40+ Outdoor Holiday Lighting Ideas That Dazzle

Create a sparkling light display this holiday season with our top tips, tricks and product picks for bringing envy-worthy curb appeal to your front yard.

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By: Brian Patrick Flynn and Maggie Miller

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Outdoor Christmas Lights Shine Bright

After you've decked your halls and your tree, it's time to take the holiday glow outside. From tips and tricks on hanging Christmas lights to clever DIY ideas that shine, we've rounded up our favorite festive ways to light your home for the holidays.

Here, a nostalgic Christmas scene is created with the addition of faux flame, electric candles in each window of the home. The classic holiday look is completed with wreaths, large red velvet bows and lights aplenty.

Learn More: The Best Outdoor Christmas Lights to Make Your House Merry and Bright

DIY Luminarias

This year, tap into holiday history and make your own luminaria or farolito. These decorative, illuminated bags are placed along a walkway or front porch to help show guests the way and create a warm welcome. In some cultures, it's believed that these bright decorations guide the spirit of Christmas to your home. Make your own by weighing down decorative paper or plastic bags with sand or rocks, then thread a strand of twinkle lights through the back of each bag.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Brighten Up Your Bicycle

Put a vintage bicycle on display inside or outside the home by wrapping the wheels, frame, handlebars and seat with lights. To keep necessary wires from interfering with the look, stick with black extension cords, which can wrap around black tires, minimizing their presence.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Sophisticated Lawn Art

Bring a playful glow to your lawn with oversized ornaments made from globe shades, food storage bowls and string lights. For more curb appeal, cluster them together in odd numbers and choose extension cords that blend in with your landscaping.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Giant Christmas Ornaments

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Projector Display

Want to quickly light up a large space, while conserving electricity and time? Try using a laser light projector. With multiple settings, these waterproof, easily adjustable displays make large-scale decorating a breeze.

Starburst Luminaries

Moravian stars are an excellent way to add both graphic shape and illumination to your front yard. For the best effect, consider grouping Moravian stars in odd numbers, randomly spacing them throughout a large tree to create a gorgeous glow.

GET THE HOW-TO: Dress Up Trees With Moravian Stars

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Lighted Lines

Use Christmas lights as a way to accentuate your home's architecture. Run strings of lights along roof lines and window casings for a classy, elegant seasonal furnishing.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Hang Outdoor Christmas Lights Like a Pro

Cascading Tree Lights

These beautiful light trails echo falling snow or star showers. For a dynamic, engaging holiday display, drape these throughout the branches of front lawn trees.

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Forgo Candles

Add a touch of whimsy by filling everyday lanterns with a strand of multi-colored lights in place of candles. Used singularly, the lanterns can work as centerpieces by filling them with battery-operated string lights. Outdoor luminaries for steps or walkways can be made with groupings of lanterns placed along the perimeter of an area, with strands of lights running from one lantern to another.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Layers of Texture

Deviate from the standard green wreath + red bow combo and deck out your windows in natural Scandinavian-inspired style, instead. First, outline the window frame in opaque globe lights, then build layers of texture with a woodland garland and fluffy greenery wreath.

SEE MORE: How to Turn Your Front Porch Into the North Pole

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Starlit Porch

Is your lawn devoid of trees from which to string stars? Not to worry. A porch overhang offers a perfect place to string up these beautiful Moravian star luminaries for an intimate, whimsical holiday look.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Wagon of Lights

Harken back to childhood cheer with a little red wagon filled with warm lights. To achieve this look, arrange faux flame pillar candles in varying heights on a bed of festive, seasonal greenery.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Lights on Timers

For a low-maintenance approach to exterior holiday lighting, consider timer activation. One of the most popular products available is a plug-in on/off module which can handle up to 1500 watts. Although many styles are available, most options simply plug into an exterior outlet. An average-sized home will require between two and four modules to keep the exterior safely lit and perfectly timed.

Control Lights From Your Phone

Having trouble managing multiple light cords? This smart yard stake from Enbrighten offers a convenient way to arrange and power multiple strands of lights. More impressive is its ability to control and schedule light displays by pairing with your smartphone and smart speaker via Wi-Fi.

BUY IT: Lowe's, $34.98

Make Giant Christmas Light Balls

Put an artistic spin on Christmas lighting with illuminated spheres made from chicken wire. Use them to light up your front porch or place in odd numbers around the front yard for a fun, contemporary look.

