Do you decorate the outside of your house?!

[userno53627]

Exactly that really. Do you decorate the outside of your house for Christmas?

When I was growing, it felt like hardly anyone did. Maybe one or two and they would be famous for it and you'd drive around to have a look. It seems to have become increasingly popular which is great - dc love the lights.

Last year most houses on our street decorated outside and a fair few in the village. Some have gone all out and others more subtle.

I felt a right Scrooge because we've never really bothered with the outside - only indoors.

Am I really a Scrooge?

I just don't have the patience to sort it out - or the money!

Where do people store outside lights all winter in small houses with bit garage?

Wreath and swag on the front door, white lights on the trees at the front boundary and the house edged in white lights. We also put up a white snowflake projector. The children love it and most houses in our street do similar. It’s not everyone’s cup of tea but it makes us smile.

BINGO

?

When I was growing up we had outdoor lights along the front of the house. Not many people did though.

We have quite a few decorations outside - lights in the tree and along the fence, a snowflake projector, some pathfinder lights. A wreath on the door, plus the usual tree in window etc.

Most of the people round here have at least something outside and the kids love it.

I love other people’s efforts and will drag DD around the village to look and if we’re in town after dark, will drive around looking at them.

I’m the worst sort of hypocrite - delighted to look at the lights of others, but won’t have them myself because it all looks very technical to accomplish and must be shocking for the environment.

Wreath on the door; have a white column outside which I wrap a red ribbon around & this year have bought a red bow. We have a Christmas Candle bridge in our bedroom window. I'd like to do a bit more this year but will see.

Yep, let's ban everything that brings a bit of joy to people in the winter months. Honestly I can understand how something like the Puritan movement came about in the 17th century reading Mumsnet sometimes
I'm pretty sure the amount of electricity they use through their laptops, phones and routers to tell people about how environmentally unfriendly it is probably does more damage to the environment.

We have the curtain of lights in the bay windows and it’s really effective. Last year my neighbour had matching ones and it looked fab. I kept them up all year and they are being turned on now.

they are being turned on now

Ooh, a rebel! Take that, Grinch people!

I think I have inadvertently contributed to this because I have solar powered fairy lights in the back garden all year round.

We have warm white icicles and a garland above the porch, then a 6ft tree on the front lawn with mutlicoloured fairy lights. We also have a victorian lantern on the end of the drive. Our house is on a private road alongside a very popular dog walkers route and often see people taking a photo/stopping to look at Christmas time. It does look very Christmassy! 🌲

We have lights on both street facing windows.

A wreath on the door and twinkly lights in the window. That’s all.

l have my fairy lights up all year in my front garden , l just place them around the plants in my flower borders, they are a lovely warm gold colour. l have solar ones in summer, and use ones with a plug in winter, they dont flash, more like a soft glow/ twinkle effect, really simple, but effective and cheer the dark cold evenings up.

No, never. We have a tree. That's it.

We've been here over 20 years but carried on the tradition of the previous occupants of our house and have a tree with white lights on the balcony. Now also decorate a real potted tree that my eldest DS (18) used to have in his bedroom - now 3 times the size, plus a couple of arches in the garden. Wreaths on 3 doors.

Inside we have 2 (sometimes 3) real trees, a 6 ft felt tree and lit up twig trees in each of 3 bedrooms. Garlands on 2 (sometimes 3) fireplaces and staircases.

It takes us most of December to put it all up and most of January to take down . It's a lot of work but beautiful, absolutely not tacky and the DC love it .

To be honest people who put up flashing lights should be shot! They’re such an assault on the eyes and brain!

Well thankfully you don't get to dictate what I put in my garden.

But its Mumsnet bingo, the first "outdoor Christmas decorations are tacky thread"

No, I’ve never done it. Might do something small when DS is older.
Mostly because I’m lazy and I don’t like to make Christmas a big production, but I like seeing other peoples lights up.

I’d like to be full on National Lampoons but have to rein it in a bit because DH isn’t so keen. We have some tasteful lights around the front of the house and the shrubs. But that’s about it. Lidl have some great stuff in at the moment though.

Lights in the hedge at the end of the drive and lights and giant baubles on our tree outside the house. We have wreaths on the door and gates (not the tacky ones with giant bows). Lights around the windows and roof too. They all fit into an IKEA bag in the shed

Inside we have 2 (sometimes 3) real trees, a 6 ft felt tree and lit up twig trees in each of 3 bedrooms. Garlands on 2 (sometimes 3) fireplaces and staircases.

It takes us most of December to put it all up and most of January to take down

Well aren't you a lucky duck to have that much money to waste, No need to brag.

@LagunaBubbles

My neighbours deck their house out in awful blue flashing lights. From now until the middle of January. Every time I come home from work I panic in case there is an ambulance or police there (we're on a dangerous corner).

The blue lights bleed into my house when I go to sleep when I have to get up at 5am to go to work.

Not everyone likes a selfish Christmas.

We do, and have added an extra decoration or two each year.

I used to think outdoor lights were tacky, but having seen how much joy they bring my dc I am a convert.

Yes - door wreath, lights on the conifer and a freestanding lit reindeer thing. Will go up second week of December.

Hate the blue of flashing lights but I think houses can look festive. Some obviously overdo it and it looks like a b&q display, everything just thrown up without any thought! 😂
There is an area near my mum and people leave them up all year (not switched on, literally every bit of the house outside has something on it. Looks hideous but it's their choice 🤷🏼‍♀️

I've got a lovely Christmas tree in my front garden and was thinking of putting lights on it this year, does anybody have tips on what lights to use? The only plug would be to come through a window 🤔