We’re well into the festive season now, which makes it a great time to enjoy some more festive decorations in your garden! One of the most beautiful things about Christmas is that everyone has their own take on it – you can choose Christmas decorations that are bright and cheery, soft and comforting, or classy and sophisticated. In fact, whatever atmosphere you’ve worked on cultivating for your outdoor space with your Indian paving stones, rest assured that you can always find Christmas decorations that fit perfectly into that vibe.
And if you’re still trying to work out where to start, here are some of our top suggestions…
Get creative with your lights
When it comes to festive decorations, Christmas lights are one of the very first things that most people think of, so it makes sense to start with them! First, you’ll need to decide what kind of feel you want for your outdoor space, as the character of your lights can have a hugely influential effect on their surroundings. Colourful lights can make the place feel instantly cheerier, while soft white string lights can have a soft, calming effect – putting onlookers in mind of a picture-perfect white Christmas. You can even use a mix of them, for an intriguingly unique effect.
If you’ve already got outdoor lighting lining your patio or garden pathways, you might want to switch them out for your more festive options for the duration of the season – or simply install the Christmas lights as a cheery addition to your existing lighting. If you’re planning on setting up any part of your patio or garden for a bit of cosy Christmas stargazing (more on that in just a moment), then you could concentrate any new lights around that area first.
All about the ornamentation
You’ve got broadly the same choice when it comes to your garden ornaments – do you dress up what you’ve got already, or go out and get something completely new?
Lots of people like making little festive changes to their existing garden ornaments – and it’s easy to see why. Not only is it often cheaper, but can also provide plenty of opportunities to be fun and mischievous. A dignified statue along your garden path can be made a little more festive with a jolly Santa hat on its head for example, or a couple of candy canes hooked onto its arm.
Alternatively, if you like your existing garden ornaments just as they are, you might prefer to get something entirely new – and if that’s the case, you’ve got no shortage of options! If you’ve got the room and the inclination, there are plenty of powered attractions you can go for, such as a light-up reindeer wireframe, or a large acrylic Santa.
If you’re thinking of something a little more low-key on the other hand, you can choose something a little more subtle, such as a small wooden sculpture. If this latter option appeals, you can even make a game out of placing them yourself and then going on a hunt for them with any younger members of your family, not dissimilar to an Easter egg hunt. It’s the ideal option if you want to encourage a sense of exploration and discovery in your garden.
Set up a cosy space for outdoor quality time
If you’ve recently had a fire pit installed – or if you plan to do so soon – then this can provide the perfect opportunity for the entire family to enjoy some cosy Christmas quality time together. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to have a fire pit to do this; even something as simple as an electric heater and a sheltered area can be sufficient. The main thing is to ensure that everyone’s wrapped up and comfortable, and that none of your heating elements are in danger of posing a flame risk to any nearby shelters or fabrics!
Once you’ve got the safety side of things sorted, you can choose to have some quality family time in the evenings – where the Christmas lights can be admired in their full majesty – or in the late afternoon of a sunny Saturday or Sunday, and watch the sun go down together. Perhaps even with a cheeky glass of mulled wine or two! Obviously though, everyone will need to take extra care of wine and hot drinks around your patio, as it’s both liquid and acidic. That means it can easily end up sinking into the porous stone, potentially leaving marks – so make sure to have the garden hose on standby!
These are just a couple of our ideas though – you might well have one or two of your own! Ultimately, we’ll leave the creative side of things to you. As for us, we’ll stick to doing what we do best: supplying the highest quality sandstone paving in the whole of the UK, including Kota Black, Kandla Grey, Autumn Brown and Golden Leaf.
Our Indian sandstone is imported straight from ethically operated quarries in India, so if you’re looking to give your patio the perfect upgrade, feel free to give us a call today on 01282 860571 - we’re happy to help!