The holiday season is in full swing.  Need help decorating your outdoor space?  Follow these tips for decorations that wow. 

Create a theme 

Choose a theme for your Christmas decor to avoid style clashes and a haphazard appearance.  Yours could be based on your favorite Christmas movie, or traditional vs. kids themed.  The choices for a theme are only limited to your imagination.  This theme will then influence your decisions on all of the details to follow. 

Colors 

Chose a pallet of colors that will unify your decorations.  One option is to choose different shades of the same color, such as white, pink, red, and burgundy.  Another option is to choose several colors that go well together, such as green and red, or you could even go with a multicolored approach if it fits with your theme. 

Select A Style 

Another way to unify your landscape decorations is to select a style of decorating.  Do you want big, fun decorations like inflatable snowmen, Santas, and elves?  Or do you prefer elegant and refined without all of the characters in your yard.  Of course, you can have different styles in the front yard and the back yard but try to stick to one style per area, so your decorations look deliberate instead of random. 

Doorway & Porch Decor 

Your front door area is the first area most people see up close when visiting your home.  Use a Christmas-themed wreath such as holly branches dotted with candy canes or ornaments that can welcome people.  Pair the wreath with a pair of planters or large standing ornaments on either side of the door, framing it and channeling people to the entrance of your home.  You can replace your regular doormat with a festive holiday one. 

If you have columns on your porch, wreath them with festive lights or garlands wrapping around them from floor to ceiling.  Porch rails look festive with garlands wrapped around them, as well.  Colored fairy lights hanging from the roof or porch ceiling complete the scene. 

Christmas Lawn Decorations 

Lawn decorations can be a fun way to show your Christmas spirit.  Inflatable decorations like a nativity scene, snowmen, elves, and Santa look joyful and maybe a little silly.  Use small clusters of inflatables with space between them so the decorations do not look too busy.  Large candy canes that serve as lights can line the sidewalk from the street to your front door. 

If you are going for a more elegant look, line the walkway with solar-powered columns of light.  A natural-looking nativity scene can remind your guests of the birth of Jesus.  Using silver and blue as your colors can add elegance to your display. 

Evergreens & Poinsettias 

Evergreen plants, with their dark green color, can be used to create a more natural display.  Line your walkway with pots of poinsettias (artificial if outdoors in our climate) interspersed with potted evergreen trees.  Evergreen holly in large pots with pine combs, red ribbons, and red bows make nice containers to use for this.   

It gets quite cold in December, so choose plants that can take the cold.  Bringing the plants indoors after the party can keep them looking nice for the next event.  In most cases you will not want to leave the potted plants outside overnight if the temperature is very low or the roots will be injured. 

Potted plants dry out faster than plants that are in the ground.  Water the plants when the soil feels dry to the touch.  Keeping the soil moist will help the plant’s roots absorb the water they need to survive the cold.  Poinsettias will bloom again next Christmas if you follow a strict schedule of 14 hours of darkness and 10 hours of bright light next fall. 

String Lights 

Strings of fairy lights or larger holiday lights are fun to decorate with.  LED lights are the most energy-efficient.  Many of them can change colors to match a theme.  Be safe when stringing the lights, and make sure any lights you use are in good condition. 

Wrapping rails or draping the lights over the fence can look festive and illuminate your landscape.  Some LED lights can be programmed to change colors in a pattern to blink on and off, adding motion and energy to the display. 

Lanterns & Candle Holders 

Lanterns and candles are elegant fixtures to illuminate the landscape.  These classic lights put off a warm glow.  You can get LED lights in lanterns and as candles, so you do not have an open flame but can safely accent a table or a walkway.  If you use candles and lanterns with real open flames, do not leave them unattended.  Put the candles and lanterns out before going to bed to avoid causing a house fire. 

Christmas-Themed Cushions & Throws 

Festive cushions with winter and Christmas scenes can accent your landscape decor.  Place them on sofas and chairs throughout your outdoor living area.  Throws with Christmas scenes can be draped over the back of chairs and sofas.  Guests can use them to stay warm if the air is a bit nippy for their tastes. 

Pre-Party Clean Up 

Royal Creations Architectural Landscaping can clean up your outdoor landscape before your big holiday party.  Just give us a call at (816) 825-2524 to get on our schedule before it’s too late.