Hands down, this house wins in my neck of the woods.

I don’t even have ornaments on my inside tree except those my daughter has put on that she’s received from other friends for Christmas this year. I did carry the boxes downstairs last night, though.  I’m hoping when I get home the tree will have decorated itself!

It always amazes me to see people meticulously plan and create Christmas light shows on the outsides of their houses and yards.  I truly appreciate their hard work and dedication, but it just seems like such an overwhelming project to take on.  Maybe some year when my kids are all grown up and I don’t spend 80 percent of my time carting them around, I’ll give it a try.

If you’re ready to do it this year, here are directions from WikiHow,

Decide how big you want it. A channel is a unit of lights that can be controlled individually. For example, a single bush in your yard may be a channel. All the lights in a channel work as a unit (you can’t flash an individual light bulb). 32 to 64 channels is a good size to start with.

There are a lot more good tips if you click through!  Meanwhile, here’s an example of someone’s light show already done!

If you are looking to add lights to your yard this year but want to keep it simple this Outdoor LED Hanging Star from CanadianTire may just do the trick.

Features: $19.99

• Outdoor LED hanging star fades from blue to white
• Decorative option for hanging in trees or around house
• Includes seven LED chips
• Provides great daytime visibility and night-time illumination
• 20" (51 cm) in height

  As a jewelry lover and a home guru I have a passion for all things about the home and anything that  sparkles. So when I came across the blog at A Story Book Life titled "Backyard Bling" I was mesmerized. Pearl says 

" You don’t have to stop with your chandelier crystals! You could also add any number of other items that you might have around the house such as; spoons, forks, vintage keys, strands of beads from old necklaces & bracelets, large seeds, buttons, shells, marbles, beach glass, small ornaments, charms - or anything else that pops into your creative mind :)"

I couldn’t agree more that accessorising your piece of the outdoors with crystals or your favorite momentos, brings both a personal and glamorous atmosphere to your home. On the personal note it reminds me of special memories of my simple childhood visiting my grandmother, times spent gazing and awing at the beautiful light display created by the glamorous Crystal chandelier in her dining room. It was this feeling of whimsy that I felt when I recently visited my sister in-law’s home for a family celebration. We all gathered around the outdoor dining room table on her veranda when I looked up and noticed a custom made rustic chandelier from Decor Interiors & Jewelry by Judith Edwards Designs.com adorned in crystals with a prism light display dancing above our heads. And just like that I felt right at home and isn’t that what its all about?

Sarah, over at Shakinstyle, has some really great outdoor lighting suggestions if you’re tired of all the zapping bug light options. These unique lights make for a more romantic atmosphere as you enjoy the summer evenings outdoors.

I kind of like these Stone Lights by Oluce. Very different and very cool! Check out her post for more ideas!

A solar light with a difference, the Sun Jar is an eco- friendly light from designer Tobias Wong.

At first look, you may think it is a jam jar but on closer inspection you see that it is jammed full of solar cells, batteries
and LED’s instead. The Sun Jar absorbs the sunlight all day and shares it with you at night.

Good looking, practical and environmentally friendly, the Sun Jar gives you light and style all in one. Perfect for those summer nights in your backyard.

For the more modern gardener and a more contemporary landscape, Pure Modern has come up with a round stainless steel torch for your outdoor  entertaining……

"The floating model, slightly reminiscent of a u-boat depth charge, is
pictured here and measures 17cm. It’s the perfect replacement for
floating generic tealights on your swimming pool or water garden."

They also have a stainless version of the traditional ground staked tiki torch that I find to be a bit sterile
looking but I love the idea of the floating version.

via cribcandy