This holiday season brought a string of firsts for our family. Clara is finally old enough to excitedly shout “I love you, Santa!” at the inflatables in store windows, we put up our first real tabletop tree, and this is our first full Christmas in our new house (last year we were still unpacking). But the biggest first was decorating the exterior of the house — something we’d never done before. There’s a simple kind of magic to waiting until dusk, flipping on the lights, and stepping back to watch everything glow. We only wish we’d started doing this sooner.
Since this was our introductory effort, we didn’t overwhelm the whole façade with lights. Instead we focused on a handful of cheerful, coordinated touches:
- white candle lights in every window
- three glowing stars hung from the porch at varying heights
- a small evergreen next to the driveway wrapped with red and white lights
- red-and-white “candy cane” lights draped over the bushes that lead to the front door
- three oversized red metal lanterns filled with white lights on the porch
- two glossy red reindeer in a window
- a handmade square wreath made from sticks and a faux boxwood garland
Up close, the porch feels warm and festive: glossy red reindeer flank a window candle while the little tree glows in the background and hanging stars reflect in the glass.
Hanging the stars at staggered heights in front of the picture window gives them double presence — their reflections make it look like there are twice as many floating over the porch from certain angles, which is a delightful effect.
In photos the white lights pick up the green of the surrounding shrubs and sometimes appear slightly green-tinted, but in person they’re crisp white paired with shiny red — a bold, slightly retro palette that stands out from the many all-white displays in the neighborhood.
From the curb you can see our little evergreen-turned-Christmas-tree beside the carport. He was practically begging for lights, and the extra red-and-white strands along the approach to the front door helped balance the whole look.
On the porch we placed three oversized red metal lanterns — inexpensive finds — and filled each with a string of white lights for a cozy, luminous look. We powered them with a single extension cord, chaining the light strands together so they all plug into one source.
One of the sweetest moments: someone in the neighborhood left a little thank-you note in our mailbox — a surprise “Secret Neighborhood Spirit Elves” note — to show appreciation for decorating. It was an unexpected and heartwarming gesture.
We used plant hooks to hang the stars from the inside of the porch’s scalloped header. They’re plastic Moravian-style stars that snap together; once lit, they add a charming sculptural element to the front of the house.
We discovered that the red-and-white strands are often called “candy-cane lights.” Up close they’re cheerful and festive — even if the camera insists on shifting the whites a touch toward green.
I also made a small square wreath from four straight sticks gathered from the yard. I snapped them to matching lengths, wired the corners together with floral wire, and wrapped a faux boxwood garland around the frame. It’s rustic and simple — minimal but charming, which is why I nicknamed it Charlie.
I already had a red “kissing ball” that fit perfectly in the wreath’s center and rests over the door knocker, so no extra hooks were needed. The door hardware continues to look great, and the wreath sits neatly without any damage to the door.
About the reindeer: I found two large paper-mâché figures at a local craft shop and painted them with high-gloss red spray paint. The transformation made them look almost ceramic — bright, shiny, and irresistible to a toddler. Clara gleefully points to them and yells “Santa’s coming!” every time she sees them.
Decorating the exterior has been a simple, joyful project that brought a lot of excitement to our home this year. It’s approachable, affordable, and surprisingly rewarding — even small touches like a handmade wreath or a few well-placed lights can make a house feel festive. Have you tried a square wreath or painted a quirky holiday find? We’re already thinking about what to do next year.