The magic of Christmas really comes alive when you turn your ideas for a holiday wonderland into reality. With a bit of ingenuity and access to life-size, jumbo and giant holiday décor pieces and sets, you can create a holiday masterpiece that causes people to stop and gaze upon your holiday display with delight and wonder. To help spark your creative imagination, here are some ideas for creating your own larger than life displays.
Inspiring Nativity Scene
Nativity scenes are common during the holiday season, and if you’re seeking to create an authentic nativity display, consider making one that stands out in a special way. Go big with a well-constructed manger made from real wood as your backdrop. Kick things up a notch with a gleaming Star of Bethlehem to remind viewers how those wise men found their way to the manger. After selecting the backdrop pieces, choose your desired life size biblical characters to fill out the scene. The three main characters are baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and you can also find life-size renditions of the wise men, angels, shepherds, the drummer boy and barn animals such as donkeys, sheep, cows and camels.
Arrange these character pieces anyway you wish. For added realism, scatter some decorative bale straw around the interior of the manger piece. If the nativity display is outdoors, lighting them with outdoor spot lights ensures everyone strolling by can easily see this endearing biblical scene.
Showcase Santa and Helpers
Santa Clause is a larger than life figure in many holiday stories, so why not make him a big focal point for your wonderland display? Santa Clause Village is a popular theme for life-size displays, and it’s sure to grab the attention of kids and adults who get a kick out of seeing a realistic Santa figure.
There are various ways to showcase jolly ol’ Santa. He can stand upright with hands on hips, or he may wear an amused look on his face while holding a bag of toys. You can choose a Santa who cheerily waves to everyone who comes to your location. Or, you can choose a sitting Santa who is ready to steer his reindeer to houses all over the world. Of course, Santa always has his helper elves nearby, and you can find adorable elf figures that work hard to make the holidays a happy time. Santa also needs his sleigh and trusty flying reindeer to help him deliver his gifts to far away homes. The neat thing is that Santa is instantly recognizable, which makes him a winning subject for any holiday wonderland theme.
Quaint Vintage Storytelling Scenes
Another idea is to recreate a quaint Victorian era village filled with old-fashioned charm. Movies about Scrooge, the grumpy man who hated Christmas until he discovered he loved it, can provide inspiration for showcase displays. For instance, you can build your scene around a group of vintage Christmas caroler statues singing near a lamp post. From there, you can add other characters such as merry snowmen wearing colorful hats and scarves. Further enhance your village with Christmas tree and light displays, and perhaps, a beautiful angel who graces the village with her angelic presence.
Impressive Candy and Gifts
Your vision for wonderland may take a whimsical turn, using fun life-size statues that appeal to kids and adults. While various treats are associated with the holidays, candy canes are iconic and instantly recognized as a Christmas treat tradition. How about posting two giant candy canes at the entrance to wonderland? These red and white cane-shaped statues look good enough to eat.
Along with candy canes, you can find large-size gift boxes wrapped neatly with bows, and these can be placed near a Christmas tree, elves or Santa himself. Gift box decorations come in single pieces and sets, allowing you to mix and match different colors and sizes.
Nutcracker King and Soldiers
Many people enjoy watching the story of the Nutcracker come to life during the holidays. Imagine the looks your display will get when onlookers spot a life-size Nutcracker King and Nutcracker soldiers (or toy soldiers) under his command. Their sharp uniforms are reminiscent of those seen in ballet and movie productions of this timeless fantasy tale. These classic figures fit nicely in numerous wonderland themes, including Victorian and upbeat themes featuring candy, gifts and toys.
Have Fun with Lights
So much can be done with decorative Christmas lights these days, and there are several ways to use them to enhance your wonderland theme. Because anything goes, you can use one or several lighted displays featuring white, warm white or colorful LED lights.
Santa. Make Santa Clause visible at night with lighted Santa Clause display sets. This may be a single image of a jolly Santa holding his bag of toys or a lighted display that shows Santa and his reindeer heading into the night to make their annual deliveries.
Stars. Lighted stars are often associated with large nativity displays, and a brilliant Star of Bethlehem helps re-create the wonder of the original Christmas story. Stars also make wonderful visual accents for traditional Christmas tree wonderland themes.
Trains. There’s something mesmerizing about trains and adding a fun lighted train to your display captivates the young and young at heart.
Signs. Give everyone viewing your wonderland display a positive seasonal message that is visible day and night with a lighted sign. Lighted signs are easy to see from the sidewalk or road, helping you spread warm wishes 24 hours a day.
Include Animals for Added Realism and Whimsy
Make your North Pole wonderland something uniquely special with the addition of life-size display animals. Animals that are associated with wintry climates include penguins, grey and white husky dogs, Nordic reindeer and polar bears. These animals add realism to any holiday scene you wish to bring to life. Alternatively, whimsical animal decorations can be charmingly fun when used with lighthearted themes.