6 Christmas Outdoor Decorating Ideas

It can be difficult to think about Christmas in the midst of summer. Nevertheless, the yuletide season will be upon you before you know it, so now is a good time to start thinking about your outdoor Christmas decorations. If you’re crafting, you’ll need time to gather the necessary materials and put them together. If you’re ordering items, you need to allow them enough time for delivery. Even if you’re planning to buy decorations in store, they are likely to be less expensive in the off-season.

The following tips can help you create a festive display that fits your unique personality without breaking the bank.

1. Choose Your Nativity Set Carefully

For some, a nativity set is a yuletide necessity, while others view it as optional. Nevertheless, if you choose to have one, there are a couple of important things to keep in mind.

First, the size of your nativity set should be appropriate to your yard. If you have a large property, a life-size nativity set may be appropriate. However, it may make a small front yard look overly crowded. Second, ensure that your outdoor nativity set is weather resistant, as it is likely to be outside in all sorts of conditions.

2. Divide Your Property Into Zones

Again, this is more appropriate for large lawns than small ones. If you have a lot of space to fill, divide the property into zones and choose a single holiday-centric feature to serve as the focal point of each subdivision.

3. Use Recycled/Reclaimed Items

Not only will this put a unique spin on traditional decorations, but it helps to keep certain unwanted items out of the landfills, which is better for the environment. Examples of items that can be repurposed into Christmas decorations include the following:

• Old board or pallets can be made into Christmas trees.
• Used wine bottles can become candle holders.
• Winter recreation items that have outlived their usefulness (e.g., old sleds or ice skates) can be made into winter-themed decorations
• Galvanized metal buckets can be turned into planters.

You can modify these materials with festive decorations. For example, you can add holly or evergreen branches to your display of ice skates, you can paint a sled with a holiday motif, or you can use a hammer and a Phillips head screwdriver to punch holes in your galvanized metal buckets to form a decorative shape.

4. Go Big

You can turn your yard into a winter wonderland with holiday-themed decorations that are larger than life. This is also another opportunity to repurpose old or unneeded materials. For example, you can make giant lollipops for your yard with pool noodles curled into a spiral and stuck onto a PVC pipe. Plastic cups and old beach balls can become oversized Christmas ornaments to hang from your house rather than a tree.

5. Put a New Spin on an Old Tradition

It can be difficult to strike a balance between traditional and boring. You can take a traditional idea and approach it in a new way so that it becomes something recognizable yet unique.

Take, for example, the Christmas wreath. You can update this holiday standby into something familiar yet eye-catching by trying a different shape, such as square, or using a different material, such as moss.

6. Use Vintage Materials and Natural Objects

When combined together, these lend each other a rustic beauty and can create a striking sense of nostalgia. This is a good option for those whose Christmas decorating tastes run more traditional.

The fun of Christmas decoration is not only celebrating the season and bringing some light into the darkest time of the year. It is also getting a chance to exercise your creativity, which can happen any time.