How to decorate a front door for Christmas - a step-by-step guide

Decorating with dazzling displays is a sure way to make your house feel extra special this December. The door is the first thing that greets both us and our guests, so taking the time learn how to decorate a front door for Christmas will kick the festive feeling up a notch.

Christmas door decor ideas are a guaranteed way to make people stop and marvel as they pass by, so why not go all out and create a stunning asymmetrical wreath display?

'Whilst many opt for Christmas wreath ideas in the festive season, there are plenty of unique alternatives that will make your front door dazzle', says Nem Vorkapic, Head of Floristry at Floward. A Christmas decoration display like the one demonstrated in our guide will make your heart sing every time you leave and re-enter your home, which is exactly the type of festive cheer we're looking for.

So if you want to make your outdoor Christmas decor ideas even more special this year, get your craft hat on and get stuck in to learning how to decorate front door for Christmas. With our guide, you can create a beautiful Christmas door decoration in five simple steps, which you can then proudly hang on your front door all the way through to the New Year, before storing it away with the rest of the decorations.

How to decorate a front door for Christmas: step-by-step

Whilst there are no hard and fast rules, the best festive doors involve a mixture of ribbon, decorations, flowers and firs, so our guide to how to decorate a front door for Christmas will show you how to arrange these to create a festive feast for the eyes. Mix things up from the classic round wreath and create an asymmetric wreath instead, sure to make a sassy style statement.

You can adapt this design to suit your personal preferences too. Our example uses blue, silver and white decor, but you could opt for the more traditional combo of red and gold, or go even more rogue with bright pinks and yellow. Choose ornaments and bows that match your interior's Christmas colour scheme, or go for something completely different. The choice is yours!

Shopping list

• Chicken wire mesh - £10.99 at Amazon
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Wire coat hanger
• Thin twine, gardening wire or cable ties - £1.75 at Wilko
• Evergreen foliage (ivy, conifers, fir, spruce) - £13.99 at Amazon
• Trimmings and decorations - bows £1.49 at The Range, baubles £10 at John Lewis, white berries £2.99 at eBay

1. Roll and cut the chicken wire

Chicken wire is your new best friend for creating a fabulous Christmas door decoration. Unroll the wired mesh and cut it into the shape you want - we recommend a right-angled triangle for covering one corner of the door. 

'You will need a lot of space for this step and be sure to measure your door frame to ensure the shape is accurate', says Nem from Floward. Add an inch or two extra to make sure you're covering enough of the space.

2. Arrange the foliage

Arrange your green foliage over the chicken wire first, securing it in place with cable ties or gardening wire. Start by covering the edges, then work your way in. Make sure to spread the leaves and branches out so there aren't any gaps, the same way you would when putting up the Christmas tree.

3. Add the decor

Now for the really fun part! Secure your decorations in place among the greenery, again with the cable ties or wire. There are no hard and fast rules with this, so just do it in the way that you like! You can keep it minimal or go all out, covering every inch of the wreath in bows, baubles and ribbons. 

'Add in branches of red and white berries, mistletoe, and Christmas flowers such as red poinsettias to fill out the display,' suggests Nem. 'If you want that extra bit of sparkle, you can add artificial glitter branches or use glitter spray paint to create your own.'

4. Attach the coat hanger

Next, attach a wire coat hanger to the back of the chicken wire using cable ties. This simple but effective hack will hook the wreath on or over the door frame, holding it in place.

5. Hang and admire

All that's left is to hang your asymmetrical Christmas wreath over your front door. If you feel it's necessary, you can add cable clips to the chicken wire and secure it to the gaps between bricks or wood, just to make sure it won't budge. 

Admire your creation and relish that festive feeling. Enjoy!

How can I decorate my front door for Christmas?

Knowing how to decorate a front door for Christmas isn't a one size fits all approach. There are plenty of decor ideas to choose from that are sure to wow any guests.

'When preparing your front door for the festive season, a few things spring to mind which will help create a Christmas mood', says Jo Plant, Head of Design, Pooky. 'One of the most traditional additions, and an easy way to bring instant festive cheer, is by hanging a wreath embellished with ornaments aplenty.'

Christmas wreaths are the most classic Christmas door decoration, but they're not the only route to go down. 'If you’re lucky enough to have an archway leading to the front door, adorn it using a leafy garland, keeping to the same colour theme as your interior to create the ultimate matchy festive feel', suggests Jo. 

You can finish off any Christmas door decoration by adding lights. 'Traditional lanterns and wall-mounted sconces are a wonderful touch, but twinkling fairy lights will work just as well', says Jo.

How do you decorate a front door with Christmas lights?

Hanging Christmas lights can be the perfect finishing touch when learning how to decorate a front door for Christmas. And with the right preparation, you can do the job safely and finish up with an enchanting light display to greet you every time you come home. 

'Firstly, make sure that your Christmas lights are suitable for outdoor use and won’t be affected by rainy winter weather', says Adam Pawson, Marketing Director at Safestyle UK . 'The same goes for your extension lead, you can purchase durable outdoor extension cords if you don’t already own one.'

Next, check the length of your lights and make sure they're long enough to drape over the door, Then position your decorating hooks or glitter clips at intervals over the door frame.

'When you’re ready to begin hanging your decorations, take the end of the string of lights and plug them into the weather-resistant power source', says Adam. 'Try to avoid the cable hanging very loosely, instead you should aim for the lights to snugly fit on the hooks without tugging on the socket.'

Tidy up the lights so that they're all hanging evenly, with equal space between them. Switch them on and admire your hard work!