Prefer Understated Decorate Just The Perimeter
If you prefer a simple and minimalist decorating theme, then just arranging a string of LED fairy lights from Amazon or icicle lights along the perimeter of your home, or even just along the front porch, can look really nice.
For the ultimate elegant effect, we advise matching the tone of your lights to the coloring of your house: so, if your house is painted white, go for cool white lights if it’s brick or painted a warm color, go for warm or golden lights.
Or, follow the rules of halves and keep one half of the house lit with cool lights, and the other with warm. The effect will be very elegant.
Create A Sparkling Welcome
Looking for front porch ideas with a festive feel? The porch is the link between the exterior and interior of your home, and as such it can be given a more decorative treatment. It’s certainly the place to add a playful touch to your outdoor Christmas light ideas.
‘You can decorate your porch with “Merry Christmas” banners and light up your porch with different colored lights,’ says Joel Phillips, home remodeler and Founder of Texas-based Home Guide Corner .
‘Some Christmas lights come with Bluetooth speakers, so you can play carols whenever you want.’
Light Up Trees And Foliage
Bring the back garden to life so you have a magical view to look out over on dark winter evenings. Use lights to showcase garden buildings such as summerhouses, pergolas and arches or make a decorative feature of trees, shrubs and bushes.
Choose a tree that will create a natural focal point in your outdoor space, one with an interesting form or an elegant arrangement of branches. Use rope lights or fairy strings to wrap around the trunk of the tree, continuing onto the most prominent branches. Space strings evenly for a uniform look.
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Light Up Your Garden Building
Dress a gazebo to impress in time for the holidays
Have you perused our gazebo ideas yet? These chic garden buildings present the perfect opportunity for creating your very own cozy Christmas grotto.
This structure has been adorned with glittering icicle lights, while string lights suspended inside the roof only elevate the magical atmosphere. Illuminating the nearby hedges and potted trees extends the theme further, adding to the enticing vibe.
We love the oversized baubles which make a beautiful focal point, too. With a few cozy throws, it’s the ideal set-up for a festive alfresco get-together. But, the scene will also look beautiful even if you’re simply admiring it from a window indoors.
How Do I Light Up My House For Christmas
The house can also be included in your Christmas lighting scheme, adds Amy Mason, Director of Product, Lights4fun . Single story rooflines with Christmas icicle lights can be framed perfectly with a festive window lighting display to make an enchanting approach to your home.’
‘Clustering freestanding festive figures with a similar tone to your roof lights allows you to take your lighting display further onto the ground itself and prevents disconnection between lights on your house and those already in your garden.
Whether you want to set the scene for an intimate atmosphere, light the way for your guests, or simply to create a starry silhouette to twinkle in the nights skies, we have all your lighting needs sorted.
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Set Up A Vintage Sled Or Wagon
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Looking for a simple outdoor decor option for the holidays? Take a red wagon and load it up with presents, miniature trees, lights, and other holiday touches. Or if you have a vintage sled, decorate it with a Christmas bow, garland, and lights. Place the wagon or sled on your porch to complete your holiday look!
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Have some fun with your porch, deck, or outdoor living space seating! Whether you have a bench, swing, or chairs around a fire pit, add plaid blankets and festive weatherproof holiday pillows to your space. Go the extra mile by adding string lights to benches and swings to create a beautiful nighttime look!
Hang A Wreath On The Door
A holiday season staple is a green wreath with red berries or bows on it. Its a gorgeous statement piece that ties natural outdoor elements with organized and calm indoor elements.
Its the first thing your friends and family will see when they come over for the holiday party, and it can be a fun DIY project.
Making your own wreath for the front door is an inexpensive and fun way to tap into the holiday spirit. Get the kids involved for a fun weekend project that will last all season long!
The best part about door wreaths is their ability to adapt to any season. If you love crafting, you can use the same wreath and use different items on it for multiple seasons.
The same wreath can be used for months out of the year simply by changing its items. If you love re-using decorations and keeping things cost-efficient, this is a great option.
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Make The Door Sparkle
Upgrade a regular festive door wreath for a light-up version that will make the door look extra magical. Create a similar effect with an existing or DIY homemade Christmas wreath by wiring in your own set of micro lights.
Mini LED bulbs easily thread into the greenery so that the wreath will twinkle brightly after dark.Just tuck them into the greenery, making sure that none of the wire is visible, and hide the battery pack at the back.
Line Your Roof With Classic Lights
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Theres something extremely elegant about a home lined by large, traditional Christmas lights. This is an especially good idea if your roof is pitched, as it creates an interesting shape against the nights backdrop.
Break out some large outdoor Christmas lights like these and get to line the underside of your roof with them. Make sure youre safe! Get a sturdy ladder and enough strong cable ties for the job.
The result looks like something out of a romantic holiday movie, ready for Annie and Mr. Warbucks to move in.
