How to deck your car with amazing Christmas car decorations

Who doesn't want a smidge of Rudolph and his red nose on their car? We get it – Rudolph and his friends get Santa wherever he needs to go. Your car does the same for you. No wonder reindeer car decoration kits are some of the most popular Christmas car decorations around. Rudolph's cute red nose needs to go on the front grille of your vehicle. You'll need to attach the antlers to your car's back or front windows. The best part – you don't need any special tools to fix it.

And what's more, and it won't harm your car at all. The nose in the reindeer car kit usually has a twist tie with which you can fix it to your car's grille. The reindeer car decoration antlers have plastic clips that attach to the windows. Simply roll them up to keep them in place. A typical reindeer car decoration kit will have a red nose and a pair of antlers. Some include a tail and/or LED lights. Their price ranges from around $13 to $31 online.

Get Santa to ride in your backseat with the help of some pretty realistic car window decals. The best thing about decals is that you can easily affix them and remove them. Buy one that's large enough to make it appear as if Santa Claus is riding in the back seat of your car for real. Don't be surprised if kids swarm around your car hoping for gifts!  The Santa car window decals are usually made of PVC, so no residue. They cost less than $10 online.

You've heard of elf on the shelf, but what about putting one in your trunk and being a proper elf-napper (yes, it's a thing – we're making it so!). To make space for all your Christmas shopping bags, we don't recommend stashing an entire elf or Santa in there. Just the legs will do! Stick 'em in the trunk of your car to spread some Christmas cheer (or fear!) as you drive around.

You have a couple of options – Santa's legs and boots or a pair of green and striped elf legs will suffice. To be honest, this one does kind of feel more Halloween than Christmas. However, it still is a fun way to let your car join in the Christmas fun without messing it up too much. A combo pack of Santa legs and elf legs costs around $18. If you're sticking just one pair of legs, you can buy them online for less than $10. (And there's one more sentence I'd never thought I'd type!)

There are so many of these and in so many varieties! There are the standard light-bulb-shaped reflective magnets, but don't forget gnomes, snowmen, Santa, and reindeer, too. The ones we saw on Amazon ranged from $12 to $18. Prices seem to depend on the number of pieces in each set. Easy to fix and easier to remove, reflective Christmas car magnets are the go-to for minimal effort, no-fuss Christmas car decorations. 

Perfect for folks who want to decorate their car for Christmas but still want to keep it low-key and simple. Just like with the reindeer nose, you'll need to fix this on your front grille. This is the most traditional of the Christmas car decorations on our list and also one of the most popular. They do come in many varieties now, including ones with velvet bows, waterproof wreaths, and fancy ones with LED lights. The LED wreaths can be battery-operated, or they can plug into the 12-volt cigarette lighter port in your car. Their costs vary depending on the model you choose, but most of them are within a $24- $45 range.

There are just so many dashboard and rear-view mirror decorations available online that we'd need a whole other blog for that. Some of our favorites, though, are:

• Mini-stockings that hang from the rear-view mirror
• Tiny Christmas decorations that clip onto your air vent
• Crystal snowflake pendants that hang from the rear-view mirror
• Christmas-themed floor mats
• Santa, snowman, or reindeer bobbleheads for your dashboard

Either of these options works equally well, but we suggest you go in for the battery-operated with auto-timer and different flashing options. From a safety perspective, we do not recommend Christmas lights while you're driving around but are mostly okay if your car is going to be parked. These will cost you around $9 to $20 and are a reasonably easy way to bling up your ride in time for Christmas.

Get reindeer, Santa, elves, and our personal favorite – Christmas Baby Yoda to peek out of your car. These are versatile, and you can stick them wherever you prefer. Some of these come in reflective versions too. The ones we saw on Amazon were around $6 to $15. 

Our second-last pick is for all those who aren't totally sold on Christmas but still want their car to get in on the fun. This'll get you quite a few laughs as you drive down the road. 

Get your own inflatable Grinch and seat him in the passenger seat instead of lights, magnets, antlers, or Santa Claus decorations. He's green and ruthless but clad in a red cap and striped scarf, he's also kind of adorably festive. He self-inflates in a matter of seconds and includes anchors and tethers for outdoor use. After you've driven him around for a while, you can even put him out in the yard. It should make for a good ice-breaker for conversations, but hopefully, it won't scare the dog away.

Go all out and buy 'em all. The antlers, the nose, the reindeer decals, lights, tassels, the wreath, and everything that can possibly be used to decorate your car. You'll find options online for $50 or less.

Tip: Once you and your ride are done celebrating Christmas, wash your car at home or spend some money at a car wash near you. Make sure there are no leftover marks or stains from your festivities.

Before you rush out to buy your Christmas car decorations, here are a few questions you might have:

Is it legal to decorate your car for Christmas?

In states such as California and New York, it's legal to decorate your car for Christmas. However, in most places, it is against the law to cover your license plate with anything. So, please check your local and state laws to see if driving with Christmas lights and other decorations on your vehicle is legal. Keep that in mind while decorating your car. There are a few other safety rules you need to follow, whether it's legal or not. If you want to avoid being on Santa's naughty list this year, make sure your view while driving isn't obstructed by any of your Christmas car decorations. Nothing is more crucial than a clean line of sight for you and people around you when driving, no matter how swag, hilarious, or festive your car's décor is.

How do I power up my Christmas car decorations?

This is something you should keep in mind while choosing car decorations for Christmas. You must be able to easily power your decorations unless you little elves stashed away in your car, working hard to power them up! Some decorations may require batteries, while others will be solar-powered or powered by the cigarette lighter in your vehicle. If you plan to decorate your car, ensure sure they don't require a socket-powered electricity source.

This story was produced by Way.com and reviewed and distributed by Stacker Media.