During the holidays we often spend a great deal of time, money and effort to decorate inside our homes, but why not continue that decorating outside? There are so many types of beautiful outdoor holiday decorations, you can make the exterior of your home just as distinctive and lovely for the season as the interior.
Containers
Large matching containers on either side of your driveway, walkway or front door make an elegant impression. Evergreen shrubs or small trees, gaily festooned with mini-lights, ornaments, bows and topped with a star are a welcoming sight for visiting friends and family. Consider holly or another plant with brightly colored winter berries. Neat and tidy camellias bloom during or soon after the holidays. The slow-growing, evergreen shrubs, Dwarf Alberta Spruce and the fragrant sarcococca will happily reside in containers for many years. Uplighting the container with solar powered lights eliminates power cord concerns and allows passersby to enjoy of your holiday décor during the evening hours.
Wreaths and Evergreen Garlands
Wreaths and garlands of fragrant greenery waft a holiday scent into the home every time the door opens. These are sold readymade as well as in bundles of greenery to make your own. Affix them to the front door, an entry banister or even draped along porch railings or entry columns for more elegance. Use bows, ornaments, seashells, fishing lures or whatever you fancy to coordinate the entry decoration with the house décor for a connected theme.
Fences and Gates
Whether you have a quaint picket fence, a rustic split-rail fence or an elegant wrought iron fence, you can decorate it. Swags of garland and greenery are quick and easy to add, and you can give them more color with strategically placed bows that not only hold up the greenery but accent it as well. Wrap a strand of lights along the garland so it will shine even in the darkness, or space out unbreakable ornaments to hang between posts. Swags of garland can also go along the top of a gate (be sure to leave an opening so the gate can be used), or opt for wreaths on the gate instead.
Driveways and Paths
Light up the lanes leading to your home by using solar-powered lights in holiday colors, or opt for themed lights to create a cheerful, whimsical holiday path. For a more elegant look, consider simple luminaries spaced regularly along an entry path, garden path, driveway or up a small staircase leading to your front door. Not only will the extra illumination be an elegant holiday look, but it can help give visitors a better view of the path to prevent slipping or tripping.
From inside to outside, have a happy holiday!
