• Light up your yard for Christmas.christmas lights in ancient place image by nw7.eu from Fotolia.com
  
  Festive yard decorations are common all over the world in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas Day. Many people search high and low to find the perfect Christmas decorations and then work hard to beautify their yards for the season. Drive around the neighborhood to get inspiration on Christmas yard decorations.
  
  

Moving Decorations

• An animated Christmas decoration such as a snowman with a waving arm or a reindeer with moving legs can add interest to a Christmas yard display. If one or two animated decorations make a yard display look good, then imagine having all of your Christmas yard decorations animated. Choose a theme and then put up animated yard decorations that fit it. For example, the theme could be Santa's workshop and it could include an animated display of elves making toys and an animated Santa Claus waving to people as they go by. Check local flea markets or online auctions for the animated decorations you need.
  
  

LED Lights

• Programmable LED lights are inexpensive and easy to use. You can program them for chase sequences where the lights seem to move, or to change colors. Use programmable LED lights to create an interesting display for the front yard. For example, you can cut out the form of a train in plywood, paint it to look like a Christmas train and then outline it in programmable LED lights. When night falls, turn on the LED lights that seem to make the train wheels move and the train change colors to give more of the illusion of movement.
  
  

Computerized Lighting

• Use a computerized lighting kit to create a Christmas yard light display that moves to music. According to HolidayChristmasTree.com, the preferred computer setup for a Christmas display is a computer running the Windows XP operating system and has an available parallel printer port to connect the lighting control board. You will also require a stereo to help get the music to the people outside as they watch the show.