Front Porch Holiday Decorating Ideas

9 Ways to Decorate Your Front Door for the Holidays

This winter front door display is layered with holiday cheer. See how you can personalize your home's entrance with holiday front door decorations, including evergreen wreaths, garlands, pinecones, and pops of plaid.

Oh, what fun we have while decorating for the holiday season! Your home can look beautiful inside and out with stunning front door winter decorations. This home's entrance is all about layered outdoor Christmas decorations with traditional style. With a few changes here and there, this front door decor can be personalized to meet any homeowner's holiday vision. Learn more about the individual elements that make up this winter wonderland, including classic holiday decorations like wreaths, garlands, ornaments, and plenty of red and green.

1. Layer Holiday Decorations

The trick to a beautiful front door with Christmas decorations is layers. Before you head out to shop for winter home decor, come up with a plan. You'll want a design that has varied height and depth, with the tallest objects tucked up to the wall and other items moving forward as they decrease in size. Stackable objects, such as fake presents, are great for propping other items up and within sight. For your winter front door, consider how you want to layer colors. Do you want a traditional all-red-and-green affair, or do you want to throw in icy blues and elegant neutrals?

basket with pinecones and Christmas decor

2. Fill Baskets with Seasonal Accents

Make your own gorgeous holiday accent by filling a woven basket with an assortment of natural winter elements. We filled ours with white birch logs, oversize pine cones, greenery, and ornaments. Dress up the plain basket with red buffalo check ribbon that matches other elements on the porch.

Editor's Tip: Before filling with branches and ornaments, fill the bottom of the basket with newspaper. It will prop your objects up so you can use fewer pinecones and save them for decorating elsewhere.

Christmas gift decor

3. Display Presents and Packages

We are guilty of waiting until the last minute to get our gift-wrapping done, but these outdoor Christmas decorations are an exception. If you have a covered porch or entryway, wrap a few spare boxes and tie them up with a bow. You can choose to use bright and cheerful wrapping paper or keep it simple with kraft paper and burlap ribbon. It's also a good idea to put a weight in the box before you wrap it to keep the presents grounded during those harsh winter gusts. Just be sure the kids know these presents are off-limits!

false cypress shrub Christmas decor

4. Add Greenery

While gathering front door Christmas decorations, be sure to stop by a greenhouse to pick up plants. This false cypress shrub is bright in color and full of draping branches. We repotted it in a red basket found at our local crafts store. Buy a variety of winter-friendly plants and place them around your porch where the decor looks bare.

white and red plaid doormat

5. Welcome Guests with a DIY Doormat

Dress up your winter front door with a festive welcome mat. Here, a classic plaid print welcomes guests into the home and greets them on their way out. If you have a double front door, consider using a runner or two small mats. We made this DIY plaid doormat with a basic jute runner, red paint, and a touch-up paint roller.

garland with pinecones around door

6. Decorate with Garland

No holiday scene is complete without a beautiful evergreen garland to tie it all together. For classic front door Christmas decorations, connect two identical garlands at the top center of your door. From there, drape each end over the corners of the entrance, keeping the ends loose. A traditional garland would reach all the way to the floor, but we stopped it short to keep the garland separate from the greenery below. Nails work best to hold up your garland, but removable adhesive hooks are a good substitute.

lantern with candles on porch

7. Incorporate Lighting

Add some texture to your design with a glass-paneled lantern. Filled with various-size faux candles, these rustic lanterns illuminate the front porch. The wood finish looks stunning when surrounded by the first dusting of snow and the flicker of candles. After you purchase your lantern, pay attention to the safety instructions. Most wood lanterns are not meant to be filled with real candles. Flameless LED candles are safe and look just as stunning.

mini Christmas tree on box

8. Create an Outdoor Christmas Tree

What holiday setup is complete without a nod to one of our favorite winter traditions? The largest element of this front porch design is two mini spruce albertas that flank the entrance. Decked out in shiny and matte red ornaments, these trees are sure to put you in a festive mood.

The real show-stopper, however, is not the trees but the handmade planter boxes they sit in! Made from light wood planks, these farmhouse-inspired planters are perfect for both the fall and winter seasons. The best part? You can build these farmhouse-style planters yourself with our step-by-step instructions.

pinecone and holly berry decor on doorknob

9. Pay Attention to Detail

Sure, outdoor Christmas decorations are traditionally large (think: trees, garlands, wreaths, light displays) but the holidays would be nothing without the details. Just like ornaments complete a tree, red berries add the perfect final touch to any winter decor idea. We snipped a few strands of greenery from our garland and paired it with faux holly berries. Tie it all together with a pinecone at the top, and you have a beautiful adornment for your door handle. Guests will be impressed with your attention to detail that makes your winter front door decorations stand out.