So much more than putting tinsel on your garden gnomes, the best outdoor Christmas decorations come in all manner of magical guises. As well as bringing you the best external lights to adorn your outdoor Christmas tree, we'll look at some fun alternatives to a traditional Tannenbaum in your garden. Whether you're recreating a Narnian winter scene or you're looking for dinosaur-inspired decorations to delight your kids, there's trendy outdoor decor for all tastes.
Get in the festive mood by throwing a garden party, stoke up the winter BBQ and getting the sausages sizzling. Ask your guests to bring a bottle or some sweet nibbles, such as stollen or mince pies, and have festive tunes playing through outdoor speakers in the garden, or simply gather around the fire pit and sing a few cheery seasonal songs.
Best outdoor Christmas decorations at a glance
• Best outdoor icicle lights: LED Icicle Outdoor Christmas Lights - View Offer on Amazon UK
• Best outdoor Christmas decoration: Grey Glitter Door Decoration Set - View Offer at J D Williams
• Best outdoor Christmas neon sign: Merry Christmas Neon Sign - View Offer on Amazon UK
If you're feeling inspired and have the space, you could create your own illuminated trail around your garden. Whether you're planning a full-on light festival in your backyard with some energy-efficient Christmas lights, or you just want to bring some festive cheer, we decor-. our guide to the best outdoor Christmas tree decorations. Consider DIY decor this year, but if you're pushed for time Etsy and Not on the High Street have some wonderful handmade options.
Below, is our guide to alternative and festive outdoor Christmas decorations.
The best outdoor Christmas decorations
Best outdoor icicle lights
These striking LED Icicle Outdoor Christmas Lights are 17 metres of pure festive magic. 480 LED lights operate in eight different modes, including sequential, slow fade, twinkle and in waves. The lights are also available in 4.5, 9 and 14-metre lengths and are safe for family use.
Customer review: "Great lights for the money there are a few different flashing variations plenty of cables to get to a plug."
Best outdoor window decoration
Illuminate your Christmas with the Micro LED Christow Holly Berry Christmas Light. With a 45cm diameter, it's perfect for indoor and outdoor display. The holly design creates a vibrant and eye-catching festive atmosphere. Powered by a UK mains plug with a 5m cable, it's easy to set up and can be hung with the metal ring or propped up on a shelf or mantel for a festive touch. It's enchanting, practical and doesn't break the bank.
Customer review: "Very good service product was excellent."
Editor's choice
www.notonthehighstreet.com
We adore this gorgeous Trio Of Light Up Penguins, to cheer up a dark corner in the garden. They have a five-metre power cable and LED bulbs. Measuring 34cm high and 22cm wide, these pint-sized penguins would look mischievous peeping through the shrubbery.
Best energy-efficient outdoor lights
www.dunelm.com
Rather than decorating a tree, why not opt for a sculptural Large Metal Light-Up Tree? This elegant outdoor decoration has copper LEDs for a cosy ambience. The running cost is super low too, at just 1p per hour.
Customer review: "Beautiful star, very sturdy, good value, stands on a flat roof."
Best Gonk outdoor Christmas decor
www.homebase.co.uk
Brighten up your backyard with this Outdoor Gonk Christmas Light Decoration. An easy way to bring the Gonk trend into your garden, this quirky little fellow is holding a lantern to light his way. It's suitable for indoor and outdoor use.
Customer review: "It's amazing, great quality and lights up amazing. I'm so pleased with it it makes everyone smile who sees it."
Best reindeer outdoor decoration
This magical three-piece reindeer display has an eye-catching and crisp rope light for a bright neon glow. The freestanding Christmas Reindeer Family come with a 5-metre power cable. The sizes are: large Reindeer size: L45cm x W15cm x H90cm, grazing Doe size: L64cm x W16cm x H48cm and baby Reindeer: L43cm x W12cm x H47cm.
Customer review: "Really good quality. Looked lovely in our front garden over Christmas."
Best outdoor fairy lights
The possibilities are endless with this fantastic Christmas Decoration Colour Changing Fairy Lights set. 720 LED will switch between warm white and multicoloured at the press of a button. The lights are operated by a small remote control which allows you to change how they flicker, dim them and even set a timer. In addition, there are other colour combinations available from the same brand, including vivid green and red lights.
Customer review: "This is a huge string of outdoor lights which seem to be made of good quality materials. My choice was cool white over the multi-coloured version making them very Christmassy. Each LED is small but incredibly bright. The remote allows you to dim them if you prefer."
Best outdoor Christmas decoration
www.jdwilliams.co.uk
Make a bold festive statement to your outdoor space with this Grey Glitter Door Decoration Set.
Customer review: "This looks really good outside my front door. It has a timer on it, so you don’t have to worry about turning it on and off every day!"
