One of most cherished memories many people have during the holidays is the annual tour of the neighborhood to view festive Christmas decorations on every neighbor's front lawn. The display of outdoor lawn decorations is a warm way to spread the joy of yuletide season to friends and family. There is such a variety of lawn decorations that many home owners try to outdo each other with flashy Santa Claus in a sleigh or playing golf, a stunning large Snowman, or a holographic Snoopy and Charlie Brown display.These brightly lit displays are often well-organized and impressive, with many flashing lights. Families especially love to view these decorations, often comparing homes to discover which home has the best lawn decor. Cities often sponsor competitions for the best Christmas lawn decor during the holidays.

If this is the first time for a homeowner, included here is some helpful advice in choosing and setting up outdoor decorations. First of all, start shopping early in the season so that there are more styles available. Don't go for overdone gaudy or showy displays, instead go for the simple and elegant that communicates a message. Keep in mind that the electric bill will be higher during this time, due to the extra use of lighting. Budget for the increase in expense, and also get an outdoor timer that will automatically turn lights on and off.

The goal for the homeowner is to set up a holiday display that has a central theme to convey a special holiday message, which could be light, humorous or cheery, for example. Don't mix serious with humorous, as this will look oddly confusing to the viewer. There are so many outdoor lawn decorations sold, that the homeowner should carefully decide exactly where each piece should be placed on the front lawn. Plan to enhance the outdoor lawn displays with adding blinking or clear lights on trees on the lawn. Also, try a message display such as "Season's Greetings" or "Merry Christmas", for example.

Remember to stay within a special theme and do not try to combine themes because a central theme to your outdoor Christmas decor will be more striking, directly communicating the unique holiday message.

Stay with the characters you intend to display, do not combine a holographic Snoopy with Santa Claus playing golf. Try to be unique and special in your neighborhood, as many home owners try to imitate each other in order to outdo the other with flashy displays. And remember Christmas is the time of creating special memories and sharing joy with family and friends.