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Types Of Christmas Lights
Its good to get an idea of the types of Christmas lights that are available before you plan your outdoor Christmas light display.
Heres a list of the types of Christmas lights that weve used.
- string lights
Assess What You Have And Test Everything
Now you should have a general idea of how you want your house to look, and the measurements youll need to create the outdoor Christmas lights display of your dreams. But before you start shopping for blinking LED lights and white rope lights, take a good look at the
Drag everything out from storage, wipe it clean and plug it in. Discard or repair any broken lights or decor. Then make a list of what you have and what youll need so you can refer to it while you shop. Using a Christmas light tester is a smart way to check your old lights.
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Outdoor Christmas Lighting Ideas
Getting creative with Christmas lights has become a big thing, says Jason Billings-Gray, Christmas Buyer at John Lewis . Often many months in the planning, the best of these lightfests become destinations in their own right – somewhere to visit when youve ticked Santas Grotto off the list!
Most modern outdoor lighting uses LED bulbs which are super-efficient and long-lasting, adds Jason. Strings and ropes of outdoor lights come supplied with a transformer that plugs into an indoor or outdoor socket so you can safely use them indoors and out.
Smaller decorations such as wreaths and mini trees are battery-powered, making them suitable for sheltered locations only but still perfect for adding a little twinkle and festive cheer to a porch or doorway.
Best Christmas Light Ideas
Not sure which types of outdoor Christmas lights to buy? Here are our favorites, from net lights to rope lights to twinkly LED lights that sync to your favorite holiday soundtrack.
For instillation ease, its hard to beat net lights. These, by Oliny, consists of 200 LED lights spaced on 9.8 feet by 6.6 feet of mesh for easy hanging on bushes or the front porch. The net lights also come with a remote control with eight modes you can program for different light shows. Note that the lights and wires are waterproof but the control box is not, so keep the latter away from the elements.
These rope lights are low voltage, so they wont get super hot and be dangerous for pets, kids or your lawn. Thats good, because rope lights look best when laid alongside a driveway or walkway. The tube light is IP65, which is safe for snow and rain. We like that these tube lights are flexible, so you can easily bend them into any shape you want. Simply place them and plug them in. Voilà!
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Welcome With A Doormat
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A simple way to complete your outdoor holiday decor is to add a festive doormat! You can find doormats with holiday phrases ranging from greetings to cute jokes. Not only is this great for keeping the snow and salt outside, but its also a fun way to welcome guests into your house during the holiday season!
Keep It Sweet With Glowing Candy Canes
The candy cane lights from Light4fun are sure to delight any onlooker
Both kids and grown-ups are sure to love the fairytale look of this outdoor Christmas lighting. They’re glittery for extra wow factor, and come with a handy timer, too.
Pop them along a path to your front door and you’ll always have a warm welcome when you return home. It’s a perfect look if you want to up the playful factor of your decorating scheme this year.
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Christmas Light ‘burning Bush’
Light up winter nights with a glowing outdoor planter. Lay coiled Christmas light strands on top of soil, then insert branches to create a bushlike appearance. Last year’s lights all tangled up? Instead of buying new ones and coiling them by hand, just use your tangled ones to create this outdoor holiday decor.
Make Your Greenhouse Glow
Looking for greenhouse ideas with a seasonal twist? Take a tip from the trend for outdoor dining pods and pop-up restaurants in unusual locations, and turn your greenhouse or outdoor room into an illuminated garden entertaining zone for festive drinks and holiday dinners.
‘Here, we used drop bulb festoon lights to bring a lovely warmth to this glasshouse,’ says Thalia Shaw, Founder of Sparkle Lighting. ‘They really create a wonderful atmosphere with the hanging individual light bulbs.’
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Stage A Sleigh On The Roof
What better way to incorporate outdoor Christmas decorations than by staging a sleigh on the roof?
Using a light metal or plastic sleigh and parking it close to your chimney is a fun and cute way to decorate your house.
Sting the sleigh with lights or even add a fake Santa for added fun. The kids will love it, and if you dont mind the heights, the setup is pretty easy.
Make sure you use tie-downs to keep it from blowing away or falling off the roof if you decide to incorporate this!
Diy Christmas Lawn Decor Ideas
Christmas lawn decor is another great way to get into the holiday spirit! Front lawns offer space and a whole lot of visibility, so why not take advantage of this and create a beautiful Christmas lawn display? Here are some of the very best DIY outdoor Christmas decorations and ideas to get you started. Youll be amazed by how far a little effort can go!
