Outdoor Christmas Lights

While most people generally decorate inside for Christmas, decorating your front or back garden will take your festive home to a new level. Decorating your front garden will create a great first impression for visitors and attract attention from passers-by. Decorating the outdoors can be slightly trickery than indoors but for those of you who absolutely love Christmas, it will be worth it to create a Winter Wonderland. Below we have some ideas and tips to create the perfect festive garden. 

String Lights

Outdoor string lights are designed for the outside, withstanding any cold, wet, and windy weather. You could wrap these lights around any outdoor tree, creating a similar effect as a Christmas tree inside. Cluster lights are another option that offer a much fuller look compared to regular string lights and are also ideal for outdoor trees or bushed and wrapping around outdoor areas. Both lights can be attached to your roof and will be seen from afar. 

Icicle lights create the effect that snow is falling from the roof. For the falling snow effect, hanging these lights along guttering or even from the ceiling of your porch or in front of windows is ideal and truly magical.

Use LED bulbs where you can outside. They are brighter and longer lasting than other types of Christmas lights, lighting up your outdoor area nicely.

Novelty Statue Lights

Novelty statue lights are large and bright and create a great impression outside. Examples include Santa Claus and Christmas animals such as polar bears or penguins. You could even have a collection of families, like a family of deer! Novelty lights are usually large inflatable ones or acrylic statues. These lights are often very bright and illuminated and are sure to draw much attention to your Winter Wonderland. Light-up Christmas figures will add a lot of fun to your home, but make sure any plugs are covered and battery-operated figures are sheltered, for safety. 

Wall Lights & Projectors

Wall lights and projectors create a whole Christmas time display and are a terrific idea if you have a small front garden as they don’t take up space. Wall lights are designed to mount on the wall and projectors will create a wonderful lightshow across your walls that could make Buddy Hall jealous!

Ornamental Standing Lights

These lights are perfect if you want to keep your garden a little more subtle and elegant but still want to decorate for the festive season. Line your pathway with festive stake lights so you can feel the Christmas glow as you walk to your front door. 

Large LED trees make a statement without seeming tacky. Your Christmas display will be seen from far away and make a wonderful alternative to a Christmas tree. They are pre-assembled, making them easy to set up – you just need to plug them in, rather than detangling and adding lights to a real outdoor tree. 

Timer & Multi-Function Settings

A timer function will allow you to set a time for when the lights turn on and off. Turning the lights off during daylight hours when they cannot be seen as well saves costs and energy. It is handy as you will not forget when to turn the lights off and on. If you have a particularly spectacular display that people come to see, they will know what time to arrive and you won’t have people hanging around outside.

Another thing to consider is the settings available. Multi-function settings allow you to choose a light setting that suits your theme. You could change the colours and light flashes up daily, depending on the weather or your mood. It could also be important for safety, for example, if you’re on a busy road, fast flashing lights might be distracting to drivers so you may need to have a static function.

Health & Safety

Before setting up outdoor Christmas lights, make sure you read the instructions carefully so you know exactly how to do so. Most lights are water and weatherproofed, however, some lights must be plugged in indoors, as the transformers may not be watertight. All you need to do for the is to place the lights by a window and put the wire in through a small opening to be plugged in. Make sure the opening is safe and you will not need to close or cover it.

Remember to be careful when hanging your lights too, as accidents can happen easily in freezing and wet conditions. You may need a ladder to hang the lights, which usually means it will be a two person job. Make sure the ladder is on a flat surface at ground level and get someone to hold the bottom. You should also have gutter hooks/decorating clips and an extension lead on hand if needed. Attach the hooks or clips altogether before adding the lights and make sure the extension lead remains indoors. 

Plug in your lights at ground level and make sure everything works before you do anything. When you put them up, make sure they are turned off again and in place tightly with no droopy wires or any unevenly spaced bulbs.

Switch on your outdoor lights and enjoy the wonderful Christmas display this Winter!