Just About any Occasion
While they may have been introduced as a new type of Christmas decoration back in the early 2000’s, holiday inflatables or yard inflatables, have quickly taken a completely different route than originally anticipated. From Easter Bunnies, to Giant Turkeys, to Wooden Soldiers, to Dragons, to Star Wars, this air filled industry has become quite complex indeed.
Questions First
How does one pick the right one for the occasion?
How do they all differ?
What Features do they Have?
Can they make a nice gift for someone?
Let’s Start with the Occassion
- Holiday. When it comes to holiday inflatables there seems to be a clear line between choosing an inflatable that is about the holiday (Such as a Pilgrim, Santa, Menorah, Easter Bunny, Etc) and choosing an inflatable that is about the inflatable (Such as a dragon wearing a Santa hat or an Easter Bunny riding a motorcycle) Everyone has their preferred focus and knowing this ahead of time is helpful as when you search you will find many many different designs. Staying focused on your preference is key.
- Non-Holiday. Holiday Inflatables have designs for almost all occasions; Birthdays, Holidays, Children’s Cartoons, Movies, Favorite Animals, etc. Knowing the occasion will help in your search by targeting key words which reflect the occasion.
- A Gift. When purchasing a gift for a friend, family member, etc it’s important to keep a few thoughts in mind during your search. First, are they a fan of inflatables in general? Second, what kind of space do they have for this gift both in-box and out-of-box? Last, is this a holiday or non-holiday gift?
Choosing the Space
- Location. Choosing a location for your new holiday inflatable is one of the most crucial steps in the process. A flat area with plenty of space to properly stake down your new decoration is very important. If you have bushes to hide the deflated decoration during the day, this can create a cool effect where your yard decor disappears during the day and reappears at night.
- Power. Thinking ahead on power requirements such as a local power outlet or just how long of an extension cord you will need will help to make sure that you pick up what you need before you attempt plugging in your new inflatable. Keep in mind how many plugs you will need as well as multi-plug adapters will likely come in handy here.
- Measurements. The old saying of “measure twice, cut once” kind of applies here, only its revised to “measure twice, buy once”. Knowing the size of your space ensures that you end up purchasing anything too large or too small for your space. Measure the width, depth, and height of the chosen area and make sure to jot it down in your phone or on paper before trekking out.
Selecting Features
- Materials. If you see an inflatable that’s price is “too good to be true” for its size and features you will likely find that the materials used are not exactly the best. Take time to explore in-store demo units at a local retailer which are inflated and examine the seams and overall material which make up the shape. The material should feel durable and not super thin/flimsy. Some products come with patch kits to repair and future tears and may even have ratings for sub-zero temperatures which will help if you live in a very cold area.
- Lights. While most holiday inflatables light up, there are still many that do not. Some have blinking lights and some even have color changing lights. Reading the labels when shopping is an important step. There are quite a few with replaceable screw-in incandescent bulbs (The standard night-light size) which you may find more appealing than LED if you would like easy replacement when they stop lighting up. LEDs require cutting wires and finding the right LED replacements when they stop functions, something to keep in mind. Lighting inevitably fails in almost all holiday inflatables over time as they are exposed to very harsh weather conditions each season.
- Tie-Down Lawn Stakes. Check the type of stakes that come with the model that you are considering. There are a few types available; straight metal garden pins, metal garden staples, straight plastic “X” type for tents, metal “X” type, and metal spiral stakes. A strong stake makes for a strong hold on your decoration and while one may or may not be included you may want to invest in a set that you know will withstand strong winds.
- Motion. Movement such as Santa jumping out of a chimney, animals playing instruments, and snow globes with snow blowing around in them have become much more available. It is highly recommended that you stick with a well known brand when picking one that have movement as you will get a product which is more likely to have long lasting and well tested mechanisms to assure a functional display for years to come.
- Storage. All holiday inflatables are very easy to fold up and store for the season, this is what makes them such a simple decoration and one of the main reasons that they are so popular however, some do come with storage bags for even easier storage. This is typically advertised on the box or online listing in an easy to locate area.
Other Features
There are more features and integrations such as Smart Home & Phone Connectivity, RGB Lighting Controls, Music Synchronization and many more coming down the pipeline.
The features listed above will remain relevant quite some time and are the most vital in locating the right holiday inflatable for your next occasion. Seeking these as your foundational features will help you to locate a Holiday Inflatable which will last you many years to come!