Fall is here, and celebrating Thanksgiving is different this year than any other. Whether you are celebrating alone, with your immediate household or safely distancing outside (following your area’s safety guidelines), you can still enjoy the cooling temps and be comfortable outside. Warm clothing is a must, my go to’s are merino wool base layers under anything if I’ll be outside in cooler temps, but if you’ve still got a chill, a basket full of throws and blankets is a great thing to have on hand to throw an extra layer over your shoulders or on your lap.
Warm beverages can help ward off the cold too. Some of my top hot beverages to enjoy outside in the fall are mulled wine, hot chocolate, and tea. Put any hot beverages you want to serve outside in thermoses or heat retaining containers. That way they can sit out for a long period of time while you refill your drink when ready. Be sure to clearly label containers especially if they contain alcoholic beverages. Having a thermos of hot water along with different options like hot coco mix and teas is a great way to use fewer thermos containers but allow for a wider variety of beverage choices. Put extra fix-ins on the side like mini marshmallows, cinnamon sticks and even liqueurs that might be nice added in like Irish cream or bourbon (always keep alcohol out of reach or children).
Add a set of insulated mugs and you will be set to enjoy your hot beverages, whatever they may be for the duration of your stay outside. Trust me, when its chilly outside, a drink in a regular mug or glass looses heat fast! The ones below are from Amazon and are affordable. They come with lids, so you can choose to lid the drink or not.
If you have a fireplace a fun treat is to set up a s’more station. If you keep your s’more kit essentials in lidded glass jars, you can store them in your pantry safely that way and just bring them out as is when you want to use them instead of decanting in bowls etc. This also helps keep pets and animals out of the goods when you have your back turned (but remember, don’t leave your food unattended outside). Don’t forget napkins!
If you don’t have a fireplace don’t worry, you can still make s’mores in a toaster over or even microwave inside!
Outdoor heaters are a great alternative to a fireplace outside. If you go that route you can always add ambiance with candle filled lanterns to give a cozy glow. Lanterns will also ensure you can stay out longer once the sun starts to set. String lights are also a great way to add ambiance and light up the area.
Finally if you’ve got chairs and outdoor patio furniture you will use, don’t be afraid to bring some pillows out for added comfort and coziness. I found some cozy faux shearling throw pillow covers at Indigo and they are perfect inside or out. (Just don’t leave them outside).
Enjoy the outdoors and stay safe!
