Spread the joy of the holiday season outside
If you’re looking for a fun way to bring your neighborhood some holiday spirit, adding an outdoor Christmas tree or two can spread the cheer. Outdoor Christmas trees need more care and finesse than indoor trees since they deal with the elements and animals. Here are seven tips for decorating your outdoor Christmas tree to add some sparkle to your yard this winter.
1. Find a Good Tree
When considering putting a tree on your porch or in your yard, opting for an artificial tree over a real tree is the way to go. Real trees have the possibility of attracting critters, and the last thing you want is something chewing on your light cords–for the sake of your decor and the animals.
A real tree also requires watering and the same care you would give it indoors, which brings up a whole host of issues: the water could freeze if your climate is frigid, and you have to worry about changing the water to keep it fresh. A living tree, a Christmas tree that comes with a root ball you can plant, is an alternative. However, then you have a new tree in your yard that you must care for year-round.
An artificial tree is your best bet, and you should look for trees listed as indoor/outdoor or rated for outdoor use. Some come with built-in lights designed to withstand the elements, so that’s a possible way to save time and money on your holiday lights.
2. Double the Fun
If you have room on your porch or stoop, putting up two smaller trees to flank your door delivers a balanced look that’s perfect for creating your Christmas scene. You don’t have to stop at two; if you have more room on one side of the door, creating an asymmetrical look with an additional smaller tree is also an option.
3. Skip the Tree
Not into bringing more trees home and worrying about storage during the off-season months? Try skipping the tree altogether and making a “tree” out of lights. Depending on the size you want, this method only requires a few strands of lights and a long pipe to hang them from. If you’re uncomfortable doing this yourself but love the look, consider hiring a local Christmas light installer to build your tree.
4. Get the Family Involved
For so many, the holidays are about family, and this is the perfect time to enlist your troops to spread some spirit. Having one other person to help you put up a tree outdoors is essential, not just for fun but for safety. Anytime you need to use a ladder for a task, you should have another person there for safety purposes.
5. Location, Location, Location
Choosing the right location for your outdoor Christmas tree is just as important as selecting the tree itself. Your porch is an obvious choice, but you can put up an outdoor Christmas tree in your yard, put up smaller ones lining the walk, or even set one up on your back patio for your family to enjoy. Wherever you opt to set up your tree, be mindful that you’ll either need an extension cord that reaches the location or battery-operated lights.
5. Pick Your Decor Carefully
When choosing outdoor Christmas tree decor, consider the aesthetic look you want and your local climate. If you hang delicate bulbs in a place with a lot of snow and wind, you’re asking for a mess. And cold weather can crack ornaments that aren’t designed to be outside, risking ruin to your favorite decorations.
Although popcorn and cranberry strings are fun indoors, you don’t want to attract unwanted pests to your yard by providing yummy snacks. Your best bet is to buy decor specifically modeled to withstand the elements—plastic ornaments are generally the way to go, and lights marked as indoor/outdoor are crucial.
6. Tie Down the Tree
To ensure that all your hard decorating work doesn’t go to waste, secure your tree with twine, a sturdy tree stand, or stakes, so it doesn’t blow over. Santa and his reindeer are the ones who are supposed to fly, not your beautiful holiday decor.
