Have the best outdoor decorations on the block this Christmas

The exterior of your home is an important tool for spreading Christmas joy this holiday season. Consider these elements when decorating your home for public display.

If there is one thing that gets families excited for the holidays, it is decorating the outside of the family home.

• Sometimes the decor can be as subtle as a few lights strung along the outside of the house with a small nativity scene in the front yard. Other families take the decorating process to an extreme level.

Having an overall theme helps you accent the best parts of your home and make your house stand out.

• You can choose anything from Santa accessories to stockings to winter wonderland. There are always creative ideas for making your home stand out in an amazing way.
• From classic and simple Christmas decorating ideas to over the top, there's no wrong way to choosing a theme that works for you.

When decorating your house for the holidays, there are a few safety precautions that will help ensure that you spend your holidays in high spirits.

• Stringing lights along the gutters of your home helps create a cohesive and eye-catching display, but you should make sure that you are using outdoor lights to avoid creating a hazard.
• Follow safety precautions such as using weatherized extension cords and properly grounding your source of electricity.
• If you find a burnt-out bulb in a string of lights, replace it as soon as possible. A burnt-out bulb takes more energy from the source of power and shortens the lifespan of other lights on the string.
• Avoid having more than three sets of lights running on the same outlet, and make sure that the power is shut off when you are away at work or going to bed at night.

Don't limit your decorations to the house. The space you have on your lawn allows you to further spread the Christmas cheer.

• Blanket lighting works great because it's a net of LED lights that is easy to put out and clean up.
• Create an illuminated path by lining walkways with mini tree lights or stake lights.
• If you have a fence that looks bland, hang garlands off of the fence and adding a bow to the presentation for the perfect effect.
• You can even go so far as dressing a tree on your property as a Christmas tree.

These simple approaches can spruce up your property and make your house stand out this Christmas,