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By Dave and Mary
Christmas Is Just Around the Corner
Front Porch Appeal Newsletter - Issue #107
Don't these adorable characters put a smile on your face?
Thank you for being with us for our 2019 Christmas edition of Front Porch Appeal!
Neither of us can hardly believe how close Christmas already is. It will be here in the blink of an eye.
Are you ready? We most definitely aren't yet, but we love the festive holiday season and planning our porch decor.
No matter the size of your porch, holiday decorations are a fantastic way to celebrate the season and welcome friends and family into your home.
Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful. Norman Vincent Peale
Christmas brings a magical feeling to our hearts
This enchanting home decorated beautifully for Christmas is in the Tucker Hill community in McKinney TX.
If you love elegant Christmas decorations like the beautiful home above, then take a look at these, too.
In this edition of our newsletter, Mary and I share decorating ideas to spark your creativity along with gift ideas for those special someone's on your list.
We've also included links to a few of our podcasts that we are sure will be of value to you, especially the one about holiday light secrets of the pros!
And most importantly, take time to enjoy your porch this season.
In This Edition
- Our Christmas Porch
- How About Some Holiday Lighting Ideas?
- Holiday Podcasts Delights
- Look at These Holiday Decorating Ideas
- Try These Christmas DIY Projects
- Holiday Gift Ideas We Found
- Before You Go - Thoughts from Mary
- Sponsor Delights
Our Christmas Porch - Lodge Style
This year our porch is decorated in a cozy, lodge style complete with a stone chase on the fire place, mountain scene wall art we made, an adorable small Christmas tree and a sled that was handmade by Dave.
Our Christmas porch
Dave made the "stone" chase for our fireplace. It sure looks real but it's actually a sort of "contact paper".
The chair cushions are covered in a cozy fleece and simply pinned on the back.
Our Christmas porch at dusk
Simply another view of our porch after it got darker outside. Wanted you to see it where the lights show up more!
A close-up setting on our Christmas porch
Our Christmas wall art
Dave and I made the wall art together from wood shims. Very easy on the budget!
We formed the mountains by cutting the wood shims at angles and then stained the shims in various colors.
The sky is painted with various shades of blue, light blue, gray and black and the stars were done with a paint pen.
The moon is a painted wood slice.
A handcrafted sled that Dave made
Layered Christmas door mats
How About Some Holiday Lighting Ideas?
It wouldn't be Christmas without all of the outdoor lights twinkling in the night.
We remember our parents taking us for rides around town to look at Christmas lights.
Did your parents do that with you?
And of course, you may have stories as we do about our dad's untangling the lights and happily (or not) mounting them on our homes!
Check out these outdoor holiday lighting ideas that you might be able to use or adapt for your home, porch, and yard this year.
Adding holiday yard lighting like the deer below, along with your eave lights, can add big curb appeal to your home.
Maintaining one color of lights makes for a cohesive display.
We've gathered all of our Christmas decorating ideas in one place!
Icicle lights, railing lights, and reindeer make for a wonderful light display
For a whimsical style, how about mixing holiday lights and creative holiday figures.
Tie your light display together by adding a figure or two on your porch.
In the photo below, Santa takes a long awaited break on the porch swing.
Lighted holiday figures, a candy cane walkway and Santa on the porch
If you are fortunate to have a large window, consider creating a magical scene like the one below.
It can definitely be a show-stopper for passers-by.
By Jove, it's Santa!
To celebrate the Real Reason for the season, a gorgeous nativity scene.
Note how the spot lighting illuminates the creche.
Wonderful lighted nativity scene
Holiday Podcast Delights
Mary and I think you'll enjoy listening to our holiday podcasts where we offer valuable tips from two experts on holiday lighting and photographing
Christmas lights.
Christmas Light Decorating Ideas for Your Front Porch and Yard With Bob Lyons Sr
Mary and I are always looking for Christmas light decorating ideas and had a great time interviewing Bob Lyons Sr. with Outdoor Lighting Perspectives in Nashville Tennessee, the experts in all types of
outdoor and holiday lighting.
You'll learn how to safely put lights on a tall tree.
Bob shares lots of ideas to make your holiday easier, safer, and offers tips as how to create amazing holiday light displays.
We enjoyed learning how the experts create such beautiful displays, what lights and spacing to use on our porch, and tips as to how they string lights
on tall trees (possibly like the ones you may have), using wreaths and much more.
Photographing Christmas Lights with Photographer Becca Dorstek
Photographing Christmas lights can be tricky, but Becca Dorstek makes it easy for anyone by sharing her ideas and tips with us.
