How to Use Christmas Lights for Outdoor Decorating

Decorating outside your home for Christmas is a festive way to share the spirit of the season with neighbors and others who pass by. Adding Christmas lights to your outdoor space can easily transform your home for the holiday season and add a touch of sparkle to your overall decorating scheme.

Instructions

1. Add strings of Christmas lights to your outdoor landscaping. String white or colored lights around bushes and other low plants in the front planting beds of your home. Wind lights around tree branches to add height to landscape lights. Adding lights to bushes is easier by using the net lights that were made specifically for this reason and provide a uniform look.

2. Line your driveway and sidewalks with Christmas lights or other decorations such as lighted candy canes. Traditional landscaping lights can also be used and made more festive by exchanging the traditional bulb for bulbs of red or green.

3. Outline the eves of your roof with Christmas lights. Many lights are on the market for this purpose now, including icicle lights and snowflake lights. Line the outline of your home for a neat and tidy outdoor light display.

4. Wrap Christmas lights through garland that is then draped or wrapped around the columns and banisters of your front porch. The garland can also be hung around your front door or garage doors.

5. Add lights to a holiday wreath for your front door. Wreaths with lights can also be displayed in windows as well.

6. Place two potted artificial or real Christmas trees on either side of the front door. Add lights and few ornaments or ribbon trim to the tree to draw attention to the front entryway.

7. Add three-dimensional decorations to your yard that are illuminated by Christmas lights. These come in a variety of shapes, sizes and themes--from manger scenes to Santa and his reindeer to snowmen.

8. Use a string of Christmas lights and a festive bow on your mailbox post.

Tips & Warnings

• Check with your homeowner's association about rules and guidelines governing holiday decorating before you begin.

References

• Better Homes and Gardens