Elegant Holiday Decor For Your Yard

Most of us are familiar with the iconic scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Clark Griswold carefully curates the perfect outdoor holiday decorations and preps for the iconic moment of the big reveal. It does not quite go as he expects it to, but the intent to make a grand impression was there. Though his vision might not gel with today’s style standards, his passion and dedication to making a statement are timeless. As the holiday season approaches and you begin to plan your outdoor decor, think of the ways that you can make your own elegant impression. We are here to provide you with some inspiration to get you started!

Light up your life

While you do not have to take it quite as far as Clark Griswold does, lights are still a staple in most holiday decor schemes. There are a variety of ways you can choose to hang your holiday lights. You can go traditional and line your roof with strings of individual lights, either glistening white or twinkling with a medley of rainbow colors. Or you could take a more unique approach with icicle lights that hang from the eaves, a web of lights that cover the façade of your home or meteor lights that brighten the sky.

Lights do not have to be limited to your house, either. Drape lights over your trees and bushes, or create a lighted pathway to your front door. This is a great option because there are so many ways you can personalize it to your liking. You can gounderstated and neutral or big, bright and bold. You can take your lights a step further and craft something special that will garner attention, such as this DIY tree of lights.

Lighting does not have to be limited to strands of bulbs. Brighten your front porch with these light-up gift boxes. Or add pizazz in the daytime, when the lights are not on, with large lanterns filled with shiny ornaments. Do not forget about your lawn. Remember when lighted reindeer were in vogue? Many still pepper their yards with woodland creatures, but feel free to expand beyond these with glitzier options. We are not talking about inflatable Santas here—think more elegant and complementary to your overall design scheme. An LED-lit yet elegant looking star or tree such as this one can add a lot to your front yard without looking gaudy.

Gorgeous greens

Your front door and porch are natural focal points during the holiday season, as visitors will be pouring in and out of your home for gatherings. Amp up the natural beauty of the front of your house with seasonal touches that celebrate the joy of this time of year. Wreaths are always a popular touch, and you can customize them as much as you would like. If you prefer to buy one already decorated, you will need to decide what look you are going for.

If you are feeling extra ambitious, you can construct something on your own. Get inspired with these jaw-droppingly beautiful wreaths that celebrate a multitude of styles. Whether you prefer a more traditional or modern look, or love color or more muted, natural shades, you can make something that will perfectly suit you. You can also have a little fun with it and use multiple wreaths to build your own statement piece, such as this snowman wreath.

Ribbons, bows and baubles

Embrace your craftier side and do something a bit more daring this year. Bring Christmas morning outside with a mini decorated tree, lights and presents. The beauty of having two trees is that one can be the family one with all the heirloom ornaments and the other can be the perfect tree of your dreams.

Give your entryway natural light with sparkling votives you craft to your liking. They do not take long to make, but can add a punch of shine—and can mimic the frost and snow that Texas rarely gets. If the natural look is more your style, try these birch log luminaries. Find inspiration and instructions for these projects and more in this slideshow.

Ornaments do not have to be just for indoors. Hang them from your outdoor trees to bring the warmth and feeling of home to your yard. Or you can string them from your front porch to create a grand entrance to the holiday fun inside.

No matter what your holiday style is, remember that the season is all about creating joy, so do whatever brings happiness into your life.