7 Ways to Decorate Your Home’s Exterior for the Holidays

The winter holidays are a time to celebrate, and decorating your home’s exterior is the perfect way to do it. Here are seven ideas you can use to bring seasonal cheer to your home.

1. Holiday Lights

Twinkling lights make everything a little more magical, so why not use them outside? Your home is the perfect place to hang glowing strings of festive cheer. White lights look cozy and elegant, while colored lights shine with holiday happiness. Try outlining the edges of your home or decorating your gables and eaves. You can also wrap lights around railings and posts or use them to trace your windows and doors to create a storybook scene.

2. Lawn Ornaments

Make your home look like a holiday card scene with big, bold lawn ornaments. You can go the traditional route and add a light-up Rudolph to your yard, or take a sleigh and fill it with shining packages. Putting inflatables, like a great big Frosty the Snowman or Santa Claus, on the lawn is a super fun way to make people smile as they pass by. Whatever theme you choose, lawn ornaments will definitely give your house a touch of personality this season.

3. Holiday Flags

Do you want to welcome your neighbors and help your house stand out? Hanging decorative flags from your walls, awnings, or columns is a great way to spruce up your exterior with delightful holiday scenes. Send a message of “JOY” or “Merry Christmas!” that will be visible from the street. Let visitors know where the party is by flying a flag of a horn or a Christmas bell, or make spirits soar with flags of angels that flutter in the breeze.

4. Planters

Filling planters with poinsettias and greenery and then setting them outside is a lovely way to decorate your porch or walkway. You can get a big pot and some evergreen plants, then decorate the foliage with bright red bows or shining ornaments. If you want to do something different, wrap a box or a crate with foil paper, leave the top open, add a cedar tree, and wrap it with ribbon. You can also make arrangements of holly, ivy, or fir tree branches and place them in bug brass urns.

5. Wreaths

Ring in the season with a great big holiday wreath. Whether you choose a traditional evergreen model or go with a more colorful, modern theme, you can add charm to your doors and windows with a look that’s all your own. Try a deep green wreath studded with sprigs of red berries and beautiful bows, or arrange pinecones and gold leaves in a circle for something a little different that still says, “I love the holidays!”

6. Garlands

Hanging garland and tinsel over your front door and entryway is a lovely way to make your house look special. You can also add a sign that says “Peace on Earth,” “Season’s Greetings,” “Merry Christmas,” or any other holiday message you like. Wrap your railings in greenery to complete the look.

7. Make a Statement

If you want to go all out with your holiday decorating, draw attention to your house by making a statement. Put a nativity creche on your porch or in your yard, or place a giant Christmas tree by the garage. You can hang icicles and snowflakes from the eaves or aim high and put Santa, his reindeer, and a sleigh full of packages up on the roof! Use your creativity to make a spectacular scene that makes the neighborhood smile, and have a very merry holiday season!