Christmas Porch Decorations

As you start thinking about Christmas porch decorations, decide what you want to include. A live tree gives your porch a festive feel, as well as a focal point. Place the tree on one end of your porch so it doesn’t block the doorway. Decorate it with larger-sized lights that can easily be seen from the street.

Instead of hanging delicate ornaments on the tree, you can use nature’s bounty. Make garland out of berries. You can hang pinecones from the branches instead of ornaments. Don't like the natural look? Spray paint the pinecones gold or silver and hang them once they're dry.

Drape evergreen garlands over the rails of your porch, as well as around the doors and windows. While you can buy pre-made garland, you can also put together your own. If you have evergreen trees on your property, you may be able to clip branches to use for a garland. If not, you can often get branches at a tree lot or farm.

Make swags of magnolia leaves and add seed cones, fresh sprigs of pine or other greenery, and hang them by the front door or windows.

An evergreen wreath is essentially a blank canvas. Buy or make a wreath with live tree branches. Then, decorate it to match your existing porch decor or showcase a few of your favorite symbols of the season. Go traditional with plaid ribbon. If you have a bold-colored front door, choose ribbon for your wreath in a complementary color. Accent your wreath with natural materials, like berries and pinecones. Or wire on a few holiday-themed cookie cutters or small Christmas characters, like Santa, elves or reindeer.

Creating a centerpiece on your porch by filling empty window boxes with pine or other holiday tree branches adorned with pinecones, ornaments, bows, lights and more.

If your porch doesn’t have window boxes, you can use wooden crates to hold arrangements of evergreen branches. Want to add even more greenery? Fill galvanized buckets with small trees.

You can use pre-cut letters or paint your own wooden signs to spell out festive messages, like “Joy” and “Merry Christmas”.

If you live in an area with a warm winter, like Florida, south Texas or southern California, you can display ornamental Christmas plants on your porch. Go classic with one of the many varieties of red poinsettias. These seasonal favorites are also available in white and pink, as well as some patterns that combine the colors.

If your home is in a colder climate, you can use artificial plants on your porch. You could also add holiday-themed throw pillows with poinsettias on them to your porch furniture.

Using items you already have will help you save money on Christmas porch decorations. You can stuff a pair of rain boots with branches of greenery. Make a bucket of tools feel more festive with ribbons and sprigs of plants.

For a different look, try a galvanized beverage tub filled with pinecones. Top it off with a DIY decoration. Create a snowflake with old paint stirring sticks. Tack the sticks together with nails in the shape of a snowflake. Spray paint the snowflake white.

Transform your porch with containers of burlap-wrapped, cone-shaped trees, such as emerald arborvitae. Trees look great in containers, and later, you can transplant them to your yard. Set out smaller planters filled with rosemary or other small trees. Complete your Christmas decorations with more greenery, ornaments and string lights. If you're not interested in caring for a live tree, you can get artificial potted trees that come with lights.

As you decorate your porch, don’t forget the front door. It’s the ideal place to hang a wreath or accent with fresh or faux Christmas greenery that frames the entranceway. A Christmas door cover can make a door look like it’s gift wrapped, or pay homage to a classic holiday cartoon. You might even want to try making a life-sized cutout of Santa or a snowman to adorn your door.