The holiday season is quickly approaching, and, at Party Tents Direct, we look forward to switching things up every year. Whether the day ends up being chilly or mild, one of our favorite ways to make Thanksgiving extra fun is to host it outside!
There are tons of different reasons why you’d choose to hold your Turkey Day holiday outdoors this year. Maybe your home is being renovated. Maybe your family is too big to fit into anyone’s accommodations, and you’d rather use the space you have than rent out a banquet hall. Whatever your reason, we created this article with the goal of making your holiday the best it can be.
There are some extra things to think about when you host Thanksgiving outside. With a different environment comes different challenges and opportunities, and we’ll be sure to go through all of them here.
No matter the weather, your family will surely be coming back for seconds.
Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Outdoors
Hosting an outdoor event in late fall is a lot different than doing so in the middle of summer, but we assure you that it’s possible. Take a look at these tips for an outdoor Thanksgiving:
Set Up Tables
You can’t have Thanksgiving without tables to eat at! You probably aren’t interested in bringing your dining room table out into the yard, so we recommend investing in a few folding banquet tables, like this one that we offer. Along with tables, of course, comes chairs. If you want to preserve your indoor chairs, these chairs of ours match any table perfectly - not to mention, they’re sturdy too.
Set Up Shelter
Weather in November can be unpredictable, and we don’t want your Thanksgiving celebration to get rained out at the last minute. To keep that from happening, set up a frame tent from Party Tents Direct that will keep your entire family safe and dry.
Decorate the Yard
A little decoration can go a long way. To make the most out of the autumnal season, dress your backyard up with mums, pumpkins, and gourds. Place vases of flowers around, along with twinkly lights to set the ambiance. If you’ll be dining at night (and the sun does go down rather early in November!) make sure that you have adequate lighting so everyone can see each other, and what they’re eating.
Think Outside the Menu Box
By thinking outside the box and cooking outdoors this Thanksgiving, you’ll not only give your oven a break, you’re also warming up the backyard. On the grill, you can cook the turkey, sweet potatoes, and corn. Use slow chokers to make the sides, and ask people to contribute where they can by bringing their own favorite dishes.
To keep the food warm, use insulated serving dishes, because you’ll be surprised at just how quickly food cools down outdoors.
Bring on the Warm Drinks
A hot drink will make it a lot easier to stay warm outside. You can use your slow cookers to serve cocoa, mulled cider, mulled wine, or to hold hot water for tea. You can also set out an array of fixings so guests can go wild creating their own drinks at your hot Thanksgiving bar!
Providing insulated glasses and cups will help these hot drinks last longer, so consider investing in those for your outdoor endeavor.
Keep Your Guests Warm
The mood will quickly decline if your guests get cold, but you can make sure this doesn’t happen. Place a few blankets at each table, and go above and beyond by ordering a tent heater that has the power to heat the whole space. Your guests might even forget they’re outside! If you buy a tent heater, you can use it to hang out comfortably outside for the duration of the fall season.
Plan Outdoor Games
One easy way to stay warm is by keeping your body moving. Set up stations for bocce ball, cornhole, croquet, and badminton, as these games encourage healthy competition amongst family and get everyone’s blood pumping. You can also plan activities like a nature walk or an outdoor scavenger hunt.
Share Gratitude
Thanksgiving is all about being thankful, after all, so set some time aside to state what you’re grateful for. Go around and have your guests share reasons why they’re thankful - or, make a game of it and have people write down what they’re thankful for, then have your guests guess who wrote which statement.
Your Outdoor Thanksgiving
With items from our fall gathering sale on your list, your outdoor Thanksgiving will be one that your family remembers for years to come. Who knows, you might have even started a brand new tradition!
With our tables, chairs, tents, and heaters at your disposal, try something new this year and host your Thanksgiving celebration outdoors.