How To Decorate Outdoors For Christmas On Budget

Step 1: Gather Outdoor Lights

My biggest tip for how to decorate outdoors for Christmas on a budget is to gather up all of your previous years outdoor lights and see what works and what does not.

Each year, I end up tossing old lights and I purchase a few new ones.

This way, you are not purchasing outdoor Christmas lights and decor unnecessarily. 

This year I picked up 12 new boxes of outdoor Christmas light nets (these are 12’x5′ and waterproof!), 5 boxes of solar powered Christmas spot lights for our walkway and a couple new spot lights for the front door area.

Step 2: Add Christmas Lights To Shrubs

We have a system when it comes to hanging the outdoor Christmas lights, my dad lays out the lights and tests them to make sure they work and I place them near the shrubs where they need to be hung.

When adding outside Christmas decorations or lights around your home, ensure they are weather resistant and safe to be used outdoors.

There are several outdoor Christmas light ideas available, ranging from lavish to minimalist.

Personally, I prefer adorning shrubs with netted Christmas lights and complementing them with a tastefully designed outdoor reindeer and sleigh.

The warm tone lights create an inviting ambiance that perfectly captures the holiday spirit.

I tend to lean more towards the clear white Christmas lights along with a sleigh and reindeer display but if large inflatable Christmas yard decorations are more your speed, I found these inflatables on Amazon that are super fun!

Step 3: Add Christmas Walkway Lights

A very cool outdoor lighting kit that we picked up last year lines our walkway and it’s on a remote!

These outdoor Christmas walkway lights are perfect to create a pathway and make it feel like your’re walking through a magical wonderland.

They also have different color options so you can choose the one that best fits your family’s style and decor.

The remote is perfect for when you want to turn them on or off from inside the house!

It saves us time and energy every holiday season.

We love these lights and would highly recommend!

I prefer a warm light color but they have many colors available.

These spotlights for Christmas (or halloween – just change the light color!) are perfect to shine on your front door, outdoor Christmas tree or reindeer and sleigh. 

Step 5: Hang Christmas Outdoor Lighting On Trees

We hung these super cool Enbrighten Edison bulb string lights on a nearby tree, and trust me, they are so much fun!

Plus, they can even change colors!

Outdoor Christmas Decorating Ideas

Here are 5 popular outdoor Christmas ideas:

1. Hang String Lights Around Your Home or a front porch.
2. Create a Christmas Tree out of Lights and Greenery.
3. Put Up Outdoor Nativity Scenes.
4. Light Up the Night with Pathway Luminaries.
5. Create a Snowman Topiary from Greenery and Ornaments.

Best Outdoor Christmas Decorations

Where you can buy our outdoor Christmas decorations:

• Our outdoor Christmas light nets
• Our solar powered Christmas spot lights
• Here are some of my favorite outdoor Christmas lights you can purchase online and are very affordable!
• The outdoor reindeer and sleigh are on sale and look great under a tree or in between shrubs along a walkway.
• Putting small indoor Christmas trees in your windows is a great way alternative to window candles
• Here are the window candles I have
• I have a 4′ Christmas tree in front of the french doors with the balcony but you can always add a smaller tabletop Christmas tree as well in front of your windows too. 
• We have a handful of outdoor reindeer scattered across our front walkway that look so cool at night

One of the biggest tips I can share when it comes to outdoor Christmas lights is to take your time packing them away when the season is over and invest in outdoor storage bins or bags to store lighting.

Dealing with a pile of tangled Christmas lights the next season is not fun!

You can pickup cheap outdoor Christmas decorations that will last year after year if you put them away neatly each year and be mindful of not crushing the lights when packing away. 

Whether you want a classic white Christmas light show, a rustic Christmas with vintage lights or a colorful blinking red and green light display, decorating for Christmas outside can be fun if you make a day of it!

Sipping hot chocolate, listening to Christmas music and decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite times of year. 

Latest Blog Posts

Fall Tablescape Ideas: Real Home Inspiration

Amazon Earth Toned Steals and Deals for Fall: Weekend Edition

Best Fall Wreaths For The Front Door 2025

Fall Planter Ideas for Every Porch Style: What You Need to Know in 2025