How to Decorate a Small Patio/Deck for Christmas

I live in a townhome and one of the many drawbacks for those of us who do, is the limited space we have to decorate for Christmas, both inside and out. This goes for those that also live in condominiums and apartments not only do we have limited space we also have limited electrical outlets especially on the exterior of our building. If you are lucky enough to have purchased or rented a newer property, you may have outlets on your small deck, patio or front stoop/porch.

Decorating for Christmas can present a challenge, but there are some great ways to decorate even on the smallest patios or deck with just a bit of imagination, some time and a lot of commitment. First of all you need to decide on a theme whether its snowmen, angels or the typical Santa then figure out how many items on your deck need to be stored to make room for your Christmas arrangement. Do you have a patio cover? If yes, then you want it to become part of the arrangement by using lights or garland, if no, than you might want to use some of the deck furniture as part of the design.

Let’s design the deck or patio space on a piece of paper and determine the exact location of each decoration. If new decorations are needed make a list and don’t forget things like nails, tape or tacks.

You may decide to use fabric against a wall as a backdrop and hang lighted stars from the outdoor patio covers. If you don’t have a patio cover, hanging lights from the patio overhang will also keep to the theme. Cover existing furniture with Christmas fabric or black fabric; use garden gnomes to represent elves, small outdoor tree on top of a table. Place wrapped boxes or old toys underneath. Use various sized Styrofoam balls and make snowmen placing them in various levels throughout the area. Buy a used Christmas tree and spray it with fake snow. Buy some berries and birds and maybe a real bird feeders for that old, country Christmas feel.

If you like to sew or make crafts there are some great patterns to make Christmas carolers, see below. Place them around the area or by the door and play Christmas carols.