DIY Christmas Light Decoration Ideas – Outdoor Christmas Decor
A guide on installing minimal, cost effective Christmas lights, with maximum results
We all love Christmas lights, and usually, by the last week of November, we’re already procrastinating about what on earth we’re going to do for outdoor decorations this year. This article will cover a few of the little things we can do to make putting up the lights more fun, and much easier this year along with some of the most beautiful DIY Christmas light decoration ideas.
Balls of White Light
Instead of lights on the house, try accessorizing your yard this year instead. If you have trees in your front yard, hanging balls of white lights make beautiful accents. You can pick up these creations at your local drug store, or Wal-Mart.
DIY Instructions
Or, you can make them at home, with a few wire hangers, a pair of pliers, and a roll of thin wire. This will be a craft you’ll want to do on your own; sharp edges on the hangers may scrape or cut little fingers. Untwist the coat hangers, and shape the wire carefully, preferably with gloves on, into sturdy, well-formed circles, using the pliers to twist the ends back together when the circle is complete. Do this with four wire hangers, and form them into a sphere.
Use the roll of thin wire, and weave over and around each wire, making sure that the shape is secure. After your wire ball is complete, weave your white lights over the wires completely, and use some of your leftover wire, or some clothesline, or whatever you’d like as long as it’s strong enough, to securely hang your ball of lights from the tree. Then, just plug it into your extension cord. Lights accomplished!
Tip: An unused spherical topiary form can also work well or any ball covered with chicken wire.
Christmas Tree Frames for Lights
For yards without trees, many people like to put fake trees out on the lawn, or wire tree frames with lights attached; you can buy these also, for a decent price at a pharmacy, or wherever you usually buy your decorations. Or, involve your family, and make some!
DIY Instructions
A fun activity to share with the entire family, is making up some Christmas tree shaped frames, by simply hot gluing some collected dead branches and twigs to a 2 x 4. Drive it into the ground firmly. Afterward, attach the Christmas lights of your choice to the tree frame.
And later on at night, after turning on your lights, you’ll have a beautiful illuminated little grove of Christmas trees in your yard, instead of spending all the money on top dollar decorations elsewhere.
Shooting Stars
Instead of wrapping strings of light around the trees, go for a different look this year. Hang shooting stars from one tree to the other. You can use the store-bought ones and set them up according to the instructions or make your own.
DIY Instructions
Use a star shaped wire wreath frame. Take 5 strings of white lights and use one end to create a star shape using the frame and some tape. Attach the star end to one tree at a greater height and the 5 open strings to a different tree across the path at a lower height.
Festive Topiaries
There are many different ways to dress up your door but none so festive as topiaries. Give your year-round urns a holiday touch by turning them into Christmas topiaries using large baubles.
DIY Instructions
There are many ways to make festive topiaries. To imitate the one above, you will need a plant stake and large plastic ornaments. BHG.com gives another fabulous idea:
Place large wreathe on urns to form a base. Find large balls from Walmart or Dollar stores and spray with silver or mirror paint. Tie them up with festive red ribbon and place on the urns. Use lighted wreaths or wrap strings of lights around the urns to make your decorations sparkle at night.
Lighted Gift Boxes
Lighted gift boxes add Christmas cheer to any stark white landscape. Place them on your front yard or near your door to welcome holiday visitors.
DIY Instructions:
We give you 3 different ways to create your own lighted boxes. For the basic way to create lighted boxes like the ones shown above, you will need to start by creating box using chicken wire. Fill it with clear Christmas lights and then wrap the box with shimmer fabric in red or green colors that is sheer enough to hide the lights but transparent enough to let the lights shine through.
The second idea comes from DIY Queen Martha Stewart. You will only need plastic boxes and safe outdoor lights to create these.
For a different twist, use lighted garlands to wrap plastic boxes or wire frames for an unusually green outdoor light decoration for Christmas.
Lighted Grapevine Balls
Rustic grapevine balls are very versatile and can be used to decorate any outdoor area. Use large balls to hang on large trees or smaller ones to string across the porch. You can also create medium sized balls and create your own chandelier for the porch area.
DIY Instructions
Buy or make your grapevine balls using a beach ball. Wrap grapevine around a beach ball and deflate the ball when you are done to get your grapevine ball. Wrap a string of lights around it and you are done.
Light String Art
One more decoration idea, is to simply take one or two sets of the colour of Christmas lights of your choice, and stretch them out. This works excellent for front yards that are sloped towards the street, as most are. Simply stretch your lights out on your lawn, and make your choice of designs. Simple spirals, or asterisk designs can make gorgeous illuminated accents, or you can make the shape of a star, or snowflake, by using a few more strings of lights. After dark, you’ll not only have beautiful lights right on your front lawn, but also your very own work of art.
Creating DIY Christmas light decorations is a wonderful way to add a festive and personal touch to your holiday decor. Here are some creative ideas for using Christmas lights in your DIY holiday decorations:
- Mason Jar Lanterns: Place string lights inside mason jars for a warm and rustic decoration. You can add fake snow, ornaments, or small figurines to make them more festive.
- Lighted Wreaths: Wrap string lights around traditional or homemade wreaths to create a welcoming and illuminated front door decoration.
- Lighted Garland: Weave string lights through garlands of greenery, pinecones, or even fabric to create a festive and well-lit mantle or stairwell.
- Christmas Tree Lights: If you have a small tree in your home, decorate it with string lights and ornaments for a mini-Christmas tree.
- Fairy Light Bottles: Place string lights inside empty wine bottles, mason jars, or other clear glass containers to create a magical and cozy atmosphere.
- Lighted Snowflakes: Create large snowflake shapes with white string lights to hang on your walls or windows. You can make them from wire or wooden sticks.
- Lighted Canvas Art: Paint or print a Christmas scene on a canvas and incorporate small LED lights into the artwork to make it come alive.
- DIY Marquee Letters: Spell out holiday words like “JOY” or “NOEL” using string lights. You can make cardboard or wood letters to wrap the lights around.
- Lighted Star Decorations: Craft a large paper or wooden star and wrap it with string lights to make a beautiful hanging decoration.
- Lighted Reindeer Silhouettes: Cut out the shape of reindeer from plywood or cardboard and wrap them with string lights. Place them in your yard for a festive outdoor display.
- Lighted Candy Canes: Create oversized candy cane shapes using PVC pipes or wire and wrap them with red and white lights for a whimsical outdoor display.
- Lighted Luminaries: Make luminaries by placing string lights in paper bags or glass jars and lining your walkway or porch with them.
- Lighted Snowman: Create a snowman shape using white string lights and add a scarf and hat for a cute outdoor display.
- Lighted Balloon Decorations: Insert small LED lights into balloons before inflating them. Once inflated, these balloons will create an enchanting ambiance when hung from the ceiling or placed around the room.
- Lighted Table Centerpieces: Place string lights in decorative vases, glass bowls, or lanterns to make stunning and illuminated table centerpieces.
When working with Christmas lights for DIY decorations, be sure to use LED lights, which are energy-efficient and generate less heat, reducing the risk of fire. Additionally, always follow safety guidelines and precautions when handling electrical components and never leave lights unattended.
