By Mark Milidantri, Landscape Design
Ready or not, the holiday season is right around the corner. As the days get shorter and the nights get colder, it’s time to start thinking about brightening up your home with holiday decorations!
The amount of decorating that you do depends on your budget and personal tastes, and there are all sorts of approaches to take when spreading that holiday cheer around your yard. Are you going for that “Wow” factor, or are you content with a few, old-fashioned wreaths and some lighted pine roping? No matter the size or scope of your decorating ambitions, nothing beats the smiles on people’s faces as they slow down while driving past your home.
If you’re a first time decorator, the first step to take is to decide what type of holiday lights you prefer—and the choices are many! Incandescent lights are the most popular and come in tiny, cylindrical glassbulbs in white as well as an array of different colors.
For the traditionalists, many stores still sell the larger incandescent bulbs, which your grandparents probably used on their Christmas tree.
If you’re looking for something new, try LED lights, which are offered in a variety of sizes and colors, and can be used to brighten up the inside or outside of your home. While more expensive at the outset, LED lights use a semi-conductor resulting in better energy-efficiency. In addition to decreasing the holiday electricity bill, many people find that LED lights last longer, don’t overheat and are less likely to blow a fuse when plugged into a long strand.
Both incandescent and LED lights come in many types of forms including hanging icicles, snowflakes, and countless number of wire structures like reindeer, Christmas trees and other holiday figures. No matter what you choose to adorn your property, make sure to highlight areas of your yard that might otherwise remain unnoticed after sundown. Stonewalls, fences and walkways, for example, are all structures that will allow you to get creative when decorating your property.
In any case, the time to decorate your property is now, while daytime temperatures are above freezing and there is enough time to appreciate your hard work. Even if you choose not to illuminate your property until December, decorating in mid to late November will prove to be a much more enjoyable experience. While you’re neighbor’s fingers get numb as they string up their lights, you’ll be bundled up inside enjoying the best part of the holidays: spending time with family and friends.