A gateway to holiday magic

There’s nothing more festive and inviting than a neighborhood that collaborates with its Christmas lights. When neighbors coordinate decorations with each other, it brings in visitors from other neighborhoods to enjoy the Christmas light displays. News of an opportunity to see Christmas lights spreads fast. At the very least, it will be a fun project for the neighbors to enjoy for themselves. If you and your neighbors want to spread some Christmas cheer together this year, check out these neighborhood entrance Christmas light ideas.

How to coordinate decorations with your neighbors

Whether with a couple of neighbors or the whole neighborhood, coordinated decorations require planning and cooperation. Take some of these tips and a good attitude with you as you spearhead your neighborhood’s Christmas décor.

Communicate ahead

Planning Christmas decorations for multiple homes requires time, planning, and flexibility. It’s best to start well in advance so that when the holidays come around, you’re all ready to go. We recommend putting out feelers for coordinating décor with your neighbors in early to mid-October. It might feel early for some people, but time tends to fly at the end of the year. Depending on the extent of your coordination and the intensity of your décor, you will need the time.

Pick a theme

Outsiders should be able to notice that you coordinated with your neighbors. Choosing a cohesive theme and sticking to it is the best way to go. You can choose the same theme every year and make a tradition out of it. You can also be extra and pioneer something new every year. It all depends on how involved you and your neighbors want to be. A theme can range from a coordinated color motif – light white and blue – to an entire production – like the Nutcracker.

Use the same lights when possible

Different light manufacturers may produce lights that differ slightly in quality and color. “Green” can mean something completely different for different brands of lights. If you want your lights to look clean and coordinated, you and your neighbors should consider buying the same lights. This won’t always be possible, and that’s okay. You can still craft an effective coordinated light display.

Coordinate porch and driveway décor

At the very least, you and your neighbors can collaborate on a cohesive porch or driveway décor plan. This can make a bigger impact than you might think. This can mean something as simple as all hanging the same wreaths or garland. When people drive past all your houses with coordinated porches and driveways, they’ll be impressed.

Christmas light ideas for your neighborhood entrance

The entrance to your neighborhood sets the tone for its holiday festivity. We encourage you to get creative with your neighbors to craft a great entrance light display. Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.

Decorate for night and day

While you’ll likely get more visitors at night, don’t disregard the daytime décor experience. Try to strike a balance with decorations that look great at any time of day. The Christmas lights should enhance the display once the sun goes down. Using greenery and flowers is a great way to do this. 

Illuminate your sign

If your neighborhood entrance has a sign, highlight it! String lights around the sign and even light up the lettering for an impactful introduction to your neighborhood. Just make sure you don’t block any directional signage that people need to use to navigate.

Go sculptural

A breathtaking sculptural scene at the entrance to your neighborhood will invoke shock, awe, and wonder from visitors and residents alike. You can hang snowflakes from trees, set up a winter scene on the grass, and more. Nowadays, there are many pre-made sculptural decorations to choose from – from inflatable Santas to light-strung nativity scenes. Discuss with your fellow neighbors how a sculptural element can introduce your theme at the entrance of your neighborhood.

Use your rooflines

Make your rooflines shine by stringing lights between one another. You can string simple LED bulbs back and forth across rooflines. You can even hang a sign or sculpture between houses. This is a great way to string the neighborhood together, literally, and create an immersive Christmas light experience. It will make you feel like you’re driving through a winter wonderland every time you leave or return to your home.

Curate an experience

If you and your neighbors want to go all out, you can create an entire progressive experience for inevitable visitors. This one will require high-level collaboration from the majority – if not all – of your neighborhood. Tell a story with your décor that people can follow and enjoy as they drive or walk through the neighborhood. Each house can be responsible for a different element of the experience. The best go-to ideas come from classic Christmas movies, plays, and musicals. For example, you could turn your neighborhood into a rendition of A Christmas Carol. Bring visitors through the adventures of Ebenezer Scrooge with themed homes from start to finish.

Hire help

Any level of Christmas décor requires time, money, and energy. There’s no shame in hiring experts to execute your Christmas lights. At Blitzen Lighting, we customize a Christmas lighting plan and install it all for you. We can help you and your neighbors light up your neighborhood this holiday season.

The bottom line

Any level of coordination will make an impact. If you and your neighbors collaborate on your Christmas décor, you can expect visitors from near and far to catch word and come by. You’ll feel the joy and satisfaction of working together with your neighbors and spreading holiday cheer to your community. We hope some of these neighborhood entrance Christmas light ideas spark inspiration for you. Remember you can contact Blitzen Lighting for all your Christmas light installation needs!