Once again, the end of the year is here and the holidays are upon us! I love creating festive outdoor winter decor to add color and texture. Being from the midwest, the winters here are long, dark, and cold. As I put my summer gardens to bed, I swap out the lush summer foliage for greens that last through winter. Adding color, texture, light and sparkle in my window boxes, swags and garland adds festive cheer through the season and long past Christmas. Keep scrolling below for some of my favorite tips and some new favorites from around the web:

Layers and texture

Here’s one of my past window boxes where I used a mix of evergreens-boxwood, cedar, spruce, and pine as a base. Mixing greenery is a great way to give textural interest. (Thrifty tip: I used some of the lower branches cut off from my Christmas tree to bulk it up a bit) From there, I layered in dried berries or flowers, seed pods, preserved magnolia, and birch or willow branches for a bit of natural texture, height, and color along with some faux sparkly and gilded thistles and other floral sprays little bit of glam when they catch the light. This was the year I started adding a string of Christmas lights on a timer to each one. The glow at night is so pretty and comforting!

More ways to get festive with your outdoor decor

Similarly, I love winter containers. I build mine similarly to how the window boxes. If you have a deep pot, adding a floral block, empty disposable plastic water bottles or some styrofoam in the bottom before you add soil. This keeps the container light and by reusing materials that would otherwise go in the trash, you can reduce your waste a little bit. At the end of the season, I burn the branches and throw the rest of the natural materials in my compost bin to bolster my summer garden.

Here’s a great example of mixed greens and eucalyptus in an urn. I love adding color that’s outside of the traditional red-green combo for a modern touch. The mix here is so gorgeous with the eucalyptus and seed pods adding a touch of icy blue!

The mix of greens and the addition of birch and magnolia here is perfection!

Equally beautiful, wreaths, garland, and swags are always a lovely addition to doors and windows. If you have a larger porch or covered area, adding a lit tree creates a welcoming entrance. Depending on how much material I have when my window boxes are finished, I often craft a wreath or a swag from the leftovers. With the addition of shatterproof ornaments, tinsel, ribbon, sparkly faux floral sprays, rustic twine, bells, signs, etc. you can make it unique to your style.

Similarly, I love arrangements using non-traditional items like mittens, ice skates, vintage sleds, etc for a joyful entryway.

I love decorating with festive outdoor winter decor for the holidays and beyond. The layered greens, pops of color and sparkle bring me happiness and joy throughout the season. These staples can be adapted to fit your style-whether you prefer traditional, minimalist, or eclectic styles.

If you’re in the Saint Paul area, stop by Leitner’s Garden Center. They’re one of my favorite local suppliers, with top notch selections year round and super friendly and helpful staff.

Check out how I decorated Niche Salon Studios in Fargo for the holiday this year! Need a little decorating help? Let’s start a conversation!

How do you like to decorate for the season? Drop a comment and let me know!