Add Holiday Cheer to Your Yard

Apple Trees on the Entrance Door

Your home is often center stage when it comes to outdoor holiday decorating, but all elements of your landscape including your fence, deck and patio can become props. At Long® Fence, we know a few ways to add holiday magic to the outdoors this year:

Decorate Trees and Shrubs

Many of us decorate trees and put them in our homes at Christmas, but what about the trees that stay outside? Whether you have trees growing in the yard or potted versions on the patio, spruce them up with holiday decorations. Try highlighting trees and shrubs instead of just stringing them with lights. Tuck white, green, red, amber, or other colored spotlights under bushes and trees to provide a warm glow.

Hang lights from tree branches. Faux candles (such as battery operated flameless candles) don’t require extension cords and can look lovely when hung from trees. Try placing them in lanterns. They’ll look great during the daytime as well as the night.

Hang ornaments specifically made for the outdoors on trees. Or use fun items like old tin cookie-cutters. To keep it from looking tacky, don’t just place them sporadically. Choose one or two trees in the yard (or on the balcony, porch, or deck) and decorate them in ornaments all one color. Affix a traditional large star on the top.

More Fun Outdoor Decorating Ideas

Birdbaths tend to sit empty in the winter, so they might as well be dressed up. Fill them with water, cut up citrus fruits, and berries. The water will freeze leaving a lovely colorful display. (This idea works best in colder climates where animals don’t roam.) If fruit isn’t your thing top a birdbath with a wreath and topiary. It makes a great garden focal point.

Purchase a couple bunches of sticks and/or branches (white, red, natural brown, or a spray painted version) and place them in an urn on the balcony or porch. Decorate them with ornaments or lights.

Lavish fence posts and arbors with lush garlands. Consider adding strings of lights. White is always the most elegant.

Spray Styrofoam balls with fake snow and pile them in an urn near the front door. They’ll look like snowballs just waiting to be thrown. For added visual interest toss in a few pine cones.

String ornaments (old-fashioned tin or metal ones work well outside) and drape them along a fence. Or take large ornaments (such as a classic star-shaped tree topper) and hang/display them on wooden fences.

When it comes to outdoor decorating for the holiday season there’s no shortage of great ideas. Simple or elaborate, outdoor holiday décor is warm, welcoming, and will turn your space into a holiday wonderland.