How to easily decorate your home’s front entrance porch lights for Christmas with greenery that will withstand wind and winter weather.
When going out to the Christmas tree lot to pick out a Christmas tree each year I also like to buy the cuttings from all the trees that they tie up into bundles and sell for a few dollars. I like to use these cut branches to add fresh greens around the house – usually on the mantel and window sills.
But my favorite way to use these cut evergreen pine branches is for outdoor decorations and greenery sprays to hang under the exterior porch light fixtures by my front door
I enjoy welcoming guests with holiday porch decorations since it is the first thing they will see.
When thinking about what holiday decorations to make for your home this year, consider this easy and very affordable way to decorate not only your front porch or entryway, but a door, window, gate, carriage light, or fence post.
I added to the greenery I bought by clipping a few sprigs from a boxwood in my yard to create an interesting mix of texture.
It cost about $5 to make each and took about 30 minutes to create this beautiful holiday porch decoration that adds holiday cheer to my home’s entry.
How To Make a Hook-On Christmas Porch Light Decoration Using Greenery
supplies needed:
- Foam block – preferably green
- Wire coat hanger
- 4 Green chenille stems
- U-shaped florist pins or paper clips (open paper clips and form a U-shape with the wire)
- Variety of greenery from your yard or tree trimmings from a local Christmas tree seller.
- Tree branch snippers
- Optional: ribbon, ornaments, a few more chenille stems
Create Hanger for Greenery
1. Bend the coat hanger as shown and attach with the U-shaped pins. Twist two chenille stems together to create a longer one. Do the same thing with the other two more chenille stems. Wrap and tie them around the foam block as shown. This will be the back of the greenery hanger.
Hang over arm on light fixture. If hanging on a door or window – add a piece of green felt to the back so the wire does not scratch the paint or glass.
How to Attach Greenery to Foam Hanger
My porch lights are large so I wanted to keep the size of the greenery in proportion.
Start by placing the long stem at the top and bottom to mark the length; then mark side edges with shorter stems. Begin to fill in the shape, working from the outside edges of the block, and placing shorter stems on top. Layer until you cannot see the foam block.
To keep greenery fresher longer, dip foam into water. I laid the foam and hanger on the ground outside as I worked on it. Once I had most of it covered, I hung it back up to make sure it was shaped symmetrically.
To create the shape – imagine the shape and size of the cluster you want. I mixed Douglas fir, scotch pine, and boxwood for my holiday porch decoration.
How to Make a Ribbon Bow for Outdoor Christmas Decorations
I made a red bow using red opalescent ribbon using this bow making method. Instead of making only one set of loops with two tails, I made three sets of ribbon loops and tied them all together with two tails.
I tied a few small ornaments to the center using a chenille stem (pipe cleaner) and then tied it all onto the greenery with another chenille stem.
- Add pine cones instead of ornaments or whatever you like.
- To keep the greens fresher longer, mist with water every day.
More Christmas Bow Making Ideas
Here is another style of festive ribbon bow you can use on the porch light greenery. This tutorial shows how you can make colorful bows: How to Make a Bow with a Button Center
More Christmas Greenery and Garland Ideas
When decorating the exterior of your home for Christmas, don’t forget to beef up any garlands you may add around your door or windows. Most garland both real and fake is pretty wimpy.