For a festive holiday porch display, look no further than the garden. Your hanging baskets and planters are perfect vessels to create the warm, cozy feel of Christmas traditions.
For the pleasure that you bring when you make that doorbell ring
“Home for the Holidays” Allen & Stillman
You might be looking to brighten up the front porch for holiday guests. But you’re the one who sees it every day! So why not create something that you’ll enjoy coming home to, as well? Here’s a charming little arrangement that you can throw together with very little time and effort.
If you love to garden, then this little craft project is right down your alley. Bring a planter or two out of storage. Leave the dirt in it, but clear away any dead plant debris. Your decorations are going to go right on top. You can even use your watering can as an accent piece!
Most people put their garden stuff away. For me, it’s invigorating and refreshing to see something green against a stark winter backdrop.
(SEE More elegant front porch arrangements at the bottom of this article)
Materials
You don’t need very much at all for this simple, yet elegant holiday porch display. Most of us have accumulated way more Christmas stuff than we care to admit. So, again, you probably have everything you need at home.
If not, swing into your neighborhood thrift store for all the trimmings at very affordable prices. The interesting thing about thrift stores is that you can often find holiday decor that dates back a few years–maybe even a vintage item–that brings the perfect uniqueness to your arrangement.
Use any combination of the following:
- Pine garland (traditional or white), or juniper garland
- Mini Lights
- Christmas balls (plastic recommended)
- Pine cones
- Lantern (or other centerpiece…snowman, angel etc.)
- fake pillar candle sized to fit in the lantern. TIP: if you have a real candle at home that is burned down a bit in the middle, you can set a battery tea candle in the hollow to give the appearance of a real flame.
- Snowflakes, any size, plastic or wooden
- floral pics (these are short, decorative pics that are used as accents in real or artificial flower arrangements or wreaths) Look for holiday themed ones
- Artificial poinsettias, holly, sprigs of pomegranates, cranberries etc.
Tip: substitute with artificial greens like ferns and ivies which blend well into a Christmas display.
Holiday Porch Display
COMPLETION TIME: Under 1 hour.
Your pots and planters don’t have to be fancy. Again, leave the dirt right in them. If you’re in a cold climate, it just might be frozen. Everything is gonna sit right on top, anyway.
STEP 1: Choose a planter (or urn) to use
STEP 2 Add greenery
I used a single length of pine garland that already had colored mini lights attached. You can add lights to a plain garland, too. Wrap it in circles around the top.
Next, give it some ‘volume’. “Fluff” the branches so some are bent upwards, and others downward flowing over the edge of the planter so it looks really full.
TIP: You can use individual pieces of plastic greenery as well. Laying a wreath across the top might work, too if its the right size. It won’t look like a wreath after you’re through dressing it up. Experiment a little. Try to use whatever you’ve got on hand that will do the trick!
STEP 3 Add decorative accents
Add your center piece, first. Then your floral stems, decorative pics, cardinals, pine cones, an eye-catching bow… however you’d like your display to look. If you want, you can even spritz it with glitter spray from the craft store to give it a more glamorous holiday sparkle.
Bonus Idea
Pair your planter with other smaller pots to compliment your holiday porch display. Fill them with your choice of greenery or simple pine cones. Whatever appeals to you.
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In closing
Like the song says, ‘there’s no place like home for the holidays’. Whether you are decorating for your guests, or just for yourself, I hope I’ve given you some inspiration. If you love to garden, don’t stop just because its winter. The rich greenery of pine or juniper bring a sense of life to a holiday porch display like nothing else.
Finally, I’ve been invited to write a guest post for fellow blogger Rachael Bomsta of Healing Home. Rachel has an annual series called Holiday Hygge. (pro Hue-guh) It’s a Danish word that translates “warm and cozy…perfectly content”. Interestingly enough, “contentment” is the very subject she asked me to cover. With ‘black Friday’ and the mega holiday shopping frenzy, it’s a time of the year when we’re least likely to be content. “The Rich Reward of Contentment” is a faith-oriented piece. If you or someone you know is seeking to bring a little more balance to the season, I’ve included a link to it HERE .
Merry Christmas, my friend
More holiday decor ideas
Click HERE to make my beautiful hanging basket
Decorate a Window Box with Holiday Cheer
