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 It seems every year that Christmas yard decorations are getting more elaborate and modernized. It may be due in part to the fact that technology is ever changing. More and more commercialized products and lighting displays are being hooked up to computerized control systems that synchronize the lights to music. This has added a new dimension to the face of decorating. Aside from the lights on the house, other lights can be used on trees, bushes, ground cover, light poles, flag poles and items placed in open spaces on the ground.
The lights can, of course, be bought in a variety of colors and flashing sequences. But Christmas yard decorations made purely of lights without any shapes or figures of holiday items can present a lifeless appearance. Depending on your own visions of creativity, or lack thereof, you may consider buying a barrage of lighted figures or simply make your own, and light them up yourself. Every year, inflatable displays are available on the market, some are enclosed in a dome with snow scenes and yet others are placed out in the open. The stand-alone figures are mostly placed on the ground (snowmen, Santa, elves, nativity characters), and yet others are capable of being hung up for a more dynamic feel (reindeer, Santa’s sleigh, Christmas star).
One of the great things about the inflatable Christmas yard decorations is that there are so many available, that many types of scenes can be created. For example a winter scene with penguins, polar bears, snowmen and other winter figures can be arranged and interact with each other. The same can be done with Santa, some of his elves and reindeer can be put together to make a workshop scene. Other commercialized figures such as Peanut characters, Frosty the snowman, Disney, Warner Brothers and religious figures can also make a theme. They can even be combined to add to the charm. Imagine Charlie Brown and Snoopy visiting the Manger in Bethlehem to see the new born king. Inflatable characters store rather well but are somewhat delicate and do not have the longevity of Christmas yard decorations made of more durable materials.
In more recent years Christmas yard decorations have had animated capabilities. Some figures have robotics built in, but have a limited life due to the natural wear of moving components. As an alternative, there is now lighted animation, or sequentially lighted figures that don’t move, but have the appearance of movement. The animation can add funny dynamics to your display and can draw attention from anyone passing by. Expect to have some cars stopping in front of your house to admire these displays. There are even Light Emitting Diode (LED) displays, which can last for an indefinite amount of time. These lighted displays will last longer, but tend to be higher priced and utilize more storage space. Many of these displays fold up for easy storage. They need to be packed away in padded boxes you can even shop for specialty light storage boxes or reels to prevent damage. It’s important to consider your available storage space in your attic, garage or crawl space before investing in these types of decorations
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