Looking for the most beautiful DIY outdoor Christmas decorations? Here are 28 insanely cute and easy outdoor DIY Christmas light ideas to make your home the best decorated and to impress all of your neighbors.
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The most magical time of the year is almost here! I cannot tell you how excited I am. Mostly because I love driving around my neighborhood and seeing all the beautiful outdoor Christmas decorations people have put up.
Every time I see a house with a bunch of lights, the first thing that always pops up in my head is “Wow, their electric bill must be high”. LOL! But, speaking for myself, I’d gladly endure a month or two of high electric bills to make sure my house looks like a Christmas fairytale.
Both indoors and outdoors. My parents always go all out for the Holidays, especially Christmas. It’s definitely one of our favorites. We love changing up the decor, doing fun activities, and mostly hanging up the Christmas lights. We usually just buy the lights and decorations to put up since none of us really have the time to make something ourselves.
But, for this year, I’ve convinced everyone in my family to try to DIY a few things. It’ll be super fun and we get to spend time with each other. So, honestly, it’s a win-win. Anyway, if you’ve also been searching for beautiful outdoor DIY Christmas light ideas to recreate, then keep on reading.
I’ve gathered over 25 of the best DIY outdoor Christmas lights that will truly stun everyone. From gorgeous ice lanterns to giant light-up wreaths, and hanging snowflakes, there are plenty of ideas to choose from. I hope you all find what you’re looking for and, MERRY CHRISTMAS!
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OUTDOOR DIY CHRISTMAS LIGHT IDEAS
1. PATHWAY LIGHTS
How insanely cute is this? To recreate this look, simply buy a pack of pathway lights (which you can get from Amazon), and place them in the ground going up the path to your front door.
This is an insanely easy and cheap way to decorate your outdoors. Plus, even if you don’t put up any other decorations outside, these will make your house look amazing.
2. ILLUMINATED GUM DROPS
This is the same concept as above except you’re using giant, illuminated, gumdrops to line your pathway instead.
You can also use them to light up your garden or to make something glow from within, meaning to hide this between your decorations to give it that illusion.
3. LINE YOUR ROOF
Even though there are no other decorations in this house, it still looks incredible. I believe putting up roof lights is a must for any home.
It just gives it that magical Christmas vibe. You can use the classic LED lights or my personal favorite, the icicle lights.
They both look stunning but if you don’t like them, there are also many other options you can choose from as well.
4. FRONT PORCH DECOR
This may just be my favorite outdoor Christmas decor. It’s simple, cute, and festive. Decorating your front porch should be number one on your list in my opinion.
That is the first thing guests see when they pull up in the driveway so it needs to look its best.
One of the very best ways to add a little glow to your front porch is by incorporating pre-lit mini Christmas trees. Just buy one or two from Amazon and place them in cute planters.
5. SNOW LANTERNS
First of all, can I just say how beautiful these look? If you have a decent pile of snow where you live, then you have to recreate these amazing snow lanterns.
This is also a great way to spend some time with the kids and your family. Have them roll little snowballs and make each one smaller as you go.
Create a shape like above and then place tea lights inside to give it that illuminated look.
If you want this to last longer, I suggest using flameless tea lights but if not, you can just use the regular ones. Here is the full tutorial.
6. FROSTED LED GLOBES
This is another super cute and cheap outdoor Christmas light idea. You can buy these frosted globes from Wayfair. They come in a set of three and are super cute.
You can incorporate these literally anywhere you want it. The pathway, your front porch, or the garden. They are great for adding a little glow.
7. DIY OUTDOOR ORNAMENTS
I know most people like to just wrap some string lights around the bottom portion of the tree but why not add ornaments too?
This idea will look good on any shape and size tree.
To recreate this look, you’ll need chicken wire, wire cutters, protective gloves, measuring tape, zip ties, string lights, and wire dry-cleaning hangers.
Check out the full tutorial here.
8. DIY ICE LANTERN
if it’s really cold where you live, this is just the DIY project you need for Christmas. These ice lanterns will make your front porch look magical!
To recreate this idea, you’ll need two empty tin cans, faux greenery and berries, heavy items, tea lights, and some tape.
Here is the full tutorial.
9. LIGHTED CHRISTMAS LOLLIPOPS
I’ve seen so many houses with giant lollipops outside when driving by. I also wanted them in our home but could never figure out how to make them.
That all changes this year, lol! I’ve found the best tutorial to recreate these lighted giant lollipops. They will look like absolute stunners in your yard.
Here is the full tutorial.
10. DIY LIGHT-UP MELTING SNOWMAN
If you have a little extra time on your hands, I highly recommend you recreate this light-up melting snowman.
This craft idea will cost you about $100 but it can be made smaller if you want it to be more affordable.
You’ll need quite a bit of supplies for this but, It’s definitely worth it for the end result. Here is the full tutorial.
11. TOMATO CAGE CHRISTMAS TREE
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option for Christmas lights, then this is the one for you. This is an extremely cheap outdoor Christmas decoration that will wow your guests.
You’ll need two tomato cages, small white lights, large white lights, duck tape, and large planters.
If you’re worried about it not looking good during the day, don’t. Because it still looks amazing. Here is the full tutorial.
12. WOOD PALLET CHRISTMAS TREE
I’ve seen so many different styles of wood pallet Christmas trees but this is by far, my favorite. Not only does it look outstanding but, it is actually super easy to assemble.
Check out the full tutorial here.
13. CHRISTMAS LIGHT BOXES
If you’re looking for upcycled outdoor DIY Christmas light ideas, then this is perfect. These are made out of empty CD cases and the best part is, it’ll take you only about an hour to recreate.
