As said on Page 1, our enthusiasm for Christmas yard decorations (ranging from holly shrubs to Christmas inflatables) is understandable. In winter, the nights are long, the plants are dead and the snow falls over us like a burial shroud. If ever there were a time when we needed to be cheered up, it would be in winter! Thus the popularity of Christmas yard decorations such as Christmas inflatables featuring ebullient Santa Claus figures and other staples of secular holiday decor. You don’t have to be devout to have them in your yard, as they have nothing to do with the religious aspect of the season. But Christmas yard decorations have everything to do with dispelling winter’s gloom, injecting vibrant color into a landscape now dominated by drab tones of white, gray and brown.
Inflatable Christmas Yard Decorations: Christmas Inflatables
Among the most popular items for Christmas yard decorations are the nylon airblown Christmas inflatables. These figures light up for night viewing, and they can be big: many stand 8 feet tall or higher. I say they're "popular" because they're omnipresent; but that doesn't mean that Christmas inflatables don't have their detractors, as proven from the results of my poll on Christmas yard decorations.
Christmas inflatables are simple to set up. After unfolding your Christmas inflatable’s stand, zip up its back and plug it in. Using the tethers and stakes included, secure the Christmas inflatable to its stand. Inflation time averages 3 minutes. Options for Christmas yard decorations using airblown inflatables include not only Santa Claus, but also snowmen, polar bears, penguins, reindeer, moose, dogs and the Grinch.
In fact, there are Christmas inflatables for all sorts of fictional characters who have nothing to do with Christmas -- until, that is, a Santa Claus cap is slapped on their heads! I've seen such Christmas inflatables for Winnie the Pooh, Homer Simpson, Mickey Mouse, etc.
Lighting for Christmas Yard Decorations
Of course, colorful lighting is an old standby for all sorts of Christmas yard decorations (not just on trees and shrubs). But don’t restrict yourself to traditional light sets.
For instance, you plant-lovers may wish to use the popular red chili pepper lights as Christmas yard decorations. Their red color is in tune with the holiday season, but their shape suggests the plant-life that you miss and the garden that you dream of for next spring. Still more popular are the Christmas lights already arranged into various shapes for you: Santa Claus, snowmen, drummer boys, toy soldiers, Christmas trains, Christmas carolers, etc. Simply anchor the cut-out or framework structure to the ground, plug in the cord, and your lawn is instantly populated with classic Christmas figures.
Religious Christmas Yard Decorations: Christmas Nativity Scenes
Christmas Nativity scenes, or "crèches" (crèche is French for "crib" or "manger") are the Christmas yard decorations that best reflect the religious significance of the holiday, i.e., Christ's birth ("nativity" means "birth").
The figures in Christmas Nativity scenes vary, but their core usually consists of a barn sheltering the baby, Jesus in a manger (a "manger" is a food trough for barn animals, functioning, in this case, as a crib), with Mary and Joseph nearby. The Three Wise Men, guided by the Star of Bethlehem, are often included, too, in Christmas Nativity scenes. A variety of other figures may also be present, including angels, shepherds and animals such as mules, sheep and oxen. Most Christmas Nativity scenes you'll see today as Christmas yard decorations are made of molded plastic, but there are some exceptions. For instance, the figures in Christmas Nativity scenes can also be cut-outs (as in the picture above), using wood or another stiff material.
