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?

@pancakesonsunday

Of course the hoards are appearing declaring that anything other then warm minimal fairy lights are tacky/chavvy.

Live and let live, and try not to be so judgmental. If they make the owners happy and they're not harming anyone then why look down on them so judgementally? I honestly think some people think it's a class thing.

You might be right, on thinking about it, you don’t often see multi coloured flashing lights, icicles and Santa clauses outside very expensive houses, so some of it could be class related, the more expensive th house the more understated and elegant the outside Xmas lighting tends to be.

No.

No. Looking at our house from the outside, nothing would have you believe we celebrate Xmas.

I have static lights on the inside of the window that can be seen from outside. Ones in the shape of a star and fairy lights round the outside of the bay window

Nope never have

We have very few lights visible from the street except for Swedish candle bridges on the windowsills but frankly some of the miseries on these and other Christmas threads make me want to buy a 6ft inflatable illuminated Christmas T-Rex and put it up outside in the hope that one of them lives near me.

@ThanksItHasPockets

We have very few lights visible from the street except for Swedish candle bridges on the windowsills but frankly some of the miseries on these and other Christmas threads make me want to buy a 6ft inflatable illuminated Christmas T-Rex and put it up outside in the hope that one of them lives near me.

Do it

I have my 4ft light up trumpeting angels and no one is taking them away from me

People day tacky just to put others down.

Besides, eating meat is far worse for the environment than a extra few lights in December, and people over consume that during Christmas.

No. I always make a fresh wreath for the front door, and our tree is in front of a window so our house will look festive from the outside, but we don’t decorate any more than that.

some of it could be class related, the more expensive the house the more understated and elegant the outside Xmas lighting tends to be.

One woman's understated and elegant is another woman's repressed and joyless.

Growing up it was a wreath on the front door and candle bridges in the windows.

Now it's a wreath on the front door, a berry garland above the porch doors, white fairy lights around our tree and I've got light up presents which I set out on the steps. Doesn't look too much. I've also bought a 4ft nutcracker for outside the front door but I'm worried it might get stolen 😂

Before we moved in together my bloke lived in a shared house
Over the road,right in our eyeline was a Santa riding a motorbike,nailed to the front of the house
It had the outline lit up with lights that would come on once it got dark
Only it honestly looked like a huge cock and balls once lit up-once you saw it,you couldn’t unsee it
We still snigger over the naughty Santa to this day

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.

@GreenFingersWouldBeHandy No I really don't have money to waste.

Busy single parent of 3, hence why it all takes a while to make/put up. Enjoy making my own wreaths and garlands and have lots of sentimental bits and pieces from parents and both sets of grandparents' Christmas decorations plus things the DC have made over the years. Potted trees that come out each year as I try to look after them. My DC love everything Christmassy anyway but still sorry to read your comment.

@luckylavender were not talking Blackpool illuminations here. Is it possible you thought I meant some kind of flashing, eye melting show? No, a little projector that shines snowflakes on your house. Calm down.

No, apart from a wreath on the door.

I have blackpool illuminations next door unfortunately, so for the whole of December, there are ghostly cold white snowflakes projected on the side of my house, like a hundred Batman signals, not to mention the inflatable snowman and animatronic reindeer in the front garden.

Yes but I am in Australia and people walk around and look at the decorations cause its bloody hot!

@headlock - I'm completely calm thank you but feel anger on behalf of people who cannot medically tolerate this and have no idea where they will pop up. But as this thread shows, most people don't give a damn about others.

Light pollution.
DH is a keen astronomer, and despite living in a very small village, and usually enjoying dark skies, the Christmas lights make it much harder to see the stars. Which are far more beautiful and awesome than anything from B & Q.

@Mandalayblonde

Christ No. Tacky as Hell.

I love tacky

@FourTeaFallOut

some of it could be class related, the more expensive the house the more understated and elegant the outside Xmas lighting tends to be.

One woman's understated and elegant is another woman's repressed and joyless.

Agreed

Just a wreath. Its enough.

I find decorated houses like Blackpool tacky.

We have lights in the window but did that as kids.

I would probably put out some lights (something subtle) if I had an outside plug, but I don’t so I won’t.

Plenty of lights here. Led Drop icicle lights across the front of the house and then we have several items to plug in. This year we have a new set of reindeer for the front, a large moose and a train to add to the large trio of light up presents and whatever else we had outside last year. I can't remember them all tbh.

We have an annual lights switch on with our neighbours on the lane. A nice excuse to meet with a glass of mulled wine and start the season! Pretty much all of the decorations you buy today are LED. They draw next to no power.

Lots of people here have lights and outdoor displays up. They're only tacky if you have zero taste and think more is more. But hey! Each to their own. If it brings you joy (and my kids like to go and look at them all too) then why not!