Outdoor Christmas Decoration Ideas

You can show your holiday spirit through outdoor Christmas decorating. Think multi-level from the ground to eye level and up to the roof as you create festive views visible from different directions so both car and foot traffic can admire your work.

String Lights

String clear or colored lights along the roof line, porch railing or fence, over a hedge or around the front door. Wrap lights around a lamp post. A solitary tree decked with double strings of light or large bulb strings catches the eye. Add a Christmas garland along with the lights on the fence or railing

Spot Lights

Place spot lights to illuminate the entire house, or a single light pointing up near the base of a tree or directed only toward the front door of the house.

Non-Religious

Position one large, plastic inflatable snow globe or three dimensional Christmas figurines like Santa, reindeer, elf, nutcracker, or carolers with spot light. Wide weather-proof ribbon can be wrapped around porch or lamp posts for a candy cane appearance.

Religious

Build or purchase a Nativity scene for the lawn or angel or large star to secure to the roof or railing of a balcony with a spot light directed toward it.

Secured to House

Large bows, or Christmas evergreen wreaths or bundled evergreen sprigs with colorful ribbon can be secured to the front door, garden gate or windows. Wide red velvet ribbon designed for outside use can be used to create your own bows or you can purchase them already made.

Along the same line, items like wreaths or bows can be secured to a fence, gate, mailbox, chimney, even a dog house.

Theme

If mixing religious and non-religious elements, place them a distance apart to establish theme areas. Themes can also be set with the color of lights from multi-color, to solid white, or other single color.

Shy away from doing all outside lighting with white (clear) lights only. The white lights look harsh when there are too many. Instead, limit white lights to a focal point, like just around the front door or just on a porch railing. Or try using two strings together, one of white lights and one of multi-color lights or with a solid color string like red lights.

Light strings of singular colors, like all red, blue, or green, can be used to create your own unique theme. Use one color or mix two, like blue and green, and use that single string or two-color strings on fences, railings and evergreens.

Words of Caution

When using a ladder to hang lights, get assistance from someone to hold the ladder. Read the insert that comes in the box of string lights. That insert will tell you how many strings can be connected end to end; to connect more than advised could cause overheating, leading to fire. When using extension cords, make sure you do not exceed the limit the cord was designed to carry. Extension cords must also be designed for outdoor use.

Use a timer to control when the lights come on and go off. That will eliminate the possibility of leaving the lights on all night, wasting energy.

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Outdoor Decorating for Christmas / http://www.christmasnightinc.com/Trends-in-Outdoor-Decorating-for-Christmas-c141.html

Outdoor Christmas Decorations / http://www.holidaydecorationsdirect.com/Outdoor-Christmas-Decorations-C69664.html