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5 Outdoor Holiday Decorating Trends Coming ASAP, According to Pros

Christmas gnome porch decor

The Spruce / Carson Downing

If traditional Christmas carols were given a modern spin, "Deck the Halls," would really mean deck the halls, roof, porch, and lawn. While a Christmas tree in the living room is still the star of interior holiday decor, front yards are often the next hot spot for holiday decor displays.

Need some inspiration for Christmas curb appeal? We spoke with a holiday decor expert from The Home Depot to see what’s trending this holiday season in merry and bright outdoor displays

Meet the Expert

Lance Allen is the senior merchant of decorative holiday at The Home Depot

  • 01 of 05

    Inflatable Decorations That Are Cuter Than Ever

    Inflatable polar bear family wearing Santa hats.

    steverts / Getty Images

    While no holiday decoration is on par with those huge balloons heading up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, inflatable lawn figures do channel that festive street party energy for your own lawn.

    There’s far less work involved in setting up these buoyant displays—just stake them securely in the ground, plug the blower into an outdoor electrical outlet, and you’re set. 

    “Since inflatables are easy to set up and store, it makes them a convenient option for many people,” Lance Allen of The Home Depot, says.

    He's right: unlike a Christmas tree that has to be dismantled (or recycled, if it’s real), you can simply deflate and roll up an inflatable decoration in the box it came in for safe storage in the off-season.

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  • 02 of 05

    Cheerful Porch Decor to Greet Your Guests

    Christmas gnome porch decor

    The Spruce / Carson Downing

    Give your holiday guests a chuckle with holiday statues that await them at your home’s entrance.

    “Porch greeters continue to be a fun and easy way to add character to your home without a lot of work,” Allen says.

    From small Christmas gnomes to lifesize nutcrackers to giant Santas, the choice is yours to flank your door or hang out on your porch swing. Allen notes there’s a trend of homeowners painting dog porch greeters to match their own loveable pets.

    Tip

    Feel free to customize your porch greeters, if you like. You could put your favorite team’s hat on a reindeer’s antlers or perhaps slip a concert T-shirt over a snowman.

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  • 03 of 05

    Traditional Christmas Colors Are Always in Season

    red and green holiday porch decor

    The Spruce / Joyelle West

    Color palettes for the holidays have certainly expanded over the years, but there’s plenty of room for the classics in your outdoor display.

    “While color trends in holiday decor change annually, we've noticed that classic color schemes like the traditional red and green, white and silver, gold and blue continue to be popular choices for the holiday season," Allen says.

    If you want to add trendier colors and designs to your outdoor display this year, go for it—rainbow or Barbiecore Christmas tree, anyone? But if you relish adding something new each year to your red-and-green display, there’s plenty to choose from.

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  • 04 of 05

    String Lights to Brighten the Night

    Home decorated with christmas string lights

    Lexia Frank / Stocksy

    String lights are still as popular as ever, but not only to drape across the branches of your indoor Christmas tree. Wrap lights along banisters, columns, trees and bushes, and eaves for a spectacular light display.

    Warm white lights are always a great option for Christmas lights, but you can choose to dazzle further with twinkling lights as well as more colorful bulb options. 

    For a bolder look to your outdoor display, Allen recommends using lights with larger bulbs in warm white or multicolored. No need to worry if a bulb burns out; Allen says the rest of the strands will remain lit.

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  • 05 of 05

    Decorate Once, Enjoy for Multiple Holidays

    Nightmare Before Christmas pumpkin king doubling as Halloween and Christmas decor

    Ben Lei / Unsplash

    For some homeowners, holiday decorating is relegated to late November/early December. For others, it means decorating any time there’s a holiday.

    Manufacturers have certainly picked up on the latter, including The Home Depot. “This year, we’ve made a conscious effort to offer products that can be used for multiple holidays,” Allen says.

    Case in point: The Home Depot offers a seasonal Yoda animated statue that comes with a witch’s hat and a Santa hat. Display it for spooky season through Christmas, though avid Star Wars fans can festoon the Jedi master with accessories appropriate to other holidays, too.

    If you want something a bit edgier, there’s a Jack Frost animated statuethat’ll give you and the neighbors chills from Halloween through the entire winter season, if you like.

    Of course, if neither of these characters screams “Merry Christmas” to you, go with a non-Christmasy figure of your choice and dress/decorate it according to the calendar.

As far as the best time to start decorating for Christmas, Allen says, “We believe that you can decorate as early as you'd like and keep decor up as long as they bring you joy.”