Christmas Night specializes in Christmas and garden statues that are made of fiberglass and generally displayed outside the home. Any manufactured item, such as patio furniture, the siding on your house, or children’s toys, will fade when left outside in the sun and the elements, painted or not. Direct sunlight will cause faster fading. Painted statues left in standing water or covered in ice may chip. Outdoor statues may also be blown over or damaged by hail and wind, or knocked over by lawnmowers, pets, or children.

Here are some recommendations for protecting and refurbishing your lawn statues and outdoor Christmas decorations.

1. Tether Taller Statues

Tether taller statues using flexible wire or nylon line or ties attached to fixed points such as fence posts or a piece of rebar hammered into the ground. Statues can also be screwed onto a wood base or propped up with sandbags. Tethering will eliminate or reduce falls caused by strong wind or vandalism. Nativity crèche sets are often displayed in a wooden stable, which can provide some protection, particularly if the front of the stable is covered with clear, unbreakable plastic. For more ideas, see five ideas to prevent stolen Christmas decorations.

2. Repair Small Cracks and Chips

If your statue has a small crack from a fall, or small chips coming off for any reason, we recommend repairing it with a marine-grade epoxy repair compound, available in small repair kits from marine and boat supply stores.

3. Get Expert Help for Major Damage

Extensive cracking, broken parts, or holes will require repair by an expert in fiberglass. A technician who repairs boats or other fiberglass structures can often help. In some parts of the country there are also artists who work in fiberglass and may take on repairs.

4. Touch Up Small Paint Chips

A statue with a few small paint chips may be touched up with a flat hobby enamel paint. Be sure to purchase all the matching colors to restore the original look, and sand the chipped areas with fine sandpaper before painting.

5. Repaint Faded Statues

If your statue has faded badly or has extensive chipping, it will need complete repainting. Unless you are an artist who wants to take on the challenge, we suggest repainting in one color or a few simple colors. Go to your local paint or hardware store and ask for outdoor paint suitable for use on fiberglass. Match your colors, and don’t forget to sand all the areas to be painted. Let the paint dry completely before trying an antique finish. If you decide to antique, pick an antique color and water it down. Saturate a cotton cloth with the antique color, squeeze out the excess paint, and wipe the areas you want to add to. Immediately use a dry cloth to clean the antique color off the adjacent areas you do not want antiqued. Do this quickly, one area at a time, before the wash dries.

A carefully refurbished Christmas or garden statue adds to the pride of ownership and display, because you have done it or supervised it yourself. It may be a way for a dedicated parishioner to do something extra for their church, or for a member of the community to contribute. Refurbishing will extend the life of your statues and your enjoyment of them. Browse our outdoor Nativity sets and other outdoor Christmas displays.