Outdoor Christmas Wreath
Outdoor LED Christmas Lights
LED Outdoor Christmas Lights

And whether you make you own or have yours made, outdoor Christmas wreaths make every welcome warm.

So if you're looking for a little fragrant and festive holiday cheer in the form of winter's landscape, an outdoor Christmas wreath is guaranteed to deliver.

Nothing says Happy Holidays! like a festive touch of greenery!

And the best outdoor Christmas wreaths come from plants that don't bail on us as winter sets in and that are already in our yards.

Ideally, you want to always use fresh cuttings.

Look to plants growing in your winter landscape like holly, southern Magnolia, snowberry, pyracantha, callicarpa, and boxwood. And conifers like firs, pines, and spruce.

Really anything goes if it produces berries or cones and livens up your outdoor Christmas decorations.

Use any of this greenery to dress up your wreaths, mistletoe kissing balls, pine bough swags and garland -- especially if their berries are left in tact.

Then there's the ever-popular poinsettia. Added to a wreath and accented with inexpensive berry stems adds color, texture and dollop of interest.

But why stop with poinsettias? Be a little fearless and use outdoor LED Christmas lights in combination with carnations, mums, baby's breath, and roses.

All these are pretty inexpensive at your neighborhood grocer and t hey come in every color imaginable!

On the other hand, fresh cuttings do require maintenance.

So don't write off artificial greens as hopelessly unattractive, because they're really pretty nifty, too.

Artificial has come a long way. And what you can get today is much more creative and realistic than you may think.

So if you're strapped for time, artificial greens get the job done.

Another up side to faux -- they can come pre-lit with traditional outdoor led Christmas lights or fiber optic lights that fade and move along the shape of the wreath.

Artificial greenery can be reused year after year.

It can also be disassembled and perpetually re-purposed for other craft projects.

And tiny embellishments you add yourself really warm up artificial greens.

This way, you get to be a little crafty while the artificial greenery gets prettier. Me thinks that's a win/win!

But don't get the idea that artificial greens and real greenery are mutually exclusive. They aren't.

So cheat a little and mix it up! You'll be surprised how a little hybrid combo fools the eye.

Try adding artificial berries to a live wreath, or get an artificial wreath and accent it with live berries.

Or better yet, insert fresh-cut greens and pinecones in an artifical wreath. Real pine dresses it up and you get the fragrance, too.

And remember, your outdoor Christmas decorating efforts should start at the approach to your home -- not at the door.

Trim your outdoor Christmas trees, your fences, and your gates, your lampposts, and your dog and cat houses with wreaths, garland and ribbons and LED outdoor Christmas lights.

All these little touches gently lead holiday visitors to the warm confines of your home by way of a fanciful display of cheery and festive outdoor Christmas decorations where the journey crescendos at your welcoming and festive outdoor Christmas wreath hung on the door!

Sorry.

I can get so carried away sometimes!;-)

A wreath on the door, on a staircase, in your windows, on a gate, or on a light post is always a wonderful touch. Especially with a little garland lending its charm.

And if you add holiday berries or even artifical fruit to your outdoor Christmas decorations, you'll take that cozy, homey holiday feeling right on out to the curb.

And while we're on the topic of fruit, mistletoe attached to your outdoor Christmas wreath with faux berries, or lemons, or oranges with a sprinkling of cranberries and limes adds a dash of instant color that's sure to tickle the eye.

So show off a little!