When it comes to decorating for the holidays, most people have a routine for what they do inside their home.

But when it comes to front porch holiday decor, often people aren’t sure what to do other than string up some lights.

The best thing about front porch holiday decor is that there are right or wrong ways to go about making the outside of your home stand out. It’s the perfect spot to try something a little more daring, diverge from your usual indoor color scheme, or bring back some nostalgia for holidays of the past.

Here are eight ideas that get you inspired for your front porch holiday decor.

Go With a Theme

Is there one thing that really says “holidays” to you? If so, why not make that your decor theme? Whether it’s something more general like winter wonderland, or something more specific such as your favorite holiday movie, having a theme gives you inspiration to pull from.

Make Your Planters Into Presents
If you have planters or large pots that usually have seasonal greenery, you can easily transform them into something festive for the holidays that fits the bill for your front porch holiday decor. Use evergreen boughs and other winter greenery, add some pretty branches, berries and other decor. Then wrap the planters in wrapping paper and bows to make them look like presents.

Layered Greenery
Tis the season for all things evergreen, so there’s no limit to how it can be used to spruce up your front porch. Make wreaths, decorate the railings, hang some from the lighting — there’s really no right or wrong way to do this.

Berries on branches, birch sticks, or any outdoor plants that can withstand the weather in your area options you can include. Remember, you can find these items everywhere from your fave home decor store to the local holiday market.

Bouquet in a Basket
If you have a small front porch or you don’t really have time to spend on a full-on decorating extravaganza, you can keep it simple with a bouquet in a basket.

Find a large basket, line the bottom and then stack it full with greenery, ornaments and other holiday decor.

Decorate an Outdoor Tree
Not all christmas trees need to be inside! Whether you go with an artificial or a real tree, you can find something in just about any size to adorn your porch.

Choose a tree that is to scale with your home, string it with outdoor lights and then decorate it from top to bottom. We recommend using shatterproof ornaments so that if something gets bumped (or it’s a windy day) it won’t get broken.

Add Some Vintage Flair
There’s something about the holiday season that brings out the nostalgia, so why not use those memories of past holidays to enhance your front porch holiday decor? An old child’s sled, a worn pair of skates, and a set of vintage mugs with a tray can add that rustic feel without breaking the bank.

A fun idea is to use a worn wooden ladder that can be used for dual purposes —enhancing the vintage look AND adding more space for display.

Light It Up
Nothing says holiday season like seeing all the twinkling lights, so why not give your neighbors something to smile about when they walk by? Gone are the days of a huge electricity bill thanks to LED lights, so there’s nothing stopping you from going all out.

Choose a theme of a few colors, or go all out and include every color in the rainbow. String lights across the porch, around windows and doors, on furniture and anywhere else you can safely secure them and you’ll make a big impact with not a huge amount of effort.

Embrace the Neutral
If you don’t love the traditional holiday colors like red and gold, there’s still lots of options for creating a neutral look that still has a holiday feel.

Using natural material like burlap, you can still create bows, wreaths and other dressings that don’t necessarily scream “holiday decor!”. Choose items that have natural textures and create a color palette of browns, creams and warm greens.

Getting Creative with Front Porch Holiday Decor

Like anything else you decide to decorate in your home, creativity and choosing things that reflect your personal taste are what really matters. Front porch holiday decor is all about having fun and creating something eye catching, so whatever looks great to you is fair game.

Get crafty, try some new ideas and get the whole family involved. Because no matter what you do for the holidays — even if it’s spending an afternoon putting out your front porch holiday decor — it’s always a good time to make new memories.