A Very #VanLife Christmas

Wanna decorate your car, truck or van for the holidays? Here are a few quick tips to safely turn your ride into a holiday cheer machine.

If You Want Lights, You'll Need an Inverter

With the proliferation of LED holiday lights, you can finally have maximum bling with minimal power consumption. While that's good news for those that want to decorate their car, there's still one obstacle to overcome: how to plug them in. A power inverter is the solution. An inverter uses your car's DC power ports (cigarette lighter, for those of us born before 1990). Plug in your inverter, and you've got two outlets to power any number of devices, including Christmas lights.

Let's Get Some Lights on This Sled

If you want to put lights on the outside of your car, you'll need a way to secure them. A handful of super-strong magnets with eye loops and zip ties will keep everything in place. The magnets we use have a pull strength of nearly 70 pounds and are easy to paint. String your lights around the perimeter of the vehicle tightly, then secure them to the eye bolts with zip ties. As you work your way around the van, pull tightly on the strands to make sure they're held in place securely. Then, cut the excess zip ties off with a pair of flush-cut wire cutters. Run a small utility extension cord through the trunk to connect to your inverter.

Let's Light Up the Inside

If someone has the choice between riding in a new luxury car or one decked out with Christmas lights, guess which one they're gonna pick? CHRISTMAS LIGHTS. So, if you want to string lights around the inside of the car, the secret is a small handful of adhesive hooks. Place the hooks around the inside of the windows or the roof with the clip facing upwards. Work the lights all the way back around to the inverter and plug them in. Now, you can switch your interior/exterior lights on and off from one source.

TIP: Keep your lights clear of the door joints, so you can open and close the doors without smashing any lights.

Let 'Em Know You're Bringing the Cheer

When people look in their rearview mirror, they should be staring at your awesome wreath. To strap a wreath to the front of your ride, you need two things: a handful of heavy-duty zip ties and the right kind of wreath. For the wreath, you want a plastic one with metal support so it will withstand the elements. Run your zip ties through two strong points on your front grille, then zip the wreath into place. Use your wire cutters to trim the excess.

Don't Forget the Driver

We need to make sure the captain has some holiday spirit in the front of the van. But since they have an important job, we have to be subtle. A small ornament for the rearview mirror hung with care and some lightweight decor secured with adhesive strips should do the job. Make sure anything you put in the driver's line of sight isn't distracting and won't hurt anyone in the event that it comes loose. Remember to drive safely this holiday season, and to use your best judgement when decorating your vehicle.