Becca, a self-taught photographer, has taken amazing photos of Christmas lights on the porches of homes in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn, New York.
Listen to our Photographing Christmas Lights podcast here.
Look at These Holiday Decorating Ideas
Mary and I love this decorated porch by The Rusty Heart and may give you some great ideas for your own front porch this year.
Our thanks to Denise and Audra for sharing their lovely photos with us.
Create a similar array as shown below with just a few items.
Poinsettias, greenery, and holiday ribbon along with a sled, lantern, or other object you may already have can combine to make a festive display.
Simple array of holiday decor
We love the massive garland and holiday ribbon on the porch railings and around the front door.
Adding lights really gives it a warm and welcoming feeling for which to greet family and friends.
Wonderfully decorated front door and porch for the holidays
These Holiday Decorating Ideas Are Charming Too
Cocoa anyone? Love this picket fence Christmas scene!
Like fun Christmas ideas? Then please stop by our Grinch Christmas page.
You can decorate on a budget!
Our inexpensive decorating ideas will go easy on your budget.
Plus keeping it simple is sometimes the nicest thing anyhow.
Do you agree?
Jeanie of Create and Babble decorates simply yet beautifully.
Can you believe the pillow covers are from a tablecloth?
See more of her creative Christmas ideas here.
Blue and white PVC candy canes
Create a wonderful visual holiday display with your lights.
Mixing just the right colors can add extra interest to your home during the holidays and give it a sophisticated appeal.
Criss-crossed candy canes and Santas are so festive!
Don't forget decorating your porch swing for the holidays!
We love the rustic table her with the evergreen centerpiece.
White washed porch swing is perfect with festive holiday pillows
Above two photos are courtesy of our friends at Tucker Hill in McKinney TX.
A very popular holiday decorating scheme year after year seems to be the Grinch!
Did you know the movie is the highest-grossing holiday film and the highest grossing Dr. Seuss film adaptation.
A Grinch Christmas
Use your porch columns to your advantage like the ones shown below.
Use an array of colors or choose just one and make your porch columns a focal point for the holidays.
Magical porch columns are illuminated for Christmas
Not sure where you find Nutcrackers this large but they do make quite an impression.
Nutcrackers standing proud at Christmas
Be sure to see more Christmas decorating tips
Try These Christmas DIY Decorating Projects
We hope you enjoy making a few of our Christmas projects this year.
We make them easy and inexpensive to do and the kids will love helping make these fun project for your porch and yard this year.
Click here for Christmas Project Decoration Instructions and Tips
Holiday Gift Ideas We Found
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
If you make a purchase through affiliate links on our site, we earn a commission at no cost to you.
See our disclosure policy.
We know you are busy and perhaps have a long list of people for whom to shop.
Here are a few holiday gift ideas we thought you'd enjoy without having to actually go shopping!
Gather the family around the table and have s'mores year round - the kids will love 'em for parties throughout the year!
Electric Stainless Steel S'mores Maker - Amazon Affiliate
Better than a pair of socks; this trunk organizer will definitely be handy for someone on your list.
Car or SUV Storage Organizer - Amazon Affiliate
Before You Go
May your heart be peaceful and happy
This time of the year is far more than lights, gifts and parties.
Most importantly, it is a time of sharing and caring and remembering the Real Reason for the season.
Showing up for other people, being kind and taking time for relaxing moments is advice we like to give ourselves.
May you feel that all is calm and all is bright this time of the year.
Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah! No matter the holiday you celebrate, we hope your season is light and peaceful.
Thank you so much for inviting us into your in-box periodically.
We truly appreciate you subscribing to our newsletter and we'll see you in the New Year, porch friend.
We value our sponsors and the products and services they provide.
They are like family to us!
You're invited to be part of our Facebook community.
We share ideas with one another for decorating and using our porches.
We are blessed with over 17,000 followers and would love to count you among them.
Please enjoy browsing past issues of our newsletters right here.
Take a few moments of chill time.
Happy porch sitting from your friends,
Mary and Dave
Life is short. Enjoy your porch.
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
As an Amazon Influencer, we earn from qualifying purchases.
We also earn commissions from other companies where are are participants of their referral programs.
Here is our full disclosure about affiliate marketing.
Hi! We're Mary and Dave, lifelong DIYers, high school sweethearts, and we both love porches.
You've come to the right place for thousands of porch ideas.
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Hi! We're Mary and Dave, lifelong DIYers, high school sweethearts, and we both love porches.
You've come to the right place for thousands of porch ideas.
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