It’s probably still burned into your retinas. The image of Clark Griswold’s house from 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation; row upon row of glittering lights – blazing like a small sun that takes the power grid down in the neighboring three counties. A more recent commemoration of this holiday décor style was 2006’s “Deck the Halls”, where the ultimate goal was to see the holiday décor, from SPACE.
While this type of decorating can have a long-lasting effect on anyone who sees it, (like wearing glasses earlier than genetically necessary), we are firm believers that “less is more” when it comes to decorating your outdoor living spaces for the holidays and we have a few suggestions on how to create a truly memorable experience for your guests and passers-by.
Stay Natural
Nothing speaks to the beauty of the holiday season like evergreen. From holly to pine and fir trees, shrubs and plants, evergreens have long-represented this celebratory time of year. When most other plants and trees go dormant and lose their colorful luster, evergreens offer color and vibrancy in an otherwise bleak landscape. By adorning your home with evergreen in the form of wreaths, candle wraps, center pieces and patio or porch swags, you keep your décor eco-friendly and the style beautifully stated without being overwhelming.
Choose a Theme
There are so many options for holiday décor, from color patterns to seasonal elements like snow, Christmas balls, gingerbread or even Santa himself, that it can be hard to select a specific theme for the outside of your home. Unlike your home’s interior, where different rooms could easily carry different themes, your walkway, front yard and porch are seen as a single space, so they need to be treated as such. Select a single theme for your outdoor living space to create an inviting entry way or view for passersby without overwhelming them with varying holiday elements.
Light It Up
This is a slippery, yet necessary slope that any homeowner looking to share the holiday spirit must tread. Holiday lights are part of the wonder young children experience this time of year, and adorning your home’s exterior with them can be the icing on your holiday décor cake, or the place where it all went south. (And we don’t mean the South Pole). Depending on the theme you chose for your porch, patio, yard and walkway, lights should accent and set off the elements you are showcasing. They shouldn’t take over when turned on, nor should the look be so bland that without the lights on (before dusk every day), it seems you hardly have decorations at all. The best route is to select your theme-oriented items, and then add colored, white, or some relative combination of the two as an accent to your efforts.
Tip: If you don’t have time to hang your own lights this season, ask your landscape or Hardscape contractor; many of them provide this as an “off-season” service.
Your holiday décor should reflect your spirit and personal tastes, both indoors and out. It should not, however, incite seizures or destroy the eyesight of anyone who drives past. Take some time to make the outside of your home into a winter wonderland that invites, impresses and inspires dreams of sugarplums. Your guests, and neighbors, will thank you for it.