by Dakota Storage Buildings, on November 20, 2017
This post was updated in November 2020.
If you haven't already gotten the holiday itch, we have a few outdoor Christmas decoration ideas to get you in the mood.
It's an unavoidable reality: the day after Thanksgiving is fair game for starting official Christmas celebrations. We've all held off for 10 1/2 months—but now it's acceptable to buy Christmas trees, hang up Christmas lights, and purchase Christmas cards in bulk.
And why not? This is the most festive holiday—full of fun, joy, and giving.
Whether you want Christmas yard decorations or outdoor Christmas decorating ideas for your front porch, we have a few inexpensive and easy-to-make ideas.
To indulge in your pre-December need to decorate for Christmas, here are 6 DIY outdoor Christmas decoration ideas.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #1: Giant Lollipops
Photo: smartschoolhouse.com
These colorful, giant lollipops are the perfect addition to your Christmas yard decorations. Place them along a walkway, beside your driveway, near your front door, or around your garage. You can create designs and colors that either match or compliment what you already have.
And, get this—the secret to this DIY Christmas project is paper plates. You'd never know it to look at them.
Compare these to the giant lollipop decorations you'd buy in stores, and you’re saving a bundle by making them yourself.
Check out the step-by-step instructions and video that smartschoolhouse.com has put together to make this project as easy as possible.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #2: Giant Christmas Ornaments
Photo: diyncrafts.com
These huge colorful ornaments are just what you need to dress up your lawn for the holiday. Hang them from the porch, on trees, or lay them around your yard. Like the giant lollipops, these too, are really easy to make.
The unexpected key component in this project? Large bouncy balls. You can get them in small, medium, and large sizes. You can usually find balls like these at a Dollar Store or Walmart (keep an eye out for the wireframe cages often near end caps filled with them).
Follow these directions by diyncrafts.com to make large-scale ornaments for a fraction of the cost you would have paid in-store.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #3: Pallet Christmas Tree
Photo left: affirmaison.com / Photo right: simplemost.com
Pallets are everywhere—and many times you can pick one or two up for free.
Creating a Christmas tree from a wooden pallet is easy. Depending on your skill set, you may want to either cut out a tree shape or simply paint one onto the wood. Both ideas are shown below and are perfect for on your front porch, beside your garage, or inside your house.
Simplemost.com and diytotry.com both have great pallet tree ideas with instructions, so be sure to check out both sites.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #4: Window Shutter Snowmen
Photo: prettymyparty.com
If you don’t have old wooden shutters you can use for these adorable snowmen, you'll likely find some at a thrift store, rummage sale, or garage sale for pretty cheap. There's a chance you might even find them for free on Craigslist.
Once you have your shutters, how you make your snowmen is up to your creativity. If you like a rustic style, you may not want to sand the shutters before painting.
Make a single snowman for your porch or make Frosty's entire family!
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #5: Solar Christmas Lights
Photo: wayfair.com
Stringing up lights around front yard trees and poles is one of the longest standing outdoor decorating ideas—but it never gets old. Seeing trees, porch railings, garage doors, archways, and front door wreaths strung with white lights always warm and inviting. The classic Christmas look.
These days, though, you don't need to worry about high electric bills like you did years ago. Buy several strands of solar string lights and your set for a while.
You can find inexpensive sun-powered Christmas lights at wayfair.com or any other home improvement store.
Outdoor Christmas Decoration Idea #6: Mini Christmas Trees
Photo: homebnc.com
In place of a standard topiary, use mini fresh or faux Christmas trees. The more the merrier.
To create a sturdy base that can withstand winter winds, place the tree in a weather-proof wicker basket weighted down with a few rocks or use an old pail or bucket.
You can decorate the trees with lights, or let their natural charm shine. If you want a more elaborate, but weather-friendly embellishments, consider wiring burlap garland, shatterproof ornaments, and pinecones onto the branches.
Craving more inexpensive DIY outdoor Christmas decoration ideas? Explore our Holiday Ideas Pinterest board. If you have great ideas that you'd like to share, leave a comment below!
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