How to Decorate a Trailer Float for a Christmas Parade

Christmas parades are a pastime celebrated by the decorating of various vehicles as homes, toys, animals or other festive objects. These revamped vehicles are known as floats. Floats attract the crowd's attention and are a vital component in many Christmas parades. Often, celebrities such as Santa Claus and his reindeer ride on the float, making it easier to travel the parade route at a faster pace. Whether you have a large budget or a relatively small one, you can create a festive and eye-catching trailer float for a Christmas parade within a few weeks' time.

Measure the length and width of your trailer. Purchase colored tarp or plastic table cloth that will thoroughly cover the bed of the trailer.

Stretch the cloth across the trailer lengthwise. Place one edge of the cloth or tarp about two to three inches underneath the trailer and secure by stapling. Staple the other end of the cloth two to three inches underneath the other side of the trailer. Start at the very end of the trailer and work your way up. Most likely you will use several pieces of cloth or tarp and will need to repeat securing and stapling as necessary.

Purchase fake Christmas trees from your local department store, thrift store or ask for donations. It is up to you to determine how many trees you would like on the float; however, two to three trees should be enough.

Using a electric screw driver or nail gun, secure the tree stands directly into the bed of the trailer so that the trees do not shift during the parade.

Purchase or ask for donated battery-operated Christmas tree lights. These Christmas tree lights do not need an external power source to turn on. Put a string around every Christmas tree on your float. Decorate the trees as you prefer, using tinsel and plastic ornaments to avoid broken glass.

Purchase fake snow. Fake snow is available at most retailers that carry holiday decoration. Cotton can also suffice as snow. Place piles of "snowdrifts" around the trees to cover up the tree stands. Adding glitter to the cotton or fake snow makes the snow shinier and more eye-catching, especially under the Christmas lights.

Ask for boxes and scrap Christmas paper donations and wrap as many gifts as can cover the underside of the trees on the float. You can also ask your local stores if they would like to donate any pre-giftwrapped boxes that they may not need. Make sure to secure the boxes with doublesided tape to avoid shifting during the parade.

Measure the length and width of your trailer. Purchase colored tarp or plastic table cloth that will thoroughly cover the bed of the trailer and attach it to the trailer.

Purchase a twin-sized bed with mattress from a thrift store or ask for a donation. Using a nail gun, secure the headboard and foot board to the float. Cover the mattress with a child-like duvet or comforter, which will be especially comfortable if children ride on the float during the parade.

Gather old and used toys from thrift shops or ask for donations. Using double-sided tape, start attaching the toys around the float.

Wrap a few boxes or various sizes and then unwrap them and scatter the paper and unwrapped boxes around the float for a Christmas-morning look, securing with double-sided tape.