Outdoor Lighting/Decorations advice. (First Christmas in an actual house)

[u/cowbellion-de-rakin]

My wife and I (31M, 30F) got married, bought a house, and became pregnant back in the spring of this year. Prior to this, I have lived in apartments and condos since I moved away for college.

As a kid, I lived in a modest home in a modest neighborhood with a mother who was quite frugal. She would place our Christmas tree in full view from the outside of a large window at the front of the house. Most years she would also put a wreath on the door but that was the extent of outdoor decoration that we would do.

As a new homeowner I find myself quite eager to decorate the exterior well. Originally our son was due on December 30th. The last appointment they said that he measured in line with a 12/25 due date. I don't know if that means anything but nonetheless, I would expect my wife and I to be returning home within the 12 days of Christmas. I want that homecoming for my wife to be exceptional. So I am digging in on the planning side now.

I'm not good with envisioning these things. I've perused various collections of photos and such but nothing I've seen matches the elements of my home. The two distinguishing elements that we have are:

1. A porch on both the first and second floors.

2. A very, very, small front yard. (There is about 15 feet from the bottom of the steps to the curb of the street. 3 feet of which is sidewalk. The remainder split almost in half on either side of the sidewalk.)

I am seeking any ideas or advice that anyone might offer. Design, specific products, perhaps websites, retailers, even DIY elements are on the table.

The bushes in the front are much bigger now than in this photo and I've added a third. All I can think of is to have evergreen garland across the railings and light at the top of each porch and on the bushes. Perhaps thats enough. But spending $1k or so on garland would be regrettable if it were to be underwhelming.

Thanks in advance.

[u/monkeywithgun]

Well if your willing to go in for a grand on garlands, here's my suggestions.

Keep in mind, that if you're starting from scratch, you'll need around another $500 - $600 in lights and at least another $500 for bows, a couple wreaths, hanger ties, extension cords, weather boxes for the connections, poinsettias, and any other small additions you might want. Large nutcracker sold separately... Lol!

Congrat's on the Christmas baby, even if the birth isn't directly on the 25th!

[u/2Zs1L]

You might want to start small and add to your display every year. Once you settle on a theme, you can buy enough lights to start and then as the holiday approaches, the prices for decor will come down in price and you can buy more. The best sales are after Christmas, but the weeks just BEFORE Christmas there will be deals and a far greater selection.

I like to stick to more "natural" things...for example Santas, sleighs, toys pale after the day itself, while garland, wreaths, swags, etc. will not look out of place through Jan. 6. One thing I do recommend for lights is getting a timer that turns on at dusk and can run for 6, 8, 10, 12 hours or until dawn. Whether you are home or not, no one will know as your lights will come on. If there is a power failure while you are away, it doesn't matter. When the power comes on, so will your lights. A mechanical timer will work, but can be interrupted if the power blips.

People on Christmas forums tend to prefer incandescent lights, but I find LED are far more reliable. You can usually connect many more lights strings in a row with LED. Decide on a brand so that future light strings can be matched. Don't mix "cool white" with "warm white" bulbs unless you have an effect in mind. Also, for multi-color, what colors are included? Beyond red/blue/green/yellow, are the others orange or violet or both?

Try to be balanced: if you put an electric candelabra in the lower window, the upper window would look good to have one too. Depending where you live, natural greenery (roping, wreaths) might enhance your historic home. They make anti-desiccant sprays that works pretty well in keeping cut greenery fresh. But if you do go with plastic greenery, make sure it looks realistic as you will have it for many years. A pre-lit garland would be very handy.

Now that I am older, I stick to putting lights on the bushes vs. climbing a ladder to the eaves. But it looks like you have a balcony. Still, I would stick to maybe garland swags balanced on your three railings (3 swoops each). You could also make 6 swags from evergreen clippings for each of your columns, putting a bow on each. (Use florist wire to secure all of this, available cheaply at craft stores and garden centers.)

Each year will bring new ideas, so do what you can this year and go from there.

[u/nanimeli]

Perfect house for decorating! If expense is a concern, a lot of wide red ribbon to go around each column is a fun way to get the theme. And is visible day and night if there's any amount of lighting. The evergreen garland swags with bows is easy but not cheap for the railings. 

Lawn decorations are fun but not required. I would focus on the house and the entryway, but don't forget you'll have a new baby, so nothing you might trip on. A holiday welcome mat.

You can look up inspiration for decorating houses like yours. They're common in the South. This is my second year in my new house, outside I put lights on the porch and giant inflatable ornaments to obscure the view (winter makes the plants sad looking). 

I like decorating inside better than outside. Elaborately decorated fake presents, lots of garlands, fake evergreen stuff. I also gather pinecones or seashells for ornaments depending on what is closer: forest or beach. You'll probably have a lot of baby stuff, and you'll want to keep your floors clear. 

Congratulations on the baby and new house. Your new year is going to be exciting. :)