Planning Your Outdoor Christmas Display

We all love Christmas – unless you're a scrooge! It's never too early to start planning how you are going to set up your outdoor holiday décor. It's tempting to wait until the last minute and start putting it together after seasonal things start showing up in the stores. However, you'll end up fighting crowds and spending way more than you need to by waiting.

The best time to start planning is when you are putting your decorations away the year before. Organize and label your decorations and wrap and pack them carefully. Make notes of any problems you may have had and changes you want to make for the next year. Now that you know exactly where everything is, it's easy to take inventory of what you have and start deciding what things you want to add to your Christmas lawn décor for this year. Fall is the best time to start looking for early deals online. Don't forget to check for any items that may have broken from the year before and will need to be replaced.

No matter what items you decide to use for your outdoor holiday décor, you will need to make sure you have them all well anchored. Wind, snow and even neighborhood pranksters can damage and displace your items. Think of ways that will make them less vulnerable and harder to move or knock over. Make a list of supplies you'll need to set up your display such as extension cords, staples, wire or twine. Start shopping for some of these items as well as the new holiday items you want to purchase. Take advantage of the early bird deals on places like EBay and other online sources.

Don't worry about mixing different styles and decorations. Outdoor Christmas décor can be as diverse as you like it. Put up the things that you like best, whether it is a large collection of Christmas inflatables, or a big colorful display of outdoor Christmas lights . Don't forget to put out some colorful holiday garden flags to add interest and color to your yard during the day. A nativity is a great way to help us all remember the reason for the season.

The number one rule for setting up your outdoor Christmas display, though, is to have fun with it. Involve the whole family and take pride in the enjoyment your neighbors and other passerbys get from your display.