Looking for a way to spread the cheer to your neighbors this holiday season? If you have a driveway gate, you can achieve this with a few festive driveway gate decorations.
In this article, we’ll explore a few driveway gate decorations you (and your neighbors) will love.
Driveway Gate Decorations
The winter holiday season brings a lot of entertaining and visitors. It also inspires us to “deck the halls”, as the song says – and also the door, the windows, and the gates!
The exterior of your home is the first place to set the festive holiday mood for your visitors. Doors and entryways always get the top priority but don’t forget about other spots that give you the potential for a lot of decorating impact. Your driveway gates, for example, have a lot to offer, and you should consider them to be just as much of your welcome.
Read on, and we’ll have some ideas for every style, and every type of driveway entry!
Work With Your Gate Type
Before you begin work, check to see how your driveway gate is constructed. How does it open? Does it slide to one side, swing open from the middle (double swing), or open to one side, like a door? This will affect how much you can accomplish with your design.
Check to see how much clearance you have if your gate slides to one side. If there is little room between the front of the gate and shrubbery that is planted at the walls, you’ll need to adjust the size and location of your decor accordingly.
If your gate opens in the middle, you will not be able to hang one central decor piece – plan for two smaller ones, instead.
If you’ve never decorated the gate with lights before, check to see if you have an outdoor-approved GFCI outlet available to plug in light strands, or be prepared to run an extension cord or use solar-powered options.
Don’t feel bad if you need to go check – it’s better to be prepared than to make multiple trips to purchase different lights or extension cords!
The Classics
Adding wreaths is always a classic idea for holiday entryways. As we said, plan for two if you have a gate that splits in the middle. And, remember – bigger is usually better, for the most impact.
If you choose to go with something that is not just the typical evergreen look, be aware of some alternatives that have become popular. Even artificial greenery has gotten more creative.
For our climate, consider a succulent wreath. These are long-lasting, attractive, and can be recycled into smaller plants all around your home after the holidays are over. They’re both eco-conscious and a smart purchase that you’ll keep using.
Grapevine wreaths are both lightweight and easy to work with. With their loosely wound design, they are simple to customize with your own colors in ribbons, and also to mount.
For something that suits an entry gate, consider using your holiday greenery in the shape of a monogram letter. One letter looks the most striking.
Something Different
The big bold look of a driveway gate is the perfect place to try out a different kind of holiday decor. Express your personality with some more offbeat ideas.
Snowmen are a fun change of pace for gates. With the lack of snow in our area, we don’t propose going out and making your own. Instead, a snowman made of three grapevine wreaths is a way to place a larger piece on your gate. You can extend the look with a garland of mittens and hats along the top of your gateway.
Palm leaves – the fake kind – can make for a different sort of look – both appropriate for the region, and also have a wonderful shade of green that goes well with traditional Christmas red. Use a set as a backdrop for red bows and ornaments – this is simple and easy to store away.
Empty picture frames have been used for creative decor pieces for a while – and, the chances are that you have a few sitting around your garage or attic. If not, they can often be picked up at thrift stores or garage sales for a song, especially since you don’t want the ones with glass.
Gather them up, paint them to mix – or match – your colors, and hang a series of them from your gate, each with an ornament, bow, or another piece of holiday decor hanging in the frame’s center. They look great in any sort of configuration – have fun with how you hang them.
Keeping Them Hanging
If you want to continue the look along the top of your gate, it’s easy to wind garland through and along the top of your gate. Depending on the style, you may need to install some small cup hooks or nails to fasten it firmly to. Another option that works well for fastening the garland is the hook and loop tape that is used for tying up plants – it’s already green and is easy to use.
Lighting It Up
If you have an available GFI outlet for plugging in lights, you may wish to incorporate LED lights into your gateway welcome. Remember to carefully measure off distances when you do this, and don’t try this on gates that slide open.
Adding lighted accents to gate pillars is easier and looks wonderful on these long winter evenings. You can consider lighted wreaths or even seasonally decorated lanterns, if. your entry does not already have them.
If you are limited by the lack of available, safe electrical outlets, don’t give up. There are some reliable options available that are solar and battery powered.
Today, solar lights are widely available and work well. You’ll need to be able to locate the solar panel in a spot where it will receive adequate sunshine during the day. You can receive up to 8 hours of illumination each night, and there are strings that are available in up to 50-foot lengths. They’ve made it quite easy to make your gate just as distant as the rest of your home.
Conclusion
It’s easy to start showing holiday spirit as soon as guests arrive at your driveway. Your driveway gates are perfect spots to add high-impact style. After you’ve determined the type of gate that you have, you can have fun selecting the type of wreaths, decor, and garlands to decorate your entry gates. It’s also easy to add Christmas lights, no matter where the nearest electrical outlet is located.