The holiday season is my favorite time of the year. Not only is it the season to get together with friends and family, but it’s also a time to add to the cheer. Beautiful outdoor decorations make everything so festive in the winter months when it is usually dark and cold. If you are looking for ways to dress up your outdoor living spaces, here are some ideas to consider.
What areas should you decorate? Because the holiday season tends to be cooler, focus on the outdoor areas where you either spend time or can be seen from the street. The goal is to not waste your effort and make sure your decorations can be appreciated. Your front porch is a great area to start with, then focus on the other spaces, like sunrooms, porches and decks.
Trees. Evergreen trees have become synonymous with the holidays. Growing up, my mom went crazy decorating with trees. Not only did we have some trees that were wrapped in string lights in our yard, but we put Christmas trees on our outdoor living spaces. Our front porch was just big enough for a Christmas tree that we decorated with outdoor ornaments. It was the perfect way to welcome visitors. And since we had a small sunroom off the back of our living room, we had a simple tree there that we could see from our couch.
Garland is a common way to dress up your outdoor living spaces. Garland can be strung over doors, around columns or along railings. They are beautiful if left in their natural form, but you can also dress it up if you wish. For example, if you have garland along your deck railings, consider adding bows where the garland connects to railing posts. Pinecones and holly berries are also popular decoration ideas.
Ornaments. While the majority of ornaments may be made for the indoors, there are some that you can use outside as well. If you have a covered porch, you can hang some ornaments with beautiful ribbon from the eaves and ceiling at different heights. Additionally, they can be hung in between railing posts.
Incorporate your favorite things about the season. We all have our favorite memories of the winter season. Why not try to fit that into your outdoor décor? I grew up in Maine with a lot of snow. When I think winter and the holidays, sledding is one of the first things that comes to mind, so I actually placed a sled on my deck a few years ago (which we can see from our family room). I put holly leaves and berries on top to dress it up. My friend, on the other hand, will hang bells instead of a wreath from her front door because it reminds her of Santa bells.
Lights. Personally, when I think holidays, I think lights. From simple candles in the front windows to stringing lights amongst all of your decorations, adding lights to your holiday décor instantly makes it more festive.
The most important aspect of holiday decorating is that you love it and it makes you happy. Have fun! From everyone here at Archadeck Outdoor Living, have a very merry holiday season.