Christmas is a magical time of year when many people decorate not only their homes, but also their front yards and exteriors. Outdoor Christmas decorations are a great way to spread some extra holiday cheer to your neighborhood and let passersby know your home is ready for the most wonderful time of the year.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Decorating the outside of your home can make the season feel more festive and jolly for you as well as bring joy and wonder to anyone who sees your home. Neighbors, delivery drivers, and guests will immediately feel the holiday spirit when they see your home decked out with beautiful Christmas decorations.
Outdoor decorations also allow you to showcase Christmas decor that may be too large or elaborate for your interior. With more space and visibility, you can opt for bigger and bolder decorations outdoors. Lighted decor looks especially stunning at night when your home is all aglow.
In this blog post, we’ll explore some of the most popular and dazzling outdoor Christmas decorations to make your home exterior as bright and merry as possible this holiday season.
Christmas Decorations You can Buy
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Benefits of Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Decorating the outside of your home for Christmas offers many benefits:
- Brings joy and wonder to your neighborhood – Your decorations will bring smiles to your neighbors’ faces and get them into the holiday spirit as well. Kids especially love seeing the lights and inflatables.
- Lets passersby know you’re celebrating – Decked out decor tells paper delivery drivers, mail carriers and anyone driving or walking by that your home is full of Christmas magic.
- Makes your home more festive and inviting – With wreaths, lights and more, your home will give guests a warm holiday welcome.
- Can be seen and enjoyed after dark – Outdoor lighting and decorations look stunning glowing at night when coming home or driving by.
- More space for bigger decorations – Your yard and exterior give you more room for inflatables, light displays, and decor too large for indoor use.
The cheer and coziness your outdoor decor brings to your neighborhood is a great reason to deck out your home.
Most Popular Types of Outdoor Christmas Decorations
When it comes to outdoor holiday decor, the possibilities are endless. Here are some of the most popular Christmas decorations used to deck the outside of homes:
Christmas Lights
Twinkling with colorful holiday magic, Christmas lights are a quintessential outdoor decoration. Popular options include:
- String lights – These classic lights outline rooflines, windows, bushes and trees. Opt for energy efficient LED.
- Net lights – Perfect for draping over bushes, trees and wreaths outdoors. LED options are sturdy.
- Projection lights – These spotlights project holiday images and phrases right onto your home’s exterior.
- Icicle lights – Looking like frosty icicles, these lights creates a magical wintery glow.
- Candy cane lights – Shaped like giant candy canes, these stand upright in your yard.
- Inflatable lights – Hybrid of inflatables and lights, these are fun and illuminated.
Christmas Inflatables
Nothing captures the playful joy of the season quite like inflatable Christmas decorations. Popular outdoor options include:
- Santa Claus – Choose from waving, standing or sledding inflatable Santas.
- Snowman – Frosty and jolly inflatable snowmen come in all sizes.
- Reindeer – Rudolph and his reindeer friends dot many yards and rooftops.
- Christmas trees – Towering inflatable trees make a serious holiday statement.
- Sleighs – Inflatable sleighs and reindeer teams land right in your yard.
- Giant ornaments – Oversized inflatable ornaments add whimsy and color.
Holiday Figures
From retro to modern, illuminated holiday figures create festive cheer. Options include:
- Santa Claus – Choose from traditional to silly styles of illuminated St. Nicks.
- Snowmen – Frosty and smiling snowmen stand in your yard or hold wreaths.
- Reindeer – Prancing reindeer and Rudolph’s nose glow with holiday magic.
- Nutcrackers – Towering nutcrackers stand guard dressed in holiday finery.
- Carolers/musicians – Figures of carolers, brass bands, and other musicians fill your yard with song.
- Religious figures – Angels, Nativity scenes, and other religious icons celebrate the season’s meaning.
Lighted Christmas Shapes
Lighted Christmas trees, wreaths, candy canes, and more add cheer in a fantastic display. Options include:
- Christmas trees – Lighted trees of all sizes brighten up your yard or accent your home.
- Wreaths – Circular wreaths or long garland styles to decorate doors, walls, and rails.
- Candy canes – Giant illuminated candy canes create a sweet setting.
- Stars – Shining lighted stars at the top of your home or surrounded by lights.
- Presents – Colorful wrapped gift boxes give a festive glow.
- Sleds – Old fashioned sleds dotted with holiday lights.
Banners, Signs and Sentiments
Add a personalized touch with outdoor Christmas banners, signs, and sentiments. Options include:
- Banners – Holiday phrases, greetings, and family name banners.
- Yard signs – Funny, religious, traditional Christmas yard sign messages.
- Monogram letters – Illuminated initial letters for your last name.
- Address numbers – Lighted holiday house numbers.
- Sentiments – Signs with phrases like “Believe”, “Peace”, “Joy”, etc.
Natural Decorations
Bring natural beauty to your outdoor decor with these options:
- Christmas trees – Set up a live tree outdoors or use cut greenery on a porch.
- Pine cones – Accent wreaths, garlands, and flowerpots with festive pine cones.
- Holly branches – The red berries and green leaves of holly look gorgeous outdoors.
- Poinsettias – The red and green flowers of poinsettias suit Christmas perfectly.
