought was a bit too expensive.

The tree selection at Lowe's was impressive, with various sizes, colors, and light options. The cheapest ones I saw cost around $70, while the more expensive ones reached prices between $200 and $330.

The best part, though, in my opinion, was that they were all stacked in boxes nearby so that you could easily pick the tree you want and continue shopping.

A row of inflatables were displayed on a high shelf above the store's holiday section, and the actual products were in boxes ready for customers to shop near the Christmas trees.

Most depicted famous characters like Mickey Mouse and the Grinch, and others shaped like penguins and dogs featured Christmas motifs like Santa hats. But there were a few plain winter ones, too, like a snowman.

These decorations cost between $20 and $80 each.

There were traditional string lights, ones shaped like icicles and snowflakes, and stake lights to stick in the ground. Most were on display so you could see how they actually look when lit.

I was overwhelmed by how many options there were, but knew that if I needed any holiday lights, I'd return to Lowe's without question.

That's where I found twinkling wreaths, pathway lights, and LED displays shaped like snowflakes and snowmen.

There were more generic winter options in this aisle, which I think some shoppers would appreciate.

While shopping, I quickly realized that it would be tough for Home Depot to beat the holiday selection at Lowe's. And this aisle is the perfect example of why.

There were so many things to buy, from metallic ornaments and vintage-inspired blow molds, to pre-lit garlands and an entire section of Disney items.

Again, the prices of these items were high with most small, tabletop items costing between $15 and $65. That said, everything I picked up was also high in quality and appearance.

And the fact that it was organized so seamlessly made the shopping experience even better.

There were a ton of these fabric decorations on display, and they ranged greatly in price. Some were $50 each, while others cost $200.

I noticed one Hanukkah decoration and a few winter ones, but most were Christmas themed.

The best feature of this aisle, though, were the signs taped to different decorations that stated how many of that particular piece were left to purchase.

I liked Home Depot's Halloween selection when I visited this fall, but I felt that it didn't measure up entirely to that of Lowe's.

So I was curious to see if the same would stand for the winter season.

Home Depot's winter section seemed a bit smaller than what I saw in Lowe's, and there weren't as many items on display.

Still, I did notice a variety of items that spanned Christmas trees, standing decorations, lights, and more.

There wasn't a huge selection, but there were classics in stock. Who doesn't like bows and fake berries around the holidays?

Still, I thought they were on the pricier side. A bag of two winter gnomes, for example, cost close to $8. I've seen nearly identical ones for much less at the dollar store this year.

Again, I didn't see as many Christmas trees in Home Depot as I did in Lowe's. But there was a nice variety. Home Depot offered pre-lit options, ones flecked with fake snow, and traditional artificial trees.

Most of the ones I spotted cost upwards of $350.

These decorations also had a similar price range to those at Lowe's — between $20 and $100 — and most depicted famous Christmas characters.

There were classic lights, character ones, motion-activated light decorations, and standing decorations that twinkled.

The prices varied greatly from item to item — some strings were $15 while others cost $60 — but each one seemed average in my opinion.

The Jack Frost animatronic — which measures six feet fall, has glowing eyes, and costs $200 — went viral on TikTok earlier this year.

As a Halloween fanatic, I majorly appreciate that Home Depot is starting to cater to spooky decorators all year round.

I also really liked the other available animatronics, like a $200 Yoda that moves, talks, and can be dressed for both Christmas and Halloween.

Most winter decorations were located in the designated holiday section, and larger items were stacked in piles near the displays so that customers could load their carts with ones they liked.

I wouldn't say I disliked shopping at Home Depot for winter decorations, but I probably wouldn't return again this year.

There weren't a ton of options at Home Depot, and most items that lined the shelves didn't catch my eye. I did love the animatronic selection and thought most of its decor prices were fair, but I was still underwhelmed by the store's offerings.

At Lowe's, on the other hand, I felt like I had stepped into a winter wonderland. Even though I thought some items were expensive, I found myself wanting to redecorate my entire house while shopping.

So if I had to pick one home-improvement store to shop at this year for winter decorations, it'd have to be Lowe's.