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Everyone has a different idea of what they want their outdoor Christmas decorations to look like.

Many people opt for the understated traditional decorations; wreaths on the doors and windows, electric candles in the windows, and perhaps a tree and shrubbery in the front yard decorated with white lights.

If you have a front porch, decorating with garland and bows on the railings gives a classic, homey, traditional look.

However, more and more people are going all out in their outdoor Christmas decorations; animated Santas, nativity scenes, flying reindeer and more. Regardless of your tastes, there are outdoor Christmas decorations for everyone, and every budget.

Outdoor Christmas Decorations

You should draw up a plan before shopping for your outdoor Christmas decorations. All you need is a simple line drawing of your yard and a flat drawing of the front of your home. Taking a few digital photos of the front yard area and put those up on your computer screen while you’re planning will spare you from standing in your front yard freezing.

While you are planning, think about what you like in other’s decorations. This will help you decide if you want bright and flashy, or simple and elegant. If you cringe every time you pass by the house that wins the neighborhood ‘gaudy’ award, you probably want to keep it simple. On the other hand, if you find yourself thinking that they could add even MORE, then ‘flashy’ is just right for you.

One thing to keep in mind; if your home is in a neighborhood governed by a Homeowners Association, such as mine, you might have some issues if the association deems your decorating a ‘nuisance’.

Start with the lights. Do you want a theme like candy canes or a patterned color scheme? Do you plan to use monochromatic lights such as all white or all blue?

White lights look like new fallen snow flakes, so pair them with the animated deer and fawn that look as if they’re grazing on the lawn and you have an instant snowy Christmas no matter where you live. Add a few spiral lighted trees and from a distance, this is a minimal, classy look.

The Santa’s Workshop theme is red, white and green with other primary colors. Find the biggest inflatable Santa and elves that your lawn can accommodate. Get free, large, sturdy boxes from the grocery store and wrap them like presents.

You can even purchase lighted lawn ornaments that look like presents. Frontgate.com has some terrific looking decorations for your home and yard if budget isn’t too important.

If, like me, budget IS an issue, you can make your own presents by sticking a lawn stake in the yard and making a small hole in the bottom of the gift boxes to affix to the stake. That keeps the boxes in place. Invest in a spotlight to shine on the scene and soon you’ll be looking at a North Pole theme right in front of your own home.

Giant inflatable snow globes are gaining popularity. You can use this as the main attraction for your outdoor Christmas decorations and then build smaller elements around it. Choose lights to complement colors in the main decorations.

Use your environment as part of the decorations. Before rushing out to buy, look at your drawing for ways to enhance the landscape. Do you have a tree that could be decorated with lights as a centerpiece for the lawn?

Can you line the circular driveway with lighted candy canes and then follow that candy cane theme around the exterior of your home? It’s a simple, yet timeless look. A remote control can be purchased to control your lights. This simple attachment plugs into the outdoor electrical socket and the first light string plugs into the remote attachment.

No more running out in the cold to turn off the lights late at night. Just push the remote and you’re done. All of this convenience is worth it for a ten dollar investment. A timer can be even more affordable, and you don’t have to remember to turn them on or off at all. Just set the timer for the time you want them to come on and off. I have mine set to come on about 4pm, and off around midnight

Whatever you buy for your outdoor Christmas decorations, remember that you have to find a place to store them for the next eleven months. Inflatable decorations deflate and store easily, but larger attractions might take up too much space.

If you are limited to a small storage shelf or closet, minimal is best. However, if you have a large amount of attic space or a large garage or storage shed, you have more space to store large pieces.

As tempting as it may be to go full throttle in the spirit of the holiday season it is best to show some restraint. There are ways to keep your self in check when dealing with outdoor Christmas decorations. Following a few simple guidelines will help you create a festive space without draining the nation’s supply of electricity in the process.

Candy Cane House

Choose a theme and stick with it. This house is perfectly suited to the candy cane theme displayed in the photo above. The Grinch and Baby Jesus don’t really belong in the same scene. Try to pick one theme and go from there. If you want to honor Dr. Seuss and the Grinch then work around the well-known icon in your outdoor Christmas decorations. If you want to focus on the manger then choose traditional decorations for your yard.

The winter holidays are a time of great excitement. It can be very difficult to restrain yourself from overdoing it when it comes to outdoor Christmas decorations. However, if you consider those who pass by your home during this wonderful season you may want to keep things simple.

Remember, passersby only have a moment to absorb your yard, and the less that your decorations have to ‘fight’ with each other for attention, the better.