The balance you should be trying to achieve is to convey a real sense of fun and spirit during the festive season without making your garden look like a mini theme park. There is so much to choose from when it comes to outdoor Christmas decorations that it can be a real task deciding what to actually opt for.

Amongs the outdoor decorations available, animated ones are popular, featuring traditional scenes and things such as moving santas and reindeers accompanied by a sleigh. Inflatable outdoor decorations are also available in blow up form as santa or a snowman, along with tamer decorative items like balloons.

If you want to make outside your home a local distraction be my guest, but if you want it to just look great and mildly understated then follow these guidelines.

1)Pick a theme for outdoors and follow it to the letter.

2)If your design is modern, then go with more fashionable outdoor decorations.

3)If your design is a religious scene or similar, then opt for traditional decorations.

4) Choose something a little bit more unusual than your standard fare, such as snowmen or santas. How about a light up palm tree or an animated decoration design.

There is nothing to stop you from changing your theme every year or every few years, other than cost of course. If you take a little time and effort to create a great Christmas theme, with well selected outdoor Christmas decorations, it will compliment other homes in your neighbourhood and delight passers by in the process.