GET THE HOW-TO: Make Giant Christmas Light Balls for Your Yard

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Merry Mailbox

Don’t let your porch set the limit for the holiday decorations. Snag the gazes of passersby with a festive, illuminated swag on your mailbox or lamppost. Lush holiday greenery interspersed with fairy lights will enchant neighbors out on an evening stroll, and act as an entry point for your seasonal decor.

BUY IT: Pottery Barn, $59

Evergreen Snowflakes

While a white Christmas is never a given, these evergreen snowflakes are guaranteed to bring a smile to all. Hint: Use fishing line and stagger the height at which each piece hangs for a more organic arrangement.

SEE MORE: Modern Mountain Holidays at HGTV Dream Home 2019

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Organic Topiaries

For an easy, effective front porch spruce-up, nestle a light-wrapped topiary ball atop a bed of fluffy evergreen foliage in your front porch planters. Station the planters at the front of your walkway or on either side of your door for a stylish Christmas welcome.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Illuminated Grapevine Spheres

Antique Accessories

Bring rustic curb appeal to your yard by wrapping weathered architectural relics with lights. The contrast between the dulled, organic surface of this antique sled and the boldness of colored lights results in a conversation piece that truly pops.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Galvanized Luminaries

Create a silvery path with glittering metal luminaries. Galvanized candle holders or containers with cutouts cast beautifully illuminated patterns along a walkway and create a gorgeous, hazard-free avenue for guests to follow to the front door.

SEE MORE: Create a Charming Coastal Holiday With Tips From HGTV Dream Home 2020

Garage Garland

The garage is often overlooked when it comes to outdoor Christmas decor. Take advantage of this extra square footage by adorning your garage door in pre-lit garland doubled-up for an extra lush look.

SEE MORE: 34 Homes With Classic Christmas Curb Appeal

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

LED Lights

Put on a light show this Christmas with multi-setting LED lights. This colorful 200-foot strand features six flashing modes including glimmer, twinkle and sparkle, allowing you to customize your holiday display.

BUY IT: The Home Depot, $19.99

Consistent Branches

While adding twinkle lights to small and medium-sized trees may seem simple, there's more skill involved than one might think. Since most trees lose their leaves in the winter, it's much more difficult to figure out where to drape the lights for a balanced look. To add symmetry to exterior decor, create a consistent stopping point along each of the trees. Although some may be significantly taller than others, once wrapped at approximately the same height with twinkle lights, trees will appear organically balanced.

DIY Ice Lanterns

Dazzle your guests with handmade, shimmering luminaries of ice. Use these to light a path or make a stunning entryway by arranging them in clusters on the stairs. Learn how to make your own at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make an Ice Lantern

From: Marian Parsons

Distinctive Display

Create an eye-catching, high-end combination of textures by mixing Edison lights with evergreen swags. Hang them around front door lanterns for a warm, modern display that's impossible to miss.

Wrap Hedges in Net Lights

Wrapping hedges with twinkle lights may seem like a daunting task, especially when figuring out where to stop and start each strand. Eliminate all of the second-guessing by investing in net lights. Although net lights may cost more than standard strands, the amount of time saved on installation is often worth the investment.

Intermingled Lighting

Hang oversized star lanterns and cafe lights over your outdoor table for a unique alfresco dining experience. This warm, contemporary combo would also look lovely on a front porch or garage awning.

Concealed Cords

While lights are beautiful, their power sources can be distracting. If your home features a lipped eave or overhang, put it to use covering up light cords. Run hooks or nails along the back of the overhang, then tuck the cord behind so that the bulbs peek out just beneath the edge.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Hit the Lights at Sundown

Although most homeowners plan their home's exterior lighting scheme to illuminate after dark, there's an entirely different vibe created when lights are turned on at sunset. After dark, the lights are the main source of illumination around the home, whereas during sundown, string lights simply add a subtle glow around the roof, eaves and railings. We love this!

