Cold weather, warm layers, and hot chocolate are here. That means the holidays are just around the corner! Perhaps you’ve already mentally laid out how you’re going to decorate your home’s interior, but have you considered what you’ll do to spruce up the exterior? To fully capture the holiday spirit, outdoor decor is a must. With proper planning and careful installation, you’ll be able to turn your yard into a festive work of art that will leave your guests and passerby feeling festive.

• Start with a plan. There is such a thing as too much, so don’t feel pressured to cover the entire yard in festive decor. Instead, decide which aspects of your front yard are going to be the focus this holiday. Choose trees and bushes you’re going to illuminate. Think about how you’ll decorate the windows that are a focal point of your yard. If you want to incorporate holiday imagery throughout your landscape, like pre-lit sleighs or inflatable replicas of your favorite holiday character, draft a rough layout of where you want to place them in your yard. This will help you avoid creating a cluttered look. Plus, you may even discover there’s room for one more feature this year!
• Choose the perfect lights. If you’re going to light up the trees or shrubs in your yard, you’ll need to take down some basic measurements. Calculate the circumference of tree trunks and branches you want to wrap lighting around. 6” bulb spacing is generally used for wrapping tree trunks and branches, with an average of 2-3” of spacing between strings. For bushes and hedges, opt for net lights or strings of mini-lights. To determine the amount of lighting you’ll need, measure the height and widest point of your bushes. Always check your string lighting prior to installing. The last thing you want is to have them all up only to find out a bulb is out!

How To Light Your Trees: Make sure the male plug is at ground level to connect with your power cord. Starting with the female end, begin wrapping the tree tightly with an even distribution of bulbs. If there are any loose wires hanging, use zip ties to secure them in place. Keeping cords snug to the tree will help prevent wind or storm damage. Continue wrapping the light strings around the trunk and branches, connecting the male end with the female end of any additional light strings.

• Work in some greenery. During the winter months, many yards can start to look a little barren due to a lack of grass and plant growth. Fortunately, there is plenty of holiday foliage you can incorporate into your exterior decor to bring your home back to life. Use vibrant holly plants or lush pine wreaths to get your green fix. You can easily customize these accessories with gift ribbons, bows, and pine cones to create a look that will stand out. Holiday plants are a great and easy addition to front window focal points. Use suction cups to attach wreaths to the exterior of your windows or place a holiday plant on the interior window sill for a pop of festivity.

Make your house the talk of the town this holiday by turning it into the Winter Wonderland you always dreamed of! Give your yard a facelift this holiday season with these spirited decorating ideas.