- Cedar – The fresh, earthy smell of cedar boughs evokes the outdoors.
- Cranberries – String cranberries into garlands or cluster in flower arrangements.
No matter what style you choose, outdoor Christmas decorations will make your home magical!
Planning Your Outdoor Decorations Display
To make the most of your outdoor Christmas decorations, start with some planning:
- Make a theme – Having a cohesive theme or color scheme makes decorating easier. Common themes are classic green and red, whimsical, all-white, candy land, etc.
- Focus on high visibility areas – Emphasize decorating areas like your front door, mailbox, walkway, and street-facing sides of your home.
- Consider spacing and size – Arrange decorations appropriately for their size and for maximum visual impact.
- Weatherproof for outdoors – Choose decor made to withstand wind, rain, snow, and temperature changes outdoors.
- Use smart technology – Timers, photocells, and smart plugs allow you to control when your outdoor lights turn on and off automatically.
- Perform maintenance – Check lights, cords, and decorations periodically for damage after installation. Replace bulbs and re-secure items as needed.
- Store carefully – At season’s end, gently pack away decorations to prevent damage before next Christmas.
With some forethought, you can design an outdoor Christmas display that will make your home the talk of the town and your neighbors green with envy!
Outside Christmas decor budget friendly under 15 minutes!
Setting Up Lights and Electrical
When dealing with electrical cords and connections outdoors, safety is key. Follow these tips for safely installing and powering your outdoor Christmas lights display:
- Use LED lights – LED Christmas lights use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last 5-10 times longer. They also stay cooler, reducing fire risks.
- Inspect lights and cords – Before installing, carefully inspect each string of lights and electrical cord for any cracked sockets, bare wires, and loose connections which could cause a shock or fire hazard.
- Use plastic clips – Secure each string of lights to your home, fences, trees, etc. using insulated plastic clips. Avoid metal nails or hooks which could damage cords.
- Check extension cord ratings – Outdoor cords must be rated for outdoor use and the proper gauge for the electric load. Use heavy duty grounded cords.
- Employ outdoor outlets – Plug light strings into outdoor rated GFCI outlets. If using indoor outlets, feed cords through exterior vents or windows.
- Use outdoor surge protectors – Protect your investment from surges and blown fuses with surge protectors designed for outdoor use.
- Don’t overload cords – Avoid linking too many light strings together on one extension cord to prevent tripping breakers or hazardous overheating.
- Prevent tripping hazards – Position cords out of high traffic areas. Do not run cords under rugs, furniture legs, or across sidewalks.
With proper safety precautions, you can create a spectacular lights display that shines night after night.
Inflatable & Animated Decorations
Inflatables and animated decorations add a sense of magic and motion to your outdoor Christmas decor. Follow these tips when setting them up:
- Ensure fan motors are sealed – Check that the fan motor housing is completely sealed and watertight to prevent moisture damage during bad weather.
- Stake inflatables securely – Use the tethers and stakes provided to properly secure inflatables in your yard. Add sandbags or weights for extra anchoring in windy areas.
- Pick flat, stable surfaces – Set up inflatables on level ground or platforms to prevent tipping over. Avoid steep slopes.
- Plug into GFCI outlets – Always plug inflatable motors into outdoor rated GFCI outlets equipped with a weatherproof cover.
- Use outdoor extension cords – Use heavy duty grounded extension cords rated for outdoor use when connecting to an outlet.
- Turn off when not in use – Conserve energy and extend motor lifespan by deflating and unplugging decorations during daylight hours or high winds.
- Check for air leaks – Refill inflatables as needed if they begin sinking due to small air leaks. Find and patch leaks.
With a little extra care, your inflatable Santas, snowmen and holiday favorites will delight spectators throughout the season.
Holiday Plants for Outdoors
Adding some touches of festive flora outdoors like poinsettias, evergreens, and holly berries infuses your decor with natural beauty:
- Poinsettias – The red, white, or pink flowers of poinsettias symbolize Christmas. Protect from frost and wind in sheltered areas.
- Christmas trees – Place a live potted pine or fir tree on a porch or patio. Decorate it with lights and ornaments.
- Pine sprigs – Snip fragrant pine, cedar, or fir sprigs to tuck into wreaths, garlands, and arrangements.
- Holly – The signature red berries and pointed green leaves of holly look gorgeous on railings, wreaths, and as centerpieces.
- Cedar – Line walkways or accent pots with fresh cedar boughs for an earthy seasonal scent.
- Cranberries – String fresh or artificial cranberries into festive garlands to drape on trees, bushes, and banisters.
- Flower pots – Fill pots with poinsettias, cyclamen, pine sprigs, holly, and evergreen cuttings.
The right holiday plant accents will infuse your outdoors with the essence of Christmas in nature.
Conclusion
Decking your home’s exterior with stunning Christmas decorations helps spread holiday cheer throughout your neighborhood. From dazzling lights to jolly inflatables, festive figures, and natural elements, the possibilities for outdoor holiday decor are endless.
As you plan your outdoor Christmas decor setup, keep in mind visibility, themes, size appropriateness, and using weather-resistant materials. Take proper safety precautions when installing electrical and inflatable decorations. With a dazzling outdoor Christmas display, you’re sure to impress passersby and evoke the magical spirit of the season!