It’s the holiday season. The air is filled with magic, wonder, and the melodious voices of Bing Crosby and Josh Groban. At this time of year, we reflect on the things that matter most, and we indulge in the most cherished fantasies of childhood. To do that, we deck the halls and haul out the holly. The décor we display tends to usher in the holiday season, so here are four ways to decorate your doorstep this December.

Candles in the Window

This suggestion is both literal and a general term for incorporating lights into your decorations. Putting candles in the windows of your home is a very traditional way to inspire holiday cheer, and many homes have a window or two by the door perfect for the purpose. LED or even solar-powered candles are widely commercially available. 

As you well know, Christmas lights are available in many shapes, sizes, and colors. Consider strings of holiday lights around your door or on the fringes of your roof. Do you like the appearance of icicle lighting? Perhaps you enjoy professional lighting displays that pulse or twinkle in time with music. 

Lanterns are another great way to embrace both cozy lighting and traditional décor. You can also use them for more than just their illuminating abilities. Consider filling some large lanterns with ornaments or pinecones. If lanterns are not your thing, consider lights in thematic shapes as you decorate your doorstep. We recommend stars, snowflakes, or snowmen.

A Bright Red and Green

The colors you use to decorate your doorstep make a big impact on the design scheme. These don’t necessarily have to be red and green. Silver and gold are equally famous song lyrics about holiday color palettes. You can also embrace a more frigid color scheme to blend harmoniously with the landscape. Palettes that do this include deep or frosty blues, royal purples, and any variation on gray.

While you can incorporate these colors into the temporary decorations that sit on your stairs or hang from your eaves, you can also use your front door as a large canvas. Painting your front door can be a great way to change up the appearance of the front of your home and decorate your doorstep with a little more permanence.

The Holly and the Ivy

Winter has its own set of foliage, and people have been using it to decorate for the holiday season for hundreds of years. Incorporate pinecones and holly berries or poinsettias simply bursting with color. We love a garland of evergreen wrapped around railings or hung over entryways. If you’re feeling a little cheeky, hang some mistletoe to surprise your guests. 

If you are feeling ambitious in your decorating scheme, set up a Christmas tree on your porch, fully trimmed. A more subtle approach is to add a few small trees or topiaries. These can be decorated or not.

Of course, your efforts to decorate your doorstep won’t be complete without a wreath on the door. This can be a circlet of pine or fir, but it can also be crafted from anything that makes you feel festive, from willow wands to sparkling tinsel to bulbous ornaments. If you want your home to look like a Christmas card, hang wreaths on all the windows and doors of your home’s exterior.

The Prettiest Sight to See

The most important part of decorating your doorstep is to embrace the things that make you feel the holiday spirit. What bits and baubles make you feel happy when you see them? Perhaps it’s a string of brightly colored ribbon wrapped around columns or tied in massive bows. Just make sure the ribbon you use is waterproof! Maybe you’ll choose to display a variety of ornaments, hanging from the rafters, or a regiment of brightly painted nutcrackers standing at attention.

If you want your porch to be a welcoming spot for carolers or grandchildren, lean into a cozy motif. Place chairs or benches around the space, complete with outdoor throw pillows and blankets as accents. Display signage praising holiday cheer and a welcome mat that discourages Grinchiness.

Our suggestions for ways to decorate your doorstep don’t have to be limited to your front stoop. Branch out to the rest of your deck, the exterior of your home, and even to your pergola or back deck. If you incorporate these ideas inside, perhaps in your front entryway or living room, you don’t have to worry quite as much about how to weather-proof your decorations!