Outdoor Entertaining Tips for Colder Months

September 25, 2020 | Entertaining

One of the most exciting aspects of homeownership for many of our new buyers is having a yard. For a first-time homeowner or one that’s moving from a city, outdoor space is a unique and exciting privilege.

If you love to entertain, our team of Windsor real estate agents definitely recommends checking out houses for sale to see whether there are any in your area with enough outdoor space for gatherings.

During the summer, entertaining outdoors is easy. Just grill up a few burgers, throw some beers in a cooler, and your backyard is ready for a crowd. However, in the winter months, even with the relatively mild weather we get in Windsor and Essex County, entertaining outdoors is a lot more difficult.

Usually, we’d just suggest moving the party indoors. However, COVID-19 has made some people unable or unwilling to host gatherings indoors. That doesn’t mean that the good times have to end. If you still want to see family and friends, host a gathering outdoors!

 

Today, we’re here with some recommendations on how you can host an outdoor gathering in the winter. If you’ve just bought a house for sale, these tips can help you become a year-round entertainer.

 

1. Build a bonfire

One of the most important aspects of hosting a gathering outdoors in the winter is keeping your guests warm. One of the best ways to provide heat as well as entertainment is to have a bonfire. Even if you aren’t able to build an in-ground fire pit, there are plenty of options that can be used safely on gravel or stone patios.

Some of the most popular options for suburbanites and city-dwellers who want to have a backyard fire include raised wood-burning fire pits, and chimeneas, a clay or metal front-loading fireplace with a vertical chimney. Both of these options give off plenty of warmth and light and can even be used to roast marshmallows!

Once you’ve got your fire taken care of, you can build party activities around it. Offer a s’mores bar, roast hot dogs on sticks, or use the heat of the fire to mull cider or warm up hot chocolate.

 

2. Invest in patio heaters

If you aren’t able to safely have a bonfire, or just don’t want the fuss of tending to it all night, look for an alternative source of warmth. For many homeowners, patio heaters are the perfect way to make their outdoor space livable in the winter months. These tall heaters are common in restaurant patios, but can easily adapt to home use.

Patio heaters run on either gas, propane, or electricity. Depending on the size of the space you need to heat, expect to pay anywhere from $130 for a smaller tabletop heater to upwards of $1,000 for an infrared or propane heater that can warm a much larger area.

 

3. Use slow cookers to serve hot drinks

Winter is the perfect time to perfect your recipes for hot drinks that can serve a crowd. Drinks like mulled cider, mulled wine, and hot chocolate are super easy to whip up in bulk. The only key is keeping them warm without having your guests tramping inside to refill their mugs.

Slow cookers are a great solution for this. Just whip up the hot drinks in your kitchen, then put them in a slow cooker outside to stay warm once guests arrive.

 

4. Serve warm foods

Warm foods, along with warm drinks, are key to ensuring guests can survive the cooler temperatures during your outside gathering. Roasted hotdogs with all the fixing are an easy solution if you have a fire pit, but you can just as easily prep hot food indoors and serve them outside.

To keep things properly socially distant and cut down on mess, consider planning a menu of finger food. This also helps people stay moving, so they don’t have to sit down on cold furniture to eat. Sliders, small cups of soup, and sandwiches are all great choices.

 

5. Keep it moving

To keep people warm, offer activities at your gathering that will keep people moving. Roasting marshmallows and hot dogs works, but people can only eat so many. Some other activities that are great for a winter gathering are corn hole, street hockey, or even a game of shinny if you’re lucky enough to have a backyard rink.

You can encourage people to keep moving by providing some of these fun activities, or by arranging your setup so that food and drinks are scattered throughout your patio or yard. This prevents guests from clustering in one place.

 

6. Offer plenty of blankets

When you send out invitations, let people know in advance that your home will be primarily off-limits. This helps ensure that people will dress appropriately for a few hours outdoors. However, there will always be some people whose outdoor gear isn’t up to the task. To help out your guests, provide as many spare blankets, hats, and coats as you can.

Set them out before the party starts, and let people know that they’re free to borrow during the party. This helps people who are cold but would have been too shy to ask for warmer clothes.

 

Set Up Your Yard for Outdoor Entertaining

Just because you can’t host gatherings indoors doesn’t mean holidays, birthdays, and other celebrations should go unremarked. By taking some time to set up your backyard now, you can still enjoy fun gatherings with your family and friends throughout the winter months.

The Dan Gemus Real Estate Team loves to share resources on how you can better utilize your new home. For more resources on entertaining, homeownership, and more, visit our blog today.

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