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Selection of outdoor Christmas party ideas that are full of festive cheer. Regardless of the climate in which you live, there is lots of Christmas fun that can be had in the great outdoors.
Here you will find lots of great ideas for Christmas decorations, food and activities that will get all guests immediately into the holiday spirit.
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Whether you live in a cooler or a warmer climate during the holiday season, an outdoor Christmas party will be filled with lots of fun and holiday cheer.
Granted the parties might be slightly different as you rug up under hats and beanies, or lounge by the pool, but the premise of these outdoor parties is the same.
Simply change the clothing and accessories to suit!
If you live in a cooler climate, then there is nothing more magical than the chilly Christmas air and twinkling lights.
Santa lives in the North Pole, and he will be celebrating with a roaring fire and cups of hot cocoa, so I’m pretty sure if it’s good enough for Santa Claus, then it’s good enough for you!
Whilst a warmer climate might not give you the classic “white Christmas” magic, there are certain advantages of having warmer nights to entertain with. A cosy ambiance can still be created in summer time that will have everything you need to create a festive atmosphere.
There is so much fun waiting to be had at an outdoor Christmas party.
And the best part? The mess stays outside!
So if you don’t feel inclined to clean up immediately, just walk away and deal with it in the morning. An outdoor holiday party might just become the new thing for you!
Read on to find out how easy and fun it is to coordinate.
Coordinating The Outdoor Space
Some time does need to be taken to coordinating the space that you will be hosting your outdoor Christmas party. This will ensure that everyone has a great time in the best way possible.
Think about the layout of your outdoor furniture and the easiest ways for guests to interact with one another.
Seating examples include:
- Seating of bean bags of other chairs around a firepit.
- Chairs placed in semi circles with several low tables to place food and drinks.
- Chairs that can be easily moved so that guests can change the seating arrangement to suit their interactions.
Depending on the amount of space available, you may wish to set up several seating areas that offer different vibes.
For example so relaxed seating around a firepit, some lounge seating and some more formal seating. This will allow guests to choose an area that suits their individual needs.
Once you have determined a few seating arrangements, think about the extras to make the space even more inviting.
These accessories are important for the finishing touch.
Party Accessories
Guests always enjoy the extra little touches that are provided at parties.
Additional extras are also a wonderful way for guests to be made to feel a little bit extra special.
Blankets: Having throw blankets around will be incredibly welcomed at winter Christmas parties. But you will always find that one person who gets cold even in the middle of summer.
Blankets will create a cosy atmosphere and guests will love to snuggle up in them. If you can provide red or gingham style blankets they will look even better!
Heating: If it’s cold you must provide some heating. A firepit is a great idea, but at a minimum there should be some patio heaters.
Whilst everyone can try and keep warm with hot cocoa, nothing beats standing next to an outdoor heater.
Christmas Music: It’s not really an accessory, but the music definitely can’t be overlooked.
Whether you choose to set up a playlist of Christmas songs or Christmas carols, you want to ensure you have some festive background music.
Outdoor Christmas Decorations
Decorations always add a personal touch to a party, and a Christmas party is no exception.
The great thing is that there are lots of Christmas decorations that can easily create a sophisticated and festive vibe. You don’t need to have lots of tinsel everywhere to create Christmas decor.
These few simple ideas will be perfect for creating a festive, relaxed and sophisticated vibe.
Christmas Lights: The ONE thing that you can not overlook at a Christmas party is the lights. Everyone loves Christmas lights and they are fantastic for creating instant atmosphere.
Whether you are decorating a large or a small space, twinkling lights can literally be put everywhere.
Use outdoor string lights and drape them high above the yard, trees and bushes.
Mason jars are also wonderful for placing candles or battery lights and really help to create a festive atmosphere. Place them together in bundles on the ground or use to decorate tables. This will always be a popular look.
Lanterns are also a very beautiful look that are easy to use and decorate with.
Christmas Tree: It wouldn’t be Christmas without a Christmas tree, so why not make one the centre of attention at your party.
Place it in a prominent area so that it becomes a statement and focal piece. You could even decorate the tree with candy canes or wrapped gingerbread cookies for guests to enjoy throughout the party.
Fir Tree Branches: An easy way to decorate for an outdoor Christmas party is to use fresh greenery. Fir tree branches are perfect for this.
The greenery will bring your food table to life and they are so simple to use. Literally scatter them around the party area.
Red Ribbons: Have you ever seen those streets decorated with red ribbon bows?
