The first question many homeowners have when it comes to lighting up their home for the holidays is: How much will it cost?
Christmas decorating can be an intimidating feat, especially when you’re working to stay in line with the year’s most recent trends. Experts are already seeing shifts in the trends for this holiday season; Christmas Decor, a leading professional holiday decorating company, has some expert tips on how to stay on top of the current holiday decorating trends while sticking to a budget.
“Holiday decorating should be enjoyable,” said James Murphy, owner of the Jacksonville Christmas Décor. “You can achieve a festive and trendy outcome without breaking the bank by making a few easy tweaks.”
Colorful lights are in
This season, people are excited about multi-color lights, including red, green, blue and gold string lights, icicle lights, snowflake lights and vintage bulb lights.
“The biggest shift we have seen is a move away from warm yellow and bright white Christmas lights,” said Murphy. “The trend includes options that are more colorful and playful.”
While LED lights are almost always recommended due to their longevity and energy and cost efficiency, Christmas Decor advises that investing in high-quality LED lights can save you money in the long run and make it even easier to decorate with each year’s trends, year after year.
Some LED lights are color changing and can be controlled via Bluetooth or a timer add-on to automatically light up in a pattern, change colors or turn on and off with dusk and dawn.
Standout exterior displays
Exterior display pieces add another boost to the standard string light decoration option. Industry experts are seeing the most demand for snowflake and reindeer displays, and some are even considering small gazebo installations. However, with all of the details required to create a successful display with these types of items, the bill can rack up quickly.
“The most important step is to plan ahead and buy or schedule any necessary equipment or services before peak demand begins,” advised Murphy.
However, even with advance notice and proper planning, intricate displays may not be feasible for every budget.
To keep these displays even more low-cost, Christmas Decor suggests prioritizing displays that do not require additional resources to create the full experience. This means straying away from inflatables and options that are pre-lit with inefficient bulbs.
A classic figurine always stands out, and even if it’s not pre lit, a single spotlight can be trained on it for an elegant feature. Displays that are pre-lit, or even spotlights used to draw attention to a figurine, can be attached to a timer mechanism to ensure power is only used during peak times rather than all day or at times of the night when the decorations likely will not be seen by anyone.
Festive holidays on a budget
A strict budget does not have to take away from a festive season. Small cost-saving efforts can create a bit of relief, but if more involved decorations are not attainable, minimalistic decor is both incredibly affordable and very on-trend for Christmas 2023.
Though not all families have the budget for string lights on every tree and eve, a simple DIY wreath on the front door and solar-powered lights woven atop bushes or around a patio railing create the perfect pairing that is budget-friendly, eco-friendly and a neighborhood standout.
Planning ahead and keeping your end goal in mind is key.
“Remember that the goal is to create a merry and magical atmosphere, and that you don’t have to spend a fortune to do this,” said Murphy. “With the right tools and advanced preparation, you can achieve your decorating dreams without breaking the bank, and you may even create a longer lasting or more eco-friendly design, too.”
