The Best Outdoor Holiday Decorations

Buying Guide

When you want to get ready for that big holiday ahead, why not decorate outdoors as well as indoors? There are great ideas to spruce up your front lawn or porch or even a backyard pagoda. You will find that you can spread lots of cheer just by setting up several holiday decorations for neighbors and passers-by to enjoy.

Before you go shopping, it’s a good idea to think about the space you want to decorate. If you want to hang lights, you might want to measure the space that you want them to cover so you can get the correct length. Perhaps you love inflatable decorations for your front yard? You’ll want to consider the size of your yard. For brightly-lit decorations, keep in mind that neighbors might not want it shining in their homes all night, so maybe look for options with a timer you can set. These are all things to consider before shopping for outdoor holiday decorations.

Most homeowners opt to use some sort of lights to decorate the exterior of their property for the holidays. There are string lights that come in all sizes and offer both white and color varietals. There are LED mini-lights, battery-operated lights, color-changing lights, incandescent lights, net lights, wide-angle LED mini-lights, large bulb lights and icicle lights. For a magical light display that you most likely won’t see in your neighbor’s yard, go with a beautiful set of hanging lights are encased in waterproof tubing and offer super-bright, 360-degree LED chips. Look for lights turn on and off in sequence and mimic stars or snow falling. Make sure the lights offer energy efficiency, so you can turn them on every night of the holiday season without running up your electric bill.

If you want to keep things simple but get your message across, chose a holiday banner. You simply stake in the sign and you are done. Holiday banners come in all shapes and sizes, styles and messages. A massive “Merry Christmas” wish for all to see is always a good choice. A model that is 9.8 feet by 1.6 feet will certainly make a statement, especially if it’s constructed with such vibrant red and white colors.

On many front lawns, you’ll notice inflatable characters or scenes. These inflatables offer easy-to-store convenience in the off-season and are super easy to set up during the holiday season. Most of them are self-inflatable and include their own inflating device. A 6-foot inflatable nativity scene is a great option for those who celebrate Christmas. It should come with lighting for nighttime and everything needed to set it up, including stakes, tethers and inflator fan. For a more whimsical holiday character, chose an 8-foot inflatable snowman. This type of massive inflatable figure is warm and welcoming and typically sets up in just a minute. The kids in your neighborhood will just love him. For fast and convenient decorating, chose an inflatable or two and be done in minutes.

These are just a few ways to spruce up your property for the holidays. There’s no right or wrong way to decorate the outdoors, so just have fun with it.

• Keep it affordable. Choose some simple and pretty lights to accent your favorite parts of the exterior of your home.
• Remember, the cost comes through your electric bill as well, so buy energy-efficient products that won’t jack up your monthly bill.
• Be conscious of the electrical components. Outdoor decorations will need protective materials over the wires to keep them safe from shorting and causing bigger problems.
• Make it personal. Show off your style with your outdoor décor. Mix and match different products to create a winter wonderland in your outdoors or keep it simple with just one main attraction.