#41 DIY Wooden Angel Lawn Decor #42 DIY Tree Gnomes #43 Pine Cone Fence Decor #44 DIY Christmas Playhouse Lawn Decor #45 Lighted Lawn Stars
#46 DIY Candy Cane Solar Lights #47 DIY Concrete Holiday Gift Boxes #48 DIY Lighted Gift Boxes #49 Frozen Colored Ice Ornaments #50 Giant Paper Plate Lollipops
#51 DIY Lighted PVC Candy Canes #52 Tomato Cage Christmas Tree Lights #53 Rustic Nail-Head Christmas Trees #54 Simple Lawn Snow Lanterns #55 Hale Bay Christmas Tree
#56 Plastic Pumpkin Snowman Decoration #57 DIY Glowing Gift Boxes #58 DIY Melted Lawn Snowman #59 Merry Christmas Lawn Sign #60 DIY Red Truck Lawn Decor (Tutorial available from Red Cottage Chronicles
#61 Burlap Candy Cane Lawn Decor #62 Upcycled Wooden Wheel Barrow Idea #63 Giant Lawn Santa #64 DIY North Pole Lawn Markers #65 Candy Cane Christmas Tree
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Do I Need To Take Down Outdoor Christmas Decorations After The Holiday Is Over
Ultimately its a personal decision. We tend to leave our DIY outdoor Christmas decorations up until early spring because the weather gets so cold here.
If you do decide to take down your DIY outdoor Christmas decorations after the holiday, be sure to store them properly so they dont end up damaged. This means taking them apart and storing them in a dry, cool place. If you have some large items that were stored outdoors we suggest storing them inside and bringing them back outside again the following year.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Ideas
Christmas decoration ideas and themes are often available in abundance and yet decorating for Christmas can seem both daunting and difficult. It is a problem of plenty and most home owners are not sure what theme and style to adopt even as the big day draws closer. Moreover, decorating for Christmas starts a good couple of weeks in advance and many of us are often caught unaware as we are busy with our work and life. And while indoor Christmas decorations garner plenty of attention, its the outdoor glitz that really steals the show!
Move on from the door to the front yard with petty items like leaves, silk flowers and artificial berries. Making up a manger or Santa/Disney workshop in your yard can further accentuate the theme that you have chosen and dazzle the neighborhood with its brilliant lighting. If you have a gorgeous front lawn, then add a beautiful Christmas tree that is lit and decorated in the appropriate manner. Drape it with string lights and craft a spectacular light sculpture that will steal the show and become the focal point of your Christmas celebrations.
String lights and net lights which can be interwoven into a silken web of light can be a creative addition as well. Just drape the bushes and the hedges with some flickering lights and cover the rooftop with gorgeous net lighting and you are all set with a home that surely will even draw Santas attention on Christmas night!
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Use Laser Lights For The Front And Side Of The House
Using a machine to project lights that spin or change is becoming more and more popular.
These machines plug into a power source and sit unsuspectingly in your yard while projecting Christmas lights onto your home.
Its much easier than hanging string lights, and you can change the color, pattern, and design.
If you like to switch things up throughout the season, this is the way to go. You have many options at your fingertips and dont have to break a sweat or dig out the ladder to set them up.
You can use them in addition to your sting lights for a beautiful display, and if youre really tech-savvy, you can coordinate them to your favorite music.
Carve Out Your Home In Icicles
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Icicle lights like these are so cute and so pretty when theyre used right! Add a touch of ice and snow to your home this Christmas by lining the rooftop in icicle lights. Theyre a perfect standout against the night sky.
Take this idea one step further by integrating the same color of lights into your trees. Follow the branches for a wintertime appearance. The look is clean, fresh, and minimal, but full of incredibly festive cheer.
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Create Pillars Of Bright Light
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Are you blessed with large trees in your front yard? Then have I got the idea for you. Wrapping the tree trunks in monochromatic lights gives the appearance of pillars, so clever!
The key to this idea is to leave the leaves and branches unadorned. That way, the trees look like they stop in mid-air, giving them the pillar appearance. Add some linear roof lights to put it over the top.
Wrap Garland Around The Front Porch Railings
The best way to coordinate with the front door wreath is by wrapping garland around the front porch railings.
Garland is an inexpensive way to upgrade your front porch and add holiday cheer. You can dress it up by adding red cherries or candy canes to it or leave it natural and green.
If you dont have a front porch, you can drape it over your front door and frame the door with a long strand of garland.
The possibilities are endless, and its an easy and affordable option.
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Take A Look At Your Homes Exterior
Put on your winter coat, because your outdoor Christmas lights plan begins by actually going outside and eyeballing your home.
Take a photo of the exterior for reference a wide angle shot is usually easiest to get from across the street. Note how many trees, windows, roof overhangs and doorways you want to decorate. Take winter weather elements into consideration as well. Will your trees have bare branches in December? Will snow banks cover the bottoms of your window?
This is also the time to count your exterior electric outlets and identify where they are. If you have multiple power sources, youll have an easier time putting up outdoor lights. If not, youll need to purchase longer strings of lights and likely, extension cords. You could also DIY an exterior outlet.
