Holiday celebrations are looking quite different in 2020 so I wanted to offer some fun suggestions that take into account social distancing recommendations. I am excited to be partnering with The Home Depot to share 5 ideas for themed get togethers you can host outside. You know I love The Home Depot and a good DIY project (see this recent bathroom refresh), but they also have amazing decor, furniture and entertaining pieces!

Connecticut weather during the holiday season doesn’t usually lend itself to outdoor gatherings so you would need to plan ahead with outdoor heaters or maybe warmer afternoons. If you are in other parts of the country maybe you don’t even need a heat source – in which case we are headed your way ?.

My outdoor gathering ideas are centered around this fun outdoor bar cart I recently grabbed (AND RIGHT NOW IT IS ON SALE!!). It’s an awesome piece for summer as well, but you’ll see below how I used it for my outdoor holiday gathering ideas.

Hot Cocoa and S’mores Bar

Kid friendly and always popular, one way to celebrate the holidays would be to invite a few loved ones over for s’mores. You can roasted them on various outdoor heat sources (our fireplace is gas and you can remove the glass shield before starting it to use the flame to roast a few marshmallows).

This sectioned serving dish is great for segmenting all kinds of treats you might serve and perfect for holding s’mores supplies. I recently grabbed this electric hot water kettle which I can plug in outside for offering hot cocoa mix and tea choices on the bottom rack of the bar cart.

Outdoor Movie and Popcorn Night

We rested an outdoor movie projector on the bar cart, grabbed some popcorn, and had an outdoor movie night. We opted to project right onto the brick fireplace but you can also set up an outdoor movie screen using something like this one.

Mimosa and Muffin Morning

I never got around to hosting my gal pals for mimosas (mom life), but I’m linking some good serving options below if you want to take on this type of gathering:

Mulled Wine and Dessert Bar

If you are looking for a warm cocktail mulled wine has all the flavors of the season and can be put together very quickly (see this recipe) using the slow cooker setting of your pressure cooker. I made pudding cups with a candy cane cookie on top and served them in this adorable set up that includes this fun serving caddy.

Chili and Beer Outdoor Football Night

While perhaps not holiday themed, my family always loves the food and family time that surrounds football games. Growing up we always watched them on Thanksgiving Day, and using an outdoor projector you can make that happen (it’s easier to see once the sun has set). I made chili in the pressure cooker and put out a tub with serve yourself beverage options.

SHOP MY ENTERTAINING PIECES:

If you’re not planning on entertaining The Home Depot is also great for furniture and indoor decor as well! My kids’ bedroom is entirely from The Home Depot and I made a new holiday bedroom design you can see below:

However you’re celebrating this year please stay safe and remember the reason for the season. With less hustle and bustle this year I hope we can all stay focused on what’s really important about the holidays.

Thank you to The Home Depot for sponsoring today’s post.