Turn Your Yard Into a Winter Wonderland With Amazing Decor
Are you planning to throw a holiday party at home? Well, why not utilize your yard to welcome your guests into your winter wonderland? Most people organize Christmas or New Year’s parties inside, but you can take the decorations one level up by thinking out of the box.
It’s fun to arrange things for a winter wonderland in the yard, and your kids will have a perfect place to play with their friends. You can even involve your little ones while turning your yard into a winter wonderland with fantastic decor to get their young minds thinking creatively.
You might find it difficult to build such a winter wonderland by scratch. But with our guide, you’ll be able to do all the decorations yourself. We will also discuss some food ideas that could complement your party’s wonderland theme. So, without any further ado, let’s get started.
THINGS TO DO WHILE ARRANGING A WINTER WONDERLAND IN YOUR YARD
Decide the theme
Before turning your boring yard into a winter-themed escape for a holiday party, deciding the specific theme is essential. Since there are many ways to decorate a wonderland, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. So, setting a theme will let you focus on designing things cohesively.
You can opt for exciting nativity scenes, or even the concept of Santa’s village will amaze your guests. You should also consider the space in your yard before finalizing a theme. If it’s small-sized, basic wintery decorations will do an adequate job. But, if you own a big lawn, you can explore some exceptional ideas to decorate it.
Clean your yard
Since you are organizing a holiday party in the winter wonderland, ensuring hygienic arrangements is crucial. There would be no better time to clean your yard thoroughly. Cut all the wild grass, broom the land to remove the debris and fallen leaves from autumn, and trim your lawn beautifully to add structure.
Plant winter flowers
You might think that winter flowers aren’t a thing, but the reality is the opposite. You can grow greenery even during low temperatures. But, it’s essential to put on their foundation several weeks before the party’s date if you want winter flowers to double-fold the beauty of your yard.
The beautiful flower and snow combo will make your guests stop to adore your innovative outdoor decor. We have also listed some winter plants you can grow to take your Winterland to another level of excitement.
- Flowering quince: Chaenomeles, commonly called flowering quinces, bloom during late winters and early springs. They can survive harsh temperatures easily, hence a perfect choice to complement your winter garden. The Chinese version of this flower can grow at least three meters in height. Moreover, it contains beautiful sets of white and pink flowers. The white flowers definitely serve the purpose of the winter wonderland theme. A complimentary touch of pink is a subtle but interesting way to take your decorations to the next level.
- Boxwood: While white colors should be your focus of attention when decorating in the winter season, adding a green touch won’t do any harm. Try growing boxwood in your garden. Its average height can go up to 15 feet. The combo of dark green and yellow foliage will enhance festive vibes. You can grow boxwood in two ways depending on the space in your yard: a small tree or a widely spread shrub.
- Winterberry: The cute little red berries on a plant will be a pleasing sight for passersby. You can also gift some sweet berries from the plant to your guests. It’s crucial to care for a few considerations before planting this foliage in your garden. You should plant them in an area with partial or complete sunshade. The winterberry plants require at least six to eight hours of sunlight to grow quickly.
- Witch hazel: Witch hazel blooms in late fall and early winter. It’s a small tree you can plant in your garden ahead of winter decor preparations. The cute little flowers with light yellow strings can do an ideal job of making your wintry yard look lively.
Add fake snow
You may have to arrange fake snow in case it isn’t snowing naturally in your area. For that, you can buy artificial snow online. But, such snow won’t last long if you live in a warm area. Hence, you should consider this criterion before spending money on fake snow. If you want to stick to real snow, renting a snowmaker could do the job.
Add lights
No festive vibe is complete without holiday lights. You can drape over the snow tree with white LED strings or some large bulbs on walkways. You have all the freedom to get creative while deciding the placement of lights. Just ensure your winter wonderland shines like a star.
One example is placing the string lights in small jars around the tree. The shining backdrop will win over everybody who becomes part of your holiday party.
Add a touch of a winter fragrance
The cold season has a characteristic smell, which might already be present during the festive season. But, you can take things to the next level by lighting up incense or candles outdoors.