Unusual Christmas decoration
www.therange.co.uk
Make a real statement with your Christmas decorations this year and let the Acrylic LED Unicorn prance through your front garden. Made up of 350 LED lights this will draw in admirers to your front garden. It's 116cm tall and 102cm wide, just make sure the kids don't try and ride it.
Customer review: "I was actually looking for a Reindeer when I found this. Reindeer are SO common though and Unicorns most decidedly are not! It looks really good indeed. The children love it. I would thoroughly recommend it."
Best Christmas lawn decoration
www.etsy.com
This Robins Appear When Loved Ones Are Near metal decoration makes a tasteful and thoughtful Christmas ornament. In fact, the sentiment in the product name makes it a gift all year round. It's a wonderful gift idea in addition to being a durable outdoor decoration.
Customer review: "Brilliant handmade quality Robins and packed very well and would highly recommend them."
Best inflatable outdoor Christmas decoration
This fun Christmasaurous is bound to bring delight. LED bulbs light it and comes with fixings and stakes. It is advised to take the Large Inflatable Christmas Dinosaur down in high winds, but otherwise, it will make a wonderfully alternative outdoor decoration. Make sure to measure your garden first to make sure it fits.
Customer review: "I live amongst very elderly people and usually not very talkative to each other until I put the inflatable dinosaur in my front garden, they started talking to each other about it and thought it was very amusing, a lot of friendships have been formed due to it, its face cheers everyone up, pity Christmas is over."
Best Christmas outdoor neon sign
A handmade acrylic neon sign that unmistakably says Christmas is here. This Merry Christmas Neon Sign makes a wonderfully unique outdoor Christmas decoration to send season's greetings to your neighbours.
Customer review: "This was a good size to replace an older sign, it is very bright and clear with a decent-length cord, however, you will need your own USB plug."
Best Christmas lawn lights
Available in white or multi-coloured, these Spiral Christmas Tree Path Finder Stake Lights will illuminate your garden path. They are battery-operated and waterproof - ideal for positioning in your lawn or flowerbed. These lights feature a timer so you don't have to worry about leaving them switched on overnight. Be merry and bright this Christmas.
Customer review: "These Christmas trees are a great addition to a walkway and garden area. They are a little restrictive in terms of distance from each other but for a small space, not a problem. Had them on our pathway for about three weeks at Christmas and only had to change the batteries once."
Which is the best outdoor Christmas decoration?
If you simply can't decide which decoration to pick, it was "Love at Frost Sight" for the Icicle Lights.
Choose from cool, warm or blue light to create a fantasy with fairy lights. We particularly like the generous cord allowance, which is useful if you have a large garden. The eight lighting modes allow you to vary the speed and brightness - just magical to see twinkling lights outside the window as you're cosy indoors.
Whether you're decorating a patio, hedge, front porch or tree, these versatile lights come in different lengths to suit your requirements. Yule be sorry to miss out on these value-for-money outdoor Christmas lights.
FAQs
What is trending this festive season?
You'd have to have been living under a rock not to have noticed the popularity of the gonk. This Nordic and Scandinavian mythical being is a cross between a gnome and a hobgoblin.
With long dark days, lights are the most important decoration to bring joy and enchantment. From fairy lights to icicles, neon signs and so much more, there will be a style to suit your festive decorating plans. As it's very easy to get carried away with all the sparkle, it's a good idea to set a budget first. Then, list the integral decorations, such as an outdoor artificial Christmas tree, wreath, lights and perhaps some stake lights to illuminate the garden path.
You can even go down the route of many celebrities and influencers who decorate their front doors, transforming their homes into a winter wonderland. Think about installing penguins, a snowman, reindeers, or Santa figures to make it more Christmassy, or perhaps a blow-up dinasour for Jurassic Park winter is right up your street.
There's nothing more wonderful than inviting loved ones over for a winter garden party. Indeed, for the last couple of years, outdoor entertaining has been the norm. If you haven't yet held an outdoor Christmas party, it's worth considering the possibilities.
How do I decorate my outdoor Christmas tree?
When decorating your outdoor Christmas tree, or hedge for that matter, do ensure that you unravel the lights and evenly distribute them over the tree. It's a good idea to fix them to the tree in case they get blown off. It's also a good idea to choose a sheltered spot in the garden to place your decorations.
What outdoor Christmas decorations can I make?
One of the quickest and easiest ways to add a festive touch to your garden is to make a wreath for your door. In addition, red ribbon, holly sprigs, fir branches and gold baubles in plant pots and porches is a simple way to extend the decorations into the garden.
To get your creative juices flowing, here's a wonderful guide to making a natural Christmas wreath for your door.
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Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in garden trends. When she's not flexing her mow-how, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.