The holiday season is here and it's time to get your decorations out of storage. You clean them up, replace any broken LED lights, and plan out your outdoor Christmas scheme. Don't forget to plan one important piece in decorating for the occasion — securing your decor so all your hard work doesn't come crashing down.

Planning and setting up our Christmas display is one of our most favorite times of the year! We want it to last all season, after all, it's a lot of hard work!

But the result is always worth it. Before you secure outdoor Christmas decor, here are some tips for keeping your lawn and hanging decorations where they are intended.

Stay Grounded

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Let’s start off with keeping those attractive lawn decorations where you want them; on the ground. When buying new decorations, consider how air might flow around or through the decoration.

Decorations with large gaps in between elements or made from porous materials will allow most of the wind to pass through. They may flap in the wind, but they’re unlikely to fall over easily.

Large, flat decorations are going to have a lot of resistance against the wind, much like the sail of a ship. Meaning there’s more chance of them blowing over. It is possible to lessen the resistance of bulky lawn decorations.

To help with this, poke or drill many small holes all across the surface of the decoration. This will let air pass through your decoration instead of pushing it over.

Obviously, you can’t do this with all decorations. Don’t make holes in them if it’s going to ruin them. There are other options.

To attach larger decorations to the rebar, find a discreet attachment point on the decoration and use a cable tie to attach it. You could also use short lengths of wire to join the two.

1. Over-engineer some power stakes that you know won’t be pulled out. To do this, get a bunch of concrete rebar cut to the length you want and a rubber mallet. The longer they are, the deeper you can drive them and the less chance of a metal stake pulling out on a windy day. To attach larger decorations to the rebar, find a discreet attachment point on the decoration and use a cable tie to attach it. You could also use short lengths of wire to join the two.
2. When it comes to inflatables, you’re going to need tie-downs. Most inflatables come with them included, but they might not give you peace of mind. To beef up your inflatable tie-downs, you’re going to need that rebar again. Only this time, attach the rebar to the decoration via strapping and the designated attachment point on the decoration.

Note: Do not display inflatable decorations without tying them down. A gentle breeze will have them on the other side of town in no time.

Pro Tip: If you know there’s going to be a particularly windy day, it’s best to deflate your inflatables. Especially if you’ve reinforced your anchors with rebar. Your anchors might hold, but the decoration itself may come apart at the attachment points in high wind situations. It’s best not to risk it.

Hang ‘Em High

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Now for the decorations that hang. These ones are the most important because there’s more chance of damage if they fall down.

1. The best option is to buy clips specifically for attaching decorations to the outside of your house. Since they’re designed for this specific reason, they can secure a range of decorations including light bulbs and string lights.
2. In a pinch, there are some household items that can save your display. Clothes pegs are the obvious first choice. They’re easy to put up and take down, and shouldn’t damage the finish on your decorations or your house. The downside is that they don’t look great. So they’re not a long-term option or something to do a large display with. But they’re very useful for emergencies.
3. Cable ties are another option that could be used on a longer term basis. You can make them look discreet with a bit of extra work. The problem is you have to cut them all off and use new ones next year. They could also damage the finish of your house and your decorations if used incorrectly or if they get over-tightened in some way.

Pro tip: Don’t use tape to try and hang your decorations. Weak tape won’t hold anything up and will come apart in the rain. Strong tape will damage the finish of anything you stick it to and leave sticky residue behind.

Final Words

Decorating for Christmas doesn’t have to be a stressful situation. With just a bit of knowledge, your decorations will be secure all season.

It’s best to use products that are designed with that specific purpose in mind, but in a pinch, there are household items that can save the day. Having your own rebar anchors is a small investment that you can use for years to secure your lawn decorations.

What do you think about this tutorial? Comment below and let us know.