Outdoor Christmas decorations in Australia need three things a northern hemisphere guide skips: anchoring against wind, an outdoor rating on every electrical item with an RCD-protected outlet, and shade and dry storage to limit UV and heat damage. Everything below follows from those three.
Almost every guide to outdoor Christmas decorating is written for a northern hemisphere winter. Australians are decorating in 30 degree heat, strong UV and the occasional summer storm. The advice is different.
Inflatables need a base, not just pegs
A 2.5m illuminated reindeer or a 4.2m snowman has the surface area of a small sail. The guy ropes and pegs supplied are the minimum, not the belt and braces. On grass, drive the pegs in at an angle away from the figure. On paving, use sandbags or water weights at each anchor point.
The failure people report is almost never the fan or the fabric. It is a figure that lifted in a storm and tore at an anchor point. Ten minutes of proper anchoring on day one saves the decoration.
Everything outdoors needs an outdoor rating and an RCD
Indoor light strings are not rated for rain, and an Australian December will deliver rain. Check for an outdoor rating on the product, run the cable so water cannot pool at a join, and plug into an RCD-protected outlet. If your outdoor power point is not RCD protected, a portable RCD costs very little.
UV is what kills decorations, not use
Six weeks of direct Australian sun does more damage than the handling does. Inflatables fade on the side that faces north. Where you have a choice, put the figure where it gets afternoon shade, and take it down promptly after the season rather than leaving it up into January.
Store it dry or lose it
The most common reason a decoration fails in its second year is that it was packed away damp. Mould on an inflatable is permanent. Let it dry fully in shade, then store it out of a hot metal shed if you can, because heat makes PVC brittle over a summer.
Solar or mains
Solar lights suit a front fence or a tree away from the house, where running a lead would be a trip hazard. They are dimmer and they stop when the battery runs down, usually before midnight. Mains-powered lights are brighter and predictable. For a front yard display that people drive past to see, mains wins.
Timers are worth more than they cost
A display that comes on at dusk and off at 11pm looks intentional and costs a fraction to run. Without a timer, half the value is lost to the nights somebody forgets.
Before you buy lights for the yard, what the IP rating on the box means explains the two numbers and where each rating is suitable.
Frequently asked questions
How do you stop an outdoor Christmas inflatable blowing away?
Use more than the supplied pegs. On grass, drive the pegs in at an angle away from the figure, and on paving use sandbags or water weights at each anchor point. Inflatables usually fail when a storm lifts them and tears an anchor point.
Can I use indoor Christmas lights outside?
No. Indoor light strings are not rated for rain. Check for an outdoor rating on the product, run the cable so water cannot pool at a join, and plug into an RCD-protected outlet.
Are solar or mains Christmas lights better outdoors?
Solar lights suit a front fence or a tree away from the house, where running a lead would be a trip hazard, but they are dimmer and stop when the battery runs down, usually before midnight. Mains-powered lights are brighter and predictable, which suits a front yard display. Solar sets are on the Christmas lights page.
How should I store Christmas inflatables?
Let them dry fully in shade first, because mould on an inflatable is permanent, then store them out of a hot metal shed if you can, since heat makes PVC brittle over a summer.
What we stock
The Christmas lights and outdoor decorations page carries icicle, curtain, net, solar and fairy light sets and a range of illuminated inflatables. The Christmas decorations page covers baubles, ornament sets and indoor pieces as well as more illuminated inflatables, from a 1.5m gingerbread man to a 5m Santa, and the wreaths and garlands page has the pre-lit door wreaths. Most are Jingle Jollys, and the full Christmas range brings these pages together.
Hammocks and hanging hammock chairs are on a separate page.
Delivered Australia-wide in 3 to 5 business days, with 30-day returns on eligible items (see our refund policy).
Christmas delivery: On our normal timings, an order placed by Tuesday 15 December 2026 should arrive before Christmas Day: orders are packed within 48 hours and delivery takes 3 to 5 business days. Later orders are still packed and sent, but we cannot promise they will arrive before Christmas Day. Orders placed from 1 November can be returned until 31 January, rather than the usual 30 days. See our Christmas delivery dates for the last day to order.