The holiday season has arrived, bringing joyful carols, delicious treats, family gatherings, and festive decorations. When you drive around town or your neighborhood, you will see strands of lights dangling from rooftops and bordering buildings. There is always a sense of accomplishment when you step back and look at your own house, decorated with lights and ornaments. If you’re willing to take your decorating skills to the next level, here are some ideas to make your house the ultimate winter wonderland.

   One way to catch people’s attention is to keep a theme or have your decorations coordinated. Color-coordinating your lights can give your house a clean, sleek look, that is pleasing to the eye. You can add another special twist by decorating your house based on a movie. Movies like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, or even The Nightmare Before Christmas are all fun themes that you can try to replicate with your decorations.

   Don’t forget to jazz up the entrance to your house. Create a magical sensation by dressing up your door and porch with plenty of wreaths, garlands, and ruby-red poinsettia flowers. These kinds of decorations are wintertime classics and will give your home a festive feeling. Playing Christmas music softly in the background can add a cheerful ambiance for all who walk by. It doesn’t have to be anything too abrasive, just something mellow. Take a small speaker and put it in a hidden place, just to be safe, and set up a playlist of all the holiday and Christmas classics. Anything from Christmas pop music, like Mariah Carey’s All I Want for Christmas is You, or holiday classics, like Bing Crosby’s Let it Snow, will provide a welcoming atmosphere for passersby. 

     For all of the tech wizards out there, synchronizing your lights creates a mesmerizing scene that you can’t take your eyes off of. Flashy lights dancing in time with Christmas music will really put on a show. This kind of light show will add lots of excitement to any decorated home and will be sure to impress friends and neighbors.

   For any of you who are looking to put your artistic skills to the test, adding window paint to your windows could be the special touch you have been looking for. You can find window paint at any arts-and-crafts store. Giving your window a frosted look or drawing friendly snowmen can attract the eyes of fellow neighbors or visitors. 

   When living in San Diego, it is a little hard to be able to accomplish the typical “white Christmas” look, as we don’t get snow for the holidays, but for those who are wondering, fake snow machines are definitely real, and a great option for those who are very committed to decorations. Unfortunately, they are not the cheapest thing out there. But if you are willing to drop the money, you would be able to create the ultimate winter wonderland for anyone to experience.

   However, as much as decorating the outside of your house is important, we can’t forget about the inside. Decorating the inside of your house allows you to be fully surrounded by the warmth and happiness that the holidays bring. Christmas trees, whether real or artificial, are staples of Christmastime, and elaborate ornaments and garlands added onto your tree will give it an extra pop. Tinsel on stairway railings, garland hanging from mantles, candles, and miscellaneous trinkets will give the interior of your home a very merry feeling. 

   Just remember that putting up any amount of holiday decor can increase your Christman spirit, and you can put up as much as you desire. Happy Holidays!