Most of the outdoor Christmas decorations that were scattered all over the lawns were the kind that lit up. Since it was early evening and the sun was already setting, they were all lit up in their bright glory. I pulled into my driveway and just stared. I was absolutely appalled and embarrassed. I wanted to pack up my things and move right back to my old neighborhood. Directly across from me was a giant lit Santa. He must have been at least 6 feet tall and by far, the most ridiculous of all of the outdoor Christmas decorations on my block. He was swaying slightly in the breeze, making him appear as if he was waving at me. I couldn’t get over the fact that all of my neighbors had managed to get all of their outdoor Christmas decorations set up in only a few hours. Apparently, I had not received the neighborhood decorating schedule.

To me, outdoor Christmas decorations are supposed to be simple and elegant. They shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb and make people gawk when they drive by. I’ve always loved putting lights on my front porch and bushes, maybe the decorative white reindeer as well. There are some outdoor Christmas decorations that simply should be outlawed. If you wonder what outdoor Christmas decorations I am referring to, drive through my neighborhood. There is no need for giant Santas and hideous candy canes hanging from trees.

My husband was just as shocked as I was. We laughed about it that night after dinner. We decided that the next day, we would put our outdoor Christmas decorations out and hopefully our neighbors will learn some things from the simplicity of ours. We aren’t the type to go overboard. That night, there was an annoying glow that shone in our bedroom window from the lighted outdoor Christmas decorations of our neighbors. I fell asleep thinking wishing there would be a power outage on my street.

Of course, there are so many different approaches to outdoor Christmas decorations, that I barely know where I should begin. A lot of people think that, if they do not have the energy, money, or time to create a whole Christmas diorama, either with reindeer and Santa Claus, or else with a manger scene, then there is no point in doing it at all. They are quite mistaken. Just having some nice lights strung artfully through  your evergreen trees and along the eaves of your house makes for some great outdoor Christmas decorations. Don’t put yourself out in designing spectacular outdoor christmas decorations that range all over your front yard. Start smaller, especially if you have not really decorated for Chritsmas before.

Start by putting up your lights in nice, straight lines, instead of in the tangle that you used last year. Think about varying the colors or the shapes of the lights. Sometimes people even like to spell “Merry Christmas” with their outdoor Christmas lighting, but this is up to you. The important thing is that you take a little pride in your outdoor christmas decorations. It does not have to take more than a few hours, and it certainly does not have to cost a lot of money, but having the right outdoor Christmas decorations can sure make a big difference in your house!