SEE MORE: 9 Festive Ways to Boost Your Home's Holiday Curb Appeal

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Backlit Decorations

Add interest to your nighttime holiday landscape by creating yard silhouettes that are illuminated from behind. Below, we show how to make these life-size tree cutouts, but you can craft any shape you like following the same basic steps.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Backlit Wooden Christmas Tree

Warm Welcome

Glowing twin trees and matching garlands add a warm, inviting holiday feel to a small entryway. Continue the golden color scheme with flowing metallic ribbon, gold baubles and a rustic magnolia wreath.

SEE MORE: Modern Mountain Holidays at HGTV Dream Home 2019

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Mixed Light Sources

Year-round exterior lighting such as sensory-activated motion lights, security spotlights and sconces can often interfere with the soft ambiance created by twinkle lights. To remedy this, consider changing your everyday bulbs to a lower wattage variety. This will allow twinkle lights to take center stage, resulting in a beautiful, soft outdoor glow.

Light-Wrapped Wagon

Little red wagons are a great way to bring a playful, farmhouse touch to your holiday decor. Consider wrapping classic wooden wagons with lights as a decorative accessory, or use the light-wrapped wagons to contain and display gifts.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Light the Walkway

Since holidays often attract more guests to your home than other times of the year, be sure to keep walkways brightly lit. An easy way to do this is to take advantage of any smaller trees or shrubs along or around the walkway and outfit them with just a few strands of lights. Although they may be too small to properly read from the street, the subtle glow cast onto pavers, trails or concrete walkways will help guests make their way up to the house safely.

Festive Frames

Upcycle an empty picture frame into an illuminated decoration with the addition of multi-colored bulbs. For indoor use, standard vintage-style lights can be used to wrap wall frames placed near outlets. To help disguise extension cords, group several frames vertically, tuck the cord behind each frame, then plug into outlets near the bottom of the wall. For outdoor use, such as the wreath alternative seen here, it's best to use battery-operated lights.

SEE MORE: 85 DIY Ways to Decorate Your Front Door for Christmas

Unlit Structures

Lights are meant mostly for ambiance, but they can also serve double duty as backdrops for showcasing seasonal yard structures. When placing holiday structures in the yard, it's wise to keep them unlit so that they stand out against the ambient glow of the house. Learn how to make this oversized wreath snowman at the link below.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make a Life-Sized Wreath Snowman

Try a Smart Switch

Figuring out a timer or remembering to flip the switch on your Christmas lights can be a major headache. Sidestep the confusion with this wireless, app-driven switch. The weather-resistant Enbrighten Smart Switch offers convenient voice command options and connects with your smartphone for hassle-free operation.

BUY IT: Lowe's, $24.98

Spruce-Up Your Statuary

Just a few garden sculptures wrapped with colored lights can instantly bring a holiday touch to your outdoor space. At night the graphic shapes of the garden sculptures are easy to read from inside the house, and the bold color casts a vibrant glow on an otherwise dark and dim area.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Season's Greetings

This year, spread a little extra holiday joy by arranging a special seasonal message in your window using rope lights. Simply wrap your window in an extra-long light strand, then bend the excess rope light into a word of cheer.

GET THE HOW-TO: How to Make Festive Rope Light Word Art

Christmas Containers

Once fall flowers have faded, swap them out for evergreens mixed with natural elements like holly berries and pinecones, then intermingle soft fairy lights for a high-impact arrangement like these from Ballard Designs.

Recycled Decor

Give your guests a grand entrance this holiday season by lighting your walkway with a sparkling arbor. To make your own, paint four ladders matte black, then wrap them with industrial globe lights and garland. Get the step-by-step instructions below.

GET THE HOW-TO: Festive Holiday Arbor

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Enchanted Garden

Put hefty benches and stools on display as focal points by wrapping them with lights. In addition to being decorative, this is also an excellent way to bring safety to dimly lit areas of the yard.

SEE MORE: 12 Different Ways to Use the Same Strand of Lights

Repurpose Wine Bottles

This entryway, created by Dan Faires, features candelabras made from discarded wine bottles, garland made from nautical rope and lanterns and evergreens placed in galvanized metal buckets. Once the sun goes down, the entryway instantly becomes more intimate thanks to the glow created by the candlelit wine bottle candelabras and interior and exterior lights of the house.

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

Make It Glow

Skip the traditional candle and toss in a tangle of string lights or battery-operated LED wire lights to amp up holiday lanterns.

SEE MORE: 11 Ways to Give Your Fire Pit Holiday Flair

From: Brian Patrick Flynn

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