by Janice Henshaw –
Isn’t it great to sit outside 12 months of the year? We are lucky enough to do this on the coast due to fire pits, propane heaters, outdoor lights, weatherproof furniture and the protection of structures such as gazebos and covered patios in all kinds of weather – even if it snows! So, it’s natural that we have a great interest in decorating these spaces.
A quick and easy step is adding fresh greenery to our window boxes and planters – they will look attractive all winter. Peat moss or sand can be added to the soil mix if it is too heavy or wet, just enough so that it’s easy to poke in twigs, holly with berries, freshly cut branches of cedar, balsam fir, and pine. Their scent is heavenly! If you want them to glow at night, place a coil of battery-operated LED lights on the soil mix.
A display of hearty shrubs and small trees in colourful painted or burlap-wrapped pots will also look cheery. At Christmas, decorate them with bells, striped ribbons, and mini-lights. Colourful glass or plastic ball ornaments, candy canes and pine or fir cones will all add a festive air. To go big, especially if you don’t have room inside your home, place your Christmas tree outside on your deck or patio. A live Christmas tree will much prefer outside temperatures to a warm house. Sing along to carols, pop some corn, and have fun decorating it with family and friends.
Lights are so magical! Starlight, moonlight and candlelight all seem to offer a promise to us. On dark, stormy nights, a house with outdoor festive lights gives off a spirit-lifting welcome. LED lights can brighten dark corners, make pathways and stairs safer for guests and create a festive air. Mini and icicle lights can be battery-powered, solar, or corded electric and come in various warm or cold white or multiple colours. Fairy string lights are especially dramatic at night and can be hung on walls, outdoor fireplace mantles, roofs, around doors and windows, on decks and porches, stair rails and trees.
Curtain lights hang from a top string and can display shapes such as stars of different sizes. The multiple strings of lights give the appearance of a cascading sheet of twinkling lights that can be programmed to fade slow or fast, stay on steadily, twinkle, blink or chase, and most come with a memory function so that they automatically turn on to the last setting used. If they don’t come in the colour you want, you can hang a sheer fabric over white lights to create your own ambience. Some of the 300-light 10- by 10-foot curtains can run on three triple-A batteries, a USB plug to a power bank, a port hub, or a regular phone charger base. No need for an extension cord!
Wood or metal displays for the lawn or home can be creative and fun; they are durable, too, and can be repainted over time. There are many choices – Santas and Grinches on stakes, snowflakes to hang from the eaves, colourful gift boxes with ribbons, solar owls or Santas, Snowpeople, reindeer, Christmas trees and solar fireworks, to name a few. These displays, either bought or, better yet, home-crafted, will last longer than plastic blow-up displays.
Firepits placed under protective cover, such as a gazebo or deck, provide a relaxing place to unwind as you relax and watch the dancing light. It also provides a great gathering place to enjoy the company of family and friends. Add an indoor/outdoor rug, draw in some all-weather chairs around the fire and snuggle up in cozy blankets and pillows. Play some of your favourite music and enjoy the wonder of looking up at the stars. It feels pretty good to be warm and dry while you listen to the rhythm of winter rain, which is often missed because of our well-insulated homes. This is another good place to put your Christmas tree decorated with twinkling lights.
When entertaining guests, it’s handy to have a patio serving cart with wheels that you can decorate with a vase of flowers or greenery. Prepare some appetizers and seasonal beverages – hot cider or Gluhwein (a hot spiced red wine drink) and spicy Chai, green or herbal teas. Mixing up some wicked cocktails might be fun – a traditional old-fashioned, espresso martini, the warmth of a Moscow Mule, or a little shot of Drambuie made from honey and spices. Hot chocolate topped with whipped cream and some chocolate shavings is another sure-fire winner, especially with the younger crowd.
To ensure a safe Christmas for your family, remind them to take outdoor safety precautions. Ensure there is no danger of shock from lights and that all candles are out of reach so that they won’t be explored or knocked over by little tykes and pets. Only use an extension cord outside if it is classified as weather resistant; they aren’t waterproof, so never immerse their plug and outlet ends in water. Indoor extension cords have less durable outer coverings and are usually shorter and lighter by comparison. Please do not climb on rain-slicked or icy, snowy roofs to hang Christmas lights – so many people have been injured in falls from roofs at Christmas. Either hire someone who specializes in hanging lights or be safe and hang lights around doors, windows, and in the branches of trees. Another option is to buy coloured floodlights and position them to beam on your house or light up your trees –not on your neighbours! It’s a good idea to be mindful of those who live next door – too many lights may interfere with their enjoyment of a dark sky.
The best winter outdoor decorations are often free – crystals of light reflecting off newly fallen snow, the magic of frost etched on branches and windows. A child bundled up in a snowsuit with cherubic red cheeks. Warm hugs, the feel of a warm hand in yours. The sound of carols in the night air. Being enveloped in the love of family and friends. I wish all of it for you – and may your heart fill with undimmable optimism and hope to bring in the New Year.
“Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” – Helen Keller.