The supplies list for this is actually quite short. You’ll need empty CD cases, clear tape, Christmas lights, and some ribbon to make it festive.
You can have House of the Dragon playing in the background while you do this (or any other show, haha).
Here is the full tutorial.
14. ADD CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TO YOUR OUTDOOR TREE
Adding Christmas lights to your outdoor trees is another fantastic idea to make your home stand out. You really only need Christmas lights and a few minutes of your time.
If you don’t know how to wrap Christmas lights to your tree, you can check out this tutorial that’ll show you exactly how to do it in 6 simple steps.
15. CANDY CANE PATHWAY MARKERS
Candy cane pathway markers are such a brilliant idea for your outdoor Christmas decoration.
Pathway markers are great for many things but one of my favorites is, it makes me feel like I’m walking to a magical place.
LOl, I don’t know if that’s just me but that’s how I feel when I see a bunch of lights lighting my path. Plus, they are insanely cheap.
I absolutely love this one from Amazon. It comes in a set of 12 so you should have enough. If not, just buy two packs or however many you need.
16. DOLLAR STORE BOWLS CHRISTMAS DISPLAY
I would never have guessed that this was made out of dollar-store bowls. It looks too good and honestly looks high-end.
Go to your local Dollar Tree and look for crystal bowls. You’ll need varied sizes of them to make it look like it does above. Check out the full tutorial here.
17. CHRISTMAS LIGHT BALLS
The neighbors will have their jaws dropped with this one. How stunning does this look? To recreate this idea, you’ll need chicken wire, wire cutters, measuring tape, gloves, and LED lights.
Check out the full tutorial here.
18. DIY OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS BALLS
Here is another one for the DIY queens. These are a bit like oversized ornaments but for the outdoors. You can lay them in your garden or front porch to add that gorgeous glow.
You’ll need glass globes, metal tuna/chicken cans, looking glass and silver metallic spray paint, white string lights, pine cones/rocks, and a large flower pot.
Here is the full tutorial.
19. LIGHT-UP CANDY DECORATION
Have some empty milk jugs laying around? Instead of throwing them out, make this creative light-up candy Christmas decoration instead.
You’ll need white string lights, recycled milk bottles, 2 caps, sheets of colored cellophane, and a curling ribbon.
Here is the full tutorial.
20. MASON JAR LIGHT FIXTURE
We all know that mason jars are very versatile and good for many things but, I never thought they could be made into such beautiful light fixtures.
You can place this on your front porch to impress guests and your neighbors, haha! It’ll definitely garner some attention.
You’ll need mason jars, burlap, twinkle lights, and some string to recreate this DIY. Check out the full tutorial here.
21. GARAGE DOOR CHRISTMAS TREE
Since we’re putting up lights everywhere else, why not on the garage door too? It’s a great way to add a little festive touch and, it also brightens up the driveway if you’re coming home late.
If you won’t be opening your garage door for winter, then you should definitely try this out.
If you do need to open and close the garage frequently, then maybe try this on a window or front door.
Check out the tutorial here.
22. HANG UP A GIANT WREATH
How incredible does this look?! Wreaths are a very important part of Christmas in my opinion. You’ll be seeing them everywhere and lots of it.
I have never actually seen this big of a wreath before. It does look spectacular though. You can hang this up on the archway of your front entrance or above your garage door.
I found an amazing one from Pottery Barn that is already pre-lit so you’ll just need to worry about hanging it up.
If you’re having some trouble in that department, you can check out this post that shows you exactly how to do it.
23. CHRISTMAS LADDER
I absolutely love decorating ladders. When I say ladders, I mean the ones meant for displaying items, not the ones you stand on, lol!
Anyway, shelving ladders are great for showcasing your Christmas decorations. Include things like Christmas villages, ornaments, and decorative items.
Finish it off by wrapping string lights around it and place it on your porch.
24. HOLIDAY LIGHT TUNNEL
Are you guys seeing this right now!!! How insane is that? If you are handy and love DIY-ing, then you should definitely try this out. Get your entire family involved if you want to.
That way, you’ll get it done faster and have lots of fun. You can check out the full tutorial here.
25. DIY LIGHT-UP SNOWFLAKE ORNAMENTS
Who says ornaments are only for the Christmas tree? They look just as good anywhere else. Recreate these gorgeous hanging snowflake ornaments using wood laths and LED lights.
This would look even more beautiful if you lined your roof with LED or icicle lights as well. Check out the tutorial here.
26. HANGING STAR LUMINARIES
Similar to the snowflake ornaments, these beautiful hanging stars will illuminate your entire front porch. And, it’s insanely easy to recreate.
You’ll need command outdoor hooks, paper star lanterns, white light strands, extension cords, and twist ties.
If your porch is well covered up and has protection from wind and rain, this will work out great for you. On the other hand, if your porch is not well covered up, it may not hold up well.
Here is the full tutorial.
27. DIY LIGHTED OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS TREE
I am obsessed with this idea. It will look absolutely stunning on your porch.
You’ll need quite a few materials and tools to recreate this but don’t worry, there is a step-by-step post for you to follow.
Check it out here.
28. HO HO HO SIGN
Last but definitely not least, we have this beautiful Ho Ho Ho marquee sign. Greet your guests with this stunning light-up sign that will instantly brighten their mood.
Ok, maybe it won’t “instantly” but it looks d*mn good. You can take a look at the full tutorial here.
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THIS POST SHOWED YOU THE BEST OUTDOOR DIY CHRISTMAS LIGHT IDEAS
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