Outdoor Christmas Decorations That Won’t Break Your Budget

By Jonathan

Outdoor Christmas Decorations That Won’t Break Your Budget earlyexperts.net

‘Tis the season to add some holiday cheer to your home. You’ve been counting down the days until you could officially start decorating and now it’s time. Now that you’ve put up the tree and added sparkling lights to the windows, it’s time to take this holiday party outside. First things first though, you need to figure out what the plan is. Depending on your tastes, you could take the more expensive route and put up enough lights to take out a power grid. However, most people want to take a more budget-friendly approach to creating their own winter wonderland. We’re bringing you some cheerful ideas and inspiration to turn your yard, porch or even balcony into a place that even Santa is sure to give a seal of approval.

A Storybook Christmas in Your Front Yard

Whether you live in snowy, chilly climes or in warmer locales where the sun always shines, you can create a beautiful Christmas themed wonderland right in your own front yard. For the DIYers, a quick trip to the dollar store or local discounter can yield a treasure trove of goodies. In addition to the standard string of Christmas lights that are normally used to add a little (or a lot) of sparkle, here are a few other ways to inexpensively decorate your front yard.

Ice Lanterns – While this is best for those who live in colder regions, these decorations can be used to line walkways leading up to the house. All you need are a few plastic containers to create a mold–a smaller bowl inside of a larger one will do– add some water so that it almost reaches the top of the lip, and then put in the freezer until it’s completely frozen. After the liquid is frozen, you can pop it out and add a small tea light candle to the center.

Pro Tip: If you want to add more color, placing a few sprigs of fresh pine branches or red berries will brighten up this ice sculpture.

Plywood Cutout Trees – Local hardware stores are a major source of inspiration for home repairs, but also for holiday decorations. A few pieces of ¾” plywood boards can become Christmas trees that you can customize with a special holiday message. Be sure to protect the wood from the elements by using a water resistant stain.

ProTip: If you’re feeling especially ambitious, feel free to incorporate some lights or colored nailheads to add a little flair.

Faux Snowman – It’s easier than putting together your own Frosty. A few unevenly sized faux wreaths can be stacked together to create a snowman. Keep in mind that you’ll have to prop the snowman up using a larger stake, but you can also make it less obvious by wrapping loose garland around it. To hold it all together, you’ll keep the wreath sections of the snowman connected by securing them to the stake with wire.

Pro Tip: Don’t forget the hat and scarf for your snowman! You can use extra branches lying around outside to give the snowman arms.

Create an Inviting Porch

During the holiday months, there may be a guest or two popping by to help you celebrate the season. What better way to make them feel welcome than with a warm and inviting front porch. By adding a little holiday touch to this area, you can create a focal point that will have guests complimenting your decorating talent. It’s easy to add some dazzle to your front porch by using just a few of these ideas.

Wooden Candle Holders – Have some dried out logs in the yard? Take the thickest ones and cut the ends so they can stand vertically on a flat surface. After drilling a 1.5” hole in the top of the log, a small votive can fit inside. To create more visual interest, cut the logs so that they are different heights.

Colored Mason Jars – These jars aren’t just for storing jams or drinking iced tea.Adding some silver, metallic paint on the exterior can add a lot of drama to a plain ol’ jar. You can create a nice centerpiece on your porch by placing a combination of painted and unpainted jars amongst a wave of garland. Small votives within the mason jars can create a warm glow to welcome guests and maybe a caroler or two.

Holiday Planters – A set of decorative metal planters are a cheap and easy way to add holiday flair to your front porch. These can be used to house smaller pine trees purchased from a nursery or hardware store. Adding a sturdy fabric bow to the planter or the tree can create a rustic look.

Urban Living Meets Holiday Decor

Living in an apartment or condo doesn’t mean that you are limited to only decorating the inside or your front door. Balconies are a prime place to display your Christmas spirit. While there are a few more restrictions on what can or cannot be done with holiday decorations, there are quite a few ways that to liven up this space.

Hanging Planters – These are a great way to add character to your balcony. There are many options to choose from and coupling the planters with some clear Christmas lights will make for an elegant display.

Hanging Snowflakes – Why wait for the snow to fall when you can make your own? Snowflakes of various sizes can be purchased at stores along with wire to help keep them together. By stringing the wire and snowflakes together, you can make a vertical arrangement that can easily be hung and removed.

Burlap Bows – Feeling a little rustic? Burlap is an inexpensive material that can be used with ornaments to create festive, holiday bows.

Conclusion

Decorating the exterior of your home for the holidays doesn’t need to be expensive. In fact, you can often combine a number of cheaper items to create something that looks like you spent much more. Now that the winter season is here, you can easily take the warmth of the holidays from the indoors and bring it outside.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations That Won’t Break Your Budget

A Storybook Christmas in Your Front Yard

Create an Inviting Porch

Urban Living Meets Holiday Decor

Conclusion

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