The American holiday tradition appeared to have been pushed further and further into private corners of the house for decades. Sometimes families went into an enclosed room to open presents, or they limited their festive cheer to the back yard. But there is a lovely transformation going on. The ‘Outdoor room’ is making a comeback nationwide. The simple front porch is no longer just a place to transition, it’s now the place where family holiday traditions come together.

This revival is a culmination of a desire to connect – not only with our own family, but with our own community. We’re bringing the action to the front yard and welcoming the season to the street.

Suburban house with American flag and colorful flower beds.

The Neighborhood Gathering Spot is back!

The reinvigorated front porch is the new answer to a digital age. One of the most rewarding times for families is when they are out of the door. For these spaces to be welcoming, many homeowners are choosing to hire professional Christmas lighting installers to help ensure a warm, festive, and non-cluttered outdoor living environment.

  • Hot Cocoa Open Houses: Many families are choosing to have “porch hours,” instead of formal dinner parties in the home that can be stressful. A small cocoa station, equipped with thermoses and peppermint sticks makes the porch a convenient meeting place.
  • Caroling Launchpads: The front porch is an ideal venue for multi-generational caroling for its convenient access. The family members can sit in beautifully decorated rockers while the younger members of the family gather on the steps to sing.
  • Outdoor Gift Exchanges: Small gift exchanges are coming to the outdoors. A professional Christmas lights installation is also a source of crisp air and a bright glow that enhances the festive spirit of gift-giving.

This change turns the porch into a living space that becomes an integral element of the social fabric of the house. It brings about the ‘passing by culture’ so that the wave can become the ‘catch up’ with a neighbour after a long time.

The Art of Layered Lighting.

The lighting approach needs to be different if a porch is going to be a cozy addition to the living room

  • The concept of ‘visibility’ is no longer just focused on, but on ‘ambience’.
  • That’s the place where layered lighting comes into play.
  • Effective porch lighting designs incorporate a variety of lights and heights rather than a single intense light source.

Consider using some warm white lights around the railing, a few flickering LED candles in lanterns on the steps, and a lighted wreath on the door

  • If you are looking for a flawless execution, engaging a Burr Ridge IL holiday light hanging company can help you achieve a sophisticated, layered look.
  • Architects know how to accentuate the elements of their design, such as gables and pillars, without drowning out the rest of the design.

Why Small-Scale Setups Outshine Oversized Displays

Many people think of decorating the home for the holidays as a “more is more” game. Although dramatic, coordinated lighting displays are great, they don’t always evoke the cozy ambiance that is essential to a family tradition hotspot. A well-planned Christmas lighting scheme for the porch area can be better in several instances:

  • Human-Centric Scale: Large Inflatable Characters are constructed for viewing from a moving car. Small decor, such as garlanded pillars, are decorations meant to be enjoyed by those who stand immediately beside them. It does not produce a light “blast” but a light “hug” instead.
  • Reduced Visual Noise: Elegant Christmas light installation lets the eye rest. Not all the 50,000 flashing lights are raining down upon you, so you can actually see the faces of your family members and the steam rising from your cup of tea or whatever.
  • Sustainability and Quality: Smaller setups are easier to sustain throughout the season and are easier to maintain. One strand of good lighting is better than ten strewn lights.

Quality over quantity ensures people will want to stay awhile. A comfortable porch, with a few tasteful touches can seem like a haven, turning your Christmas light installation into a memory instead of a duty.

Simple Traditions to Bring Back

To get the holiday switch to the front porch, make small, consistent steps that create memories over time. It is these traditions that are enhanced by having the proper Christmas light installation that will put a lovely light on all activities.

  • The “First Lighting” Night: Make the evening you turn on your lights a family night! Take blankets on the porch, play holiday music, have a “switch-flipping” ceremony and then serve cookies
  • Evergreen Foraging: Go for an afternoon to gather pine cones and fallen branches to use for planters on your porch. Thus, the family will be linked with the surrounding environment and give a rústic feel.
  • The Porch Reading Hour: On a night that isn’t too cold, gather all of the people together wrapped in heavy blankets and coats and read some holiday classics under the porch lights.

Creating a Year-Round Impact

The magic of the holidays on the front porch is that it can continue to be enjoyable well into the New Year. You will discover that you use your porch more in the spring and summer after you’ve first used it to connect with people for the Christmas season. You’ll become more familiar with your neighbors and your house will feel closer to the neighborhood.

The restoration of the front porch signals a return to the notion that our houses are not isolated structures, but components of a larger whole. Don’t stay inside this holiday season. Hang the garland, turn off overhead light and pour cocoa! Amidst a Christmas light installation that is cleverly placed, you may be surprised to find that the perfect Christmas magic was just around your doorstep all along. 

Achieving this goal can be done on your own or by calling a professional Christmas light installation company but the end result is the same, the family will be able to be together.