Red ribbons are a symbol of good times and happiness and are often used at Christmas time. Decorate the red ribbon bows around table legs, back of chairs, tree stumps. The options are endless.
Food At An Outdoor Party
Regardless of the weather there are certain Christmas foods that you simply can’t overlook delicious food at a Christmas party.
An outdoor Christmas party needs to be kept simple. Keeping it simply means forgetting a dinner party.
If you want to serve up a meal, then a selection of soups of stews would be a great option (especially if it is cold). These can be pre-prepared and left in slow cookers for guests to help themselves.
Ensure you leave lots of nice crusty bread and rolls which can easily be grabbed too.
For warmer climates you might like to cook a BBQ with several salads to choose from.
Otherwise finger food works very well for an outdoor party. Serve up some Turkey and ham slices with cheese and crackers. Fruit and finger dessert platters are always very popular. Don’t forget the Christmas cookies!
Check out the charcuterie board ideas for a Christmas party which will always be very popular.
Gingerbread, eggnog, hot cocoa and mulled wine are all awesome choices for drinks.
Set up an eggnog or hot chocolate bar so guests can make their own recipes. This is the perfect way to add an extra element of fun to something very simple.
Swapping mulled wine for sangria might be an awesome idea at a summer climate Christmas party, but whether you serve warm drinks or not, guests will always enjoy the festive spirit of the food.
Fun Outdoor Christmas Activities
It’s always a good idea to include some activities at a party. They really don’t need to be huge or take up too much time and attention, but they do add a nice element to the party.
Here are some really fun ideas you might like to incorporate.
Fire pit: For cooler climates, a firepit would be a welcome addition at an outdoor Christmas party. Allow guests to keep warm by the fire drinking a mulled wine or hot eggnog. Sounds bliss!
White Christmas: Are you lucky enough to enjoy a white Christmas and experience a true winter wonderland? How about incorporating a snowball fight or enjoy creating some snow angels. The kids would love it and I’m sure a few adults would get involved too.
Ugly Sweater Party: This is classic Christmas fun that everyone can easily get involved in. Simply ask everyone to come dressed in their best ugly Christmas sweater.
You could organise a prize if you wished for the winner. For warmer climates simply switch this up to an ugly Christmas shirt contest.
Photo Booth: A photo booth is always a lot of fun and easy to coordinate. Simply set up an area with a decorated backdrop and lots of Christmas props. Then let the guests enjoy taking photos and you can have a laugh at the end of the night.
Christmas Movie Marathon: If you have the space then a Christmas movie marathon would be a whole lot of fun. Set up a large screen and play a few of your favorite classic Christmas movies.
Ensure that you have bean bags, blankets and lots of snacks to keep the guests going throughout the evening. Christmas movies under the stars whilst drinking a hot cocoa. Truly magical!
Christmas Karaoke: Some guests will love it, and some will hate it. But even if not all guests want to participate, you generally find that everyone enjoys listening. Christmas karaoke is guaranteed to provide a lot of laughs and if your crowd like to let their hair down, then this would be a great option.
White Elephant Gift Exchange: This is a fun game and it is an easy way to get guests interacting with one another. Prior to the party starting ask everyone to bring a wrapped gift to the value of $10.
Everyone places their gift in a pile and numbers are written up to the number of guests present. Everyone picks a number, with number 1 picking the first present. Number 2 can then choose to steal the opened present or unwrap a new one. Each player has a turn according to their number. As soon as a player has their gift stolen, they can choose another present from the pile. Continue the game until everyone is holding a gift.
Scavenger Hunt: If kids are in attendance at the party, then this is an activity that they are guaranteed to love. Hide lots of Christmas treats around the yard and let them go hunting. This is a great way to keep them occupied whilst also have a lot of extra fun.
Gingerbread House Making: The kids will love to create some gingerbread houses. The bonus of this activity being outside means that you don’t have to worry about lots of mess being indoors. Have some clear wrap available so that guests can wrap their creations up and take home. Kids will love this hands-on-activity.
An outdoor Christmas party is a lot of fun regardless of the climate in which you live.
The festive cheer can be strong regardless of the weather and all you need to do is simply change up some activities and food to suit. An outdoor celebration is a fun way to let everyone enjoy themselves in a relaxed outdoor space.
Use these outdoor Christmas party ideas to create a holiday celebration that people wont stop talking about.
Christmas really is the most wonderful time of the year, and what better way to celebrate than with those that we love.
Need some more Christmas ideas? Check out these easy magical Christmas ideas the whole family can enjoy. You will find more printables, simple recipes, decorations and more.
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