How to Festively Decorate Your Car for the Holidays

Bust out the garland! ‘Tis the season for stockings on the mantel, ornaments in the tree, and reindeer antlers on your car. Yes, you read that right: your home isn’t the only place you can show off your holiday spirit. We’ll show you how to spread your cheer for all to see with Christmas decorations for your car.

First, check the laws in your state.

Before you get too excited, make sure you’re not breaking the law by decorating your car for Christmas. Local laws regarding vehicle modifications vary by state. Some states don’t allow you to put extra lighting of any kind or any object on the exterior of your car.

Tennessee, for example, lets you have underbelly neon and colored lights on your vehicle, but not when driving on state roads and highways. Florida, on the other hand, allows most colored lighting on vehicles driving on public roads as long as the lights are not red or blue and not flashing.

Do you want to stay on Santa’s nice list this year? Call a non-emergency number or search online for the particular laws in your state before you go crazy with the Christmas car decorations.

Next, clean your car.

Give your car a good old-fashioned soap and water scrub-down. A clean car will help exterior decorations stay attached. Dry the car with a microfiber rag for the best results. If you’re feeling ambitious, apply some car wax!

You’re Ready! 5 Christmas Decoration Ideas for Your Car 

#1: It’s time for reindeer games!

What You’ll Need:

• Reindeer nose and antlers
• Damage-free adhesive

Who says you can only see reindeer in the North Pole? Charm your way through traffic with a ride that looks like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

Transform your car with a decorative antler and nose kit, available from many major retailers, including Walmart, Party City, and Amazon. Follow the instructions in the kit to attach the jolly red nose and big antlers to your vehicle. Stick the nose to the front of your car (don’t block the grille!) and the antlers on either front window.

#2: The garland is always greener.

What You’ll Need:

• Plastic garland
• Ribbon
• Scissors

Want to really knock people’s stockings off this year? Wrap plastic garland around the rungs of your roof rack and secure it with bright red ribbon. You can also run garland through the ceiling handles on the inside of your car, starting from the driver’s side and working counter-clockwise. No matter how you choose to use garland in or around your car, stay safe and make sure that it doesn’t block your view.

#3: Host an ugly sweater party—in your car!

What You’ll Need:

• Knit sweaters (XL or large)
• Holiday hats (that you can stretch)

Feel snug as a bug in a Christmas sweater every time you sit down in your car! Stretch knit sweaters over both of your front seats, then tuck the bottoms of the sweaters under your seat cushions. Next, pull the sleeves back behind the seat and tie them in a knot. To top it all off, cover your headrests with holiday hats for a festive final touch. Who needs Santa when you have Grandma’s knitting?

#4: It’s all in the decals.

What You’ll Need:

• Festive magnetic decals

Slap some magnetic decals wherever you want on the exterior of your car. We’re head over holly for Christmas car magnets from CafePress.com, all about $5 each! These reflective Christmas light-shaped magnets from Amazon are a real crowd pleaser, too. They add a nice touch of Christmas spirit that’s sure to cheer up any Scrooge on the road!

#5: Deck the halls—er, mirror!

What You’ll Need:

• An ornament
• Ribbon
• Scissors

Embrace your inner Cindy Lou Who and hang a single ornament from your rearview mirror. Tie the ornament with ribbon in a neat bow for a  finishing touch that will take your Christmas car decorating game to the next level!

Feel free to mix and match any or all of these Christmas car decorations. And remember, as you head home for the holidays, give yourself the gift that keeps on giving: affordable car insurance. With a safe driver discount from Direct Auto Insurance, you could save up to 10% on car insurance. Now that’s Claus for celebration! Call 1-877-GO-DIRECT (1-877-463-4732), click to get a quote online, or come into a Direct Auto location near you today to learn more.