Welcome to Christmas On the Porch!

 

Decorating for Christmas is one of my favorite things and our house looks so much more festive when we’ve got Christmas on the porch! I absolutely love pulling into the driveway when the Christmas lights are on. It brings me so much joy!

 

 

Our house is the farm house (it used to be a working farm) that my mother-in-law grew up in. While we’ve done some work and made improvements along the way, we’ve not done all I would like to do. I know this place could be a show-stopper if we had the money to pour into it. Until that happens, I work with what I’ve got! And even though some of the boards are uneven and I’d love to have wooden railing on the front, it still looks beautiful when it’s all decked out.

As per usual, I use what we have with the occasional addition. We did have to buy some new lights and a little greenery this year…because we lost a whole bag/box somehow. They either got thrown away accidentally or I’ll run across them sometime this summer!

 

 

This is how we made our little “Christmas Tree Farm” on the porch…

• A rolling wooden organizer that my sister bought while I was in the hospital to keep everyone’s boots and shoes on is the base. (For real, my porch looks like the Beverly Hillbillies have been here about half the time, so anything to organize!)
• Wooden crates (that I won) stacked up and filled with three foot trees. I believe they all came from Dollar General and Big Lots.
• Two twig trees from the At Home store. I paid $7 each for these trees…many, many years ago.
• Burlap to cover the bottom.
• Lights wrapped around all the trees.
• A “Welcome Friends” sign that normally hangs on the porch, placed in front of the crates.
• Mini Christmas Tree Farm sign.
• Metal bucket and burlap gift with plaid ribbons…a gift from one of my besties who buys and resells home decor.
• Barn star
• A saw that someone found in the shed out back.
• Large bulb lights

 

 

 

The barn star has hung in our house and on the porch and it’s been at least four different colors. I bought it at the flea market sometime in the early 2000’s, so I’ve definitely gotten my money’s worth. Never underestimate what you can do with a little paint!

 

 

 

This white “Tree Farm” sign is one of the new purchases we did make this year. I added some gingham ribbon to hide the wires where I hung it and make it a little more festive.

It was a bit of shock to get it actually. We were at Hobby Lobby and my husband said, “You need that sign for the porch.” To which I said, “I can probably make it” (and then looked at the price and the 60% off sign and promptly decided it would cost more to make it because I didn’t have the stuff). Then my husband said, “Do you want it? I think you should buy it” and I almost had a heart attack. I can’t tell you when he’s ever really encouraged me to spend money at Hobby Lobby. Christmas miracles do happen!!

I probably should’ve closed the blinds when I took photos (sorry), but I was so excited! The front door is pretty simple. Just greenery with lights, a wreath, and a door mat. I found the cute little truck at Dollar General last year and I just wired it in and added a ribbon. There is a craft online where they used different materials and upgraded the trees a little. I was going to do that this year, but I got tired!

 

 

Here’s the doormat. This is also a new purchase, but my other two had lost their backing. Probably because they are decades old! This one was less than $10 with free shipping (thank goodness for coupon codes), so I didn’t feel too bad about it. Please ignore the faux greenery pieces on the threshold and the hint of extension cord running underneath!

 

 

 

This sweet little tractor also came from my dear friend who is currently running an upcycle/resell business (and just finished nursing school…she’s busy). Every time I visit, I tell her I’m not taking anything else home and every time she gives me something. I thought I outsmarted her last time because I took an entire bag of things for her to sell, but then she sent me home with two Christmas gift baskets!

 

 

The rest of the things on the porch–metal bucket, pencil tree in the milk can, lantern, metal farmhouse, basket of wood, tobacco stick stars–were things we’ve used previously. I really can’t stress how much I believe in “use what you have” decorating!!

 

 

Thank you for stopping by to visit with me on my porch! Leave me a comment and tell me how you decorate your porch for Christmas!