3 Exterior Holiday Decorating Ideas

Decorating your home, inside and out is always a big tradition in our family!  Today Chris Long from the Home Decorators.com Home Depot site is here to give a few last minute, simple ideas for sprucing up your exterior holiday decor!

Three Classy Holiday Front Yard Decorating Tips

The Christmas tree has long been the symbol of holiday warmth for the home, but an evergreen is only one element of December decorating these days. In fact, the most effort often goes into the front yard of the home with sparkling lights, inflatable ornaments, and more.  Fortunately, it doesn't take a lot of time or money to bring the spirit of the holidays from inside the home to the outdoors. Following are three inexpensive ways to decorate any entryway in less than an hour:

• Holiday Greenery: Whether natural or artificial, greenery adds a simple, understated holiday vibe to the outside of any home. Ideal for sprucing up porch railings or columns, artificial garland is available at any local store with a Christmas section. Live greenery can come freshly trimmed from the Christmas tree, or you can seek out your local Christmas tree dealer for natural garland.
• For those looking to make the outdoors really shine, wrap the garland with a string of white lights before hanging it. Wreaths are always an option, too, but for those budget-minded decorators, trim a couple of branches from the bottom of the tree, wrap the branches with twine or wire to keep them together, and adding a vibrant bow. It doesn't have to be complex or expensive to craft a festive outdoor presentation that pops day or night.

• Outdoor Decorations: It's no secret that families often have more decorations prepped for hanging than there are tree branches ready to support their cheer during the holidays. But those box-bound ornaments shouldn't be relegated to the closet this season. Use them to spruce up the front porch with the help of twine and a nail. You can hang larger decorations in strategic locations, whether from the railings or from ball topiaries or plants that stand tall on each side of the front door. Large ornaments are inexpensive, and when hung from the low hanging oak branches, give a larger-than-life Christmas vibe that is perfect for any residential yard.

• Festive Bows: There are few things more tasteful than a holiday bow. And these aren't intended just for the gifts that crowd the base of the tree. A bow of the right size and material can bring a touch of class to the front porch or the front door, whether used by itself or to augment the holiday greenery that lines the entryway columns or the fresh front-door wreath. Premade bows are available at any holiday shop for a few dollars and are easy to add to any outdoor structure or other decoration. Do-it-yourselfers can purchase ribbon and create a unique holiday accent themselves. Using different material options and lengths of ribbon, you can customize your holiday statement to fit whatever your needs.

It is easy to be overwhelmed by the holiday season, particularly when it comes to home decorating. With the proliferation of yard decorations, tying together any entryway with holiday cheer is easy, but finding a classic accent that will invite guests out of the cold and into the warmth requires a delicate, tasteful touch, but not a lot of time or money.

I've included some of my favorite 'Pins' for front door and front yard decorations. Seek out some inspiration and then be creative, use your resources, and remember that less is more, particularly during the holidays.

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