The festive period is finally upon us and there’s nothing better than getting the house trimmed up and ready for the big day. Whilst you may want to go overboard on decorations and lighting, your budget might not allow you to do so, particularly since the rise in energy prices means we want to keep our electricity bills down as much as possible.
This doesn’t mean you can’t transform your home into a winter wonderland – all that’s needed is a little imagination and creativity. Here are our favourite ideas for decorating the outside of your home ready for Christmas without breaking the bank.
Solar-powered Christmas lights
With the majority of Christmas lights, only 10% of the energy consumed is used to create light and the rest is wasted as heat. Solar-powered lights are the perfect alternative to traditional Christmas lights, being good for the environment, whilst not taking away from your festive display. These lights tend to use less energy, do not get as hot when left on for long and can last much longer than lights with incandescent bulbs.
Solar lights can be wrapped around your tress, trailed along your gutters or positioned all around the exterior of your home- the possibilities are endless! Just make sure to wipe away any snow that collects on the solar panels.
Outdoor figurine lighting
Whilst it may seem like a hefty purchase initially, getting yourself a staple outdoor light-up figurine can be the perfect standout piece for your outdoor Christmas display. These are normally waterproof and can be secured in place, ensuring that they’re still perfectly fine to use for many years to come.
You can also now find outdoor Christmas figures that are energy efficient and can cost as little as 7p a week to run when left on a timer, meaning you don’t need to worry about leaving them on during those dark winter nights.
Hanging snowflakes
To give the appearance of falling snow, you can simply hang some snowflakes around your windows or washing line. You can easily find some plastic snowflakes online or in a retailer for a relatively low price.
If you’re feeling a little more creative, why not decorate them using gold or silver paint for a rustic look? You can also get the kids involved in the project to entertain them during the school holidays, which means less work for you!
DIY Christmas wreath
You can find pre-made wreaths in most stores during Christmas but these are normally quite expensive. Unadorned wreaths can be bought from craft shops or large online retailers at a much lower cost.
The wreath can then be decorated using ribbon, baubles and bits of tinsel located around your home – you could also use pinecones and chestnuts found from outside. Make sure to fasten everything securely using a hot glue gun or something similar and you’re ready to hang your wreath on the front door for any visitors to see.
