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Spread the holiday cheer to your garden by filling it with Christmas outdoor lights and turning it into a festive display. These tips and ideas will help you achieve maximum effect—maybe even enough to catch Santa’s eye!
Deck Your Fence with String Lights
Brighten your front and back gardens with twinkling lights weaving through the fence slats. This will create a glowing, festive border that cheerfully frames your outdoor space. You can also run the lights along the top rail for a clean, outlined look. Or, hang them vertically from the top and down to the ground for that cascading effect. Install them using fence clips or cable ties to lock them in place.
Tip: Solar-powered LED options, like the BillyOh lantern string lights, are great because they’re cost-effective and can be used year-round without needing to be reinstalled. Use warm-coloured lights during most months, then switch to holiday multi-colours in the winter.
Drape Your Trees ‘Falling Rain’ Lights
Cascading Christmas lights create a beautiful effect when draped over a tree. Just hang the lights in strands down the branches to mimic the illusion of shimmering icicles or meteor showers. Leave gaps between the strands so the tree shows through in the background. You can also add a cluster of warm white lights at the tree’s base to create a pool of light impression. This will make your tree look more enchanting and fitting for the holiday season.
Feel free to add some giant faux snowflakes and baubles as ornaments for an extra touch!
Use Stake Lights for Planters
Your potted plants can fill the gap if you don’t have trees. Stake lights, like these spike lights, are perfect because you can easily insert them into the soil or around the edges of your planters. Solar-powered lights are again your best bet, but opt for lights with Christmassy designs this time. For instance, look for small spiral Christmas tree shapes, snowflakes, snowmen, or Poinsettias.
You can outline the shape of your planters with these stake lights and pair them with garlands or ornaments. Or place them near the base of taller plants or within low-growing foliage to add depth to your display. You might also go the extra mile by marking your pathways with them. Not only will this technique provide a nice glow to your front garden, but it will also make your home feel more inviting during the holidays.
Set Up Net Lights for Your Garden Building
(Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons)
Net lights have a grid-like design and can be draped over the surfaces of your garden shed, log cabin, summerhouse, wooden gazebo, or even your kid’s playhouse. They feature bulbs installed on hand-tied grids made of either green or white wire. Using removable adhesive hooks, hang them like curtain panels around the structure’s walls vertically. Stretch the net lights across and adjust as needed to avoid sagging.
Net lights are so versatile that they can be wrapped around tree trunks, bushes, fence lines, stone walls, and porch railings.
Battery-Operated Lanterns for Outdoor Structures
Outdoor structures like a garden wooden pergola, arch trellis, or arbours make ideal spots for Christmas lanterns. Battery-operated options are practical since they don’t need plugs, and you can place them anywhere! Hang them along the beams or around the perimeter to create holiday focal points. A well-lit arbour can make a festive entrance, too. Garlands or wreaths would look fantastic alongside the lanterns with stars motif – or even classic red and green colours.
These are just a few of the many ways you can hang Christmas lights around your garden, but they will certainly add a classic holiday look. Next, you can focus on the interior of your outdoor retreat using this guide: How to Decorate Your Garden Room for Christmas