Don’t forget the music
After finishing all the decorations, it’s time to do the last thing to set the mood right for your homemade winter paradise. Grab a sound system and set your favorite playlist on a loop. It’s better to choose songs that perfectly reflect the holiday and festive vibes.
ACCESSORIES TO ADD A CREATIVE TOUCH TO YOUR WINTER WONDERLAND
A winter-themed yard will not be complete until you use unique accessories to decorate it. Here we have shared three ways to transform your yard into a playful winter wonderland.
White trees
Christmas with no tree just wouldn’t be the same. But, a tree for a winter wonderland will be a bit different from a typical green Christmas tree you decorate with garlands and other embellishments. For a winter wonderland, you should get a white tree for a snowy look. You can also use a natural Christmas tree by spraying white paint on it.
Now comes the exciting part of decorations. You can use some transparent beads, strings of white LED lights, and snowflakes to maintain an elite snowy touch. But, you’re not restricted to keeping it all white. There’s always room for other Christmas colors like red and green. You can use berries and bows to turn this idea into reality. Some faux accessories like tree skirts or ornaments can serve as great props for decoration too.
Tablecloths and decorations
Try placing the dining table outside and make it a part of your winter-themed decorations. You can choose from a variety of accessories. For example, you can use huge cotton balls as snow or hang light strings and garlands on the table’s legs.
It would be best if you use white LED lights and spray the wreaths with white paint, so it complements the theme of the winter wonderland. But, don’t forget to use a tablecloth as it is mandatory to ensure cleanliness. A white-colored tablecloth will rightfully serve the purpose of a winter escape.
You can also place festive centerpieces on the table to add a beautiful touch to your yard’s wintry decorations.
Rugs and carpets
Since the color white is the classic theme of a winter wonderland, you should ensure that everything in your yard matches it. One way to do this is by placing white-colored wall-to-wall carpets. If they’re unavailable, white rugs are also a good choice. Or, you can place a huge-sized tent as well and put some white pillows inside to create a cozy space for kids to enjoy.
Some more add-ons
To set the mood for your Winterland, you must focus on decorations. Although we have already discussed some essential accessories that can perfectly complement the winter wonderland’s backdrop, you can also take inspiration from the below ideas.
- Garlands and wreaths on garden fences
- White bows and ribbons
- Decorated archways
- Inflatable decor props
Hanging garlands is an easy approach and gives a perfect touch to the winter vibes in your yard. You can always add a touch of red and green if the party is scheduled for Christmas. You can also buy some inflatable props from Amazon or another online storefront. Hundreds of varieties are available, including Santa, snowmen, reindeer, polar bears, and more.
Fire pits
When planning to spend a cold night outdoors, a fireplace or pit becomes necessary. You can sit around it with your family and friends for hours of unforgettable moments. Preparing a fire pit at home is also possible.
Following the below steps can help you ready your instant fire pit.
- Remove grass from the area.
- Lay some dirt to form the fire pit’s base. Now add some more sand.
- The next step is to get a fire retardant material and place it down. Silica, bricks, or stones are all great options.
- Gather some pieces of wood in the pit and use a match stick to light them. And just like that, your fire pit is ready to spread some warmth.
HOW TO CREATE DECORATION PROPS AT HOME FOR A WINTER WONDERLAND
There is no need to spend hundreds of dollars on decor items, which won’t be helpful after using them once. You can instead go economical by preparing them at home with available things like paper and dough. Below are some really fun ways to enrich your winter wonderland with fantastic decorations using simple ingredients.
Snowflakes made of paper
Do you love crafting exciting things from a single piece of paper? Then, it’s time to save some money by showcasing your skills. You will need several white papers and the proper technique to fold them into snowflakes.
The best part is that you can let your kids get in on this job too. It will save you time, and the little ones will definitely develop an interest in artwork. Their motor skills will also improve simultaneously. But, you must first teach them the right way to fold it.
- Take a piece of plain white paper and fold it half diagonally.
- Repeat the first step two more times.
- Draw different designs on each piece of paper and cut them out with scissors.
Your kids might need your help in the beginning. But, once they know the right way to do it, you will have hundreds of snowflakes ready in no time. You can hang them on the snowy tree, decorate the dining table with them, or hang them in the windows to show off from inside and outdoors.
Christmas ornaments from dough
For Christmas ornaments, you can use some salt dough. It is easier and more cost-effective than buying those expensive embellishments that are heavy on your budget. You can find all the ingredients to create this dough in your kitchen.
Follow the below steps to have your inexpensive, homemade ornaments ready for the winter wonderland setup in your yard.
- Take two cups of plain flour and add one cup of salt and water each.
- Knead the dough just the way you do for baking bread.
- Now spread it on a countertop and cut it into different exciting shapes. You can use cookie cutters or molding trays to create impressive designs more easily.
- Take the baking tray and line it with parchment paper. Then, place all your cute little creations on it.
- Put the tray inside a preheated oven and bake it for at least three hours on a low setting.
- Once they are properly baked and cooled, you can use paint to enhance their beauty.
Create Christmas cards
If you have planned to throw a party in your winter-themed yard, it’s time to create some fancy Christmas cards for your guests. You can craft them at home or even let your kids do them. Handmade cards will always remain relevant to the festive seasons and the sentiments behind this gesture are unmatched.
In fact, you can also prepare cards for those friends and family members who didn’t make it to your Winterland festivities for any reason. Delivering them with a small gift can help bring the celebrations right to their home as they will know how much you value them in your life.
FOOD IDEAS TO SERVE IN YOUR WINTER WONDERLAND
Are you done with the winter wonderland decor? It’s now time to turn your attention to what you will serve your guests at your holiday party. Without good food, your efforts in decorating the yard will go in vain. Hence, we will share some food ideas to ensure your guests return full and happy.
Drinks
Having no warm drinks on the party menu will waste a significant opportunity to impress your guests. With the winter-based dropback and cold waves, hot drinks will be a perfect choice to start the party.
- After-ski wine: You can prepare this strong and warm drink at home to serve your guests with a few simple ingredients. The items you will need to prepare this drink include water, sugar, oranges, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and any type of red wine. It will certainly be a strong drink, so serve it with an adults-only tag. Your guests will feel some much-needed coziness in the freezing environment with a single sip of this drink.
- Almond-flavored coffee: Coffee is always a crowd-pleasing beverage, especially in chilly outdoor settings. Brew some fresh coffee beans and stir them with high-quality cream and a nut-flavored liquor. A tasty and flavorful drink is ready to serve everyone who visits your winter wonderland-themed get-together.
- Cinnamon roll cocktail: Enough of serving fruit punches as cocktails; it’s time to get creative and try out this cinnamon roll cocktail. You will just need whole milk, RumChata, Irish cream, whisky, and cinnamon sticks to prepare this warm cocktail at home.
Main courses
After drinks, we come to the much-awaited main course. You should prepare a type of food that will help your guests stay warm without compromising taste. Below are a few ideas that you can explore.
- Instant Pot french onion soup: Soup is typically used as a good starter, but you can also include it in the main course. It’s a comfort food and preparing it won’t require much effort. You can prepare this dish ahead of time and then broil it half an hour before serving. Garnish it with some melted cheese for a flavor burst.
- Pulled chicken tacos: Pulled chicken tacos are always relevant, be it winter or summer. You can slow-cook your well-seasoned chicken in a cooker like a CrockPot to serve your guests. Then put out some side items like red cabbage, parsley, and onion for guests to top their tacos with.
- Salmon chowder: Fresh salmon filets cooked with potatoes, cream, and bacon will serve as a delicious and interesting dish. Serve it in a pot and quickly garner appreciation from your guests.
WRAP UP
Holiday parties are always fun to host. You can add to the festive vibes by turning your yard into a winter wonderland through fantastic decor. You can pull off the event like a pro with all the correct items and early preparations. We hope our guide will help you organize a successful winter-theme party and that all your guests leave with a never-ending appreciation for your creativity.