It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Looking for tips for hosting an outdoor Christmas gathering? As we approach the 2020 Christmas season, spending time with friends and family is going to look different than year’s passed. Despite the pandemic restrictions, we can still find ways to safely exchange gifts and enjoy the holiday merriment together.

Tips for Hosting an Outdoor Christmas Gathering
One of the best ways to celebrate the 2020 holiday season is outdoors. My best friend Claire and I set up a socially distant Christmas Spectacular gathering around my backyard fire pit. We created the perfect setting using pre-lit garlands, lanterns and trees – bringing the magic of Christmas decor alfresco.

We found the majority of our decor at the Christmas Tree Shops. They carry a variety of outdoor lights and festive decorations. Some of our favorites are the light up truck and lanterns! We also added cozy elements, such as these plaid pillows, to our backyard scene.



Tips for Creative Christmas Gifts
Ornaments are always a wonderfully beautiful gift to give for the holiday season. They can hold special meaning or just be a lovely addition to a friend’s Christmas tree. The Christmas Tree Shops carry so many different ornaments that you can find something for everyone! We gifted one another unique ornaments to commemorate this special year – best friend sleighs and silly animals.
Gift Exchange Tip: Make sure to write the current year in permanent marker on the back of the ornament.
Another fun gift in our exchange was matching Christmas mugs that we found at the Christmas Tree Shop. We found yummy hot cocoa packs for the mugs at The Christmas Tree Shops. Hot cocoa is a perfect drink for warming up after spending the afternoon outside!


Gift Exchange Tip: Not only are mugs very practical, but they are a merry reminder of the celebration beyond the holiday! You can find so many fun and unique mugs at The Christmas Tree Shops.
While we enjoyed one another’s company, our children wrote letters to Santa. The Christmas Tree Shop carries an adorable metal Santa mailbox that makes a beautiful front porch decoration. Wouldn’t it be fun to invite your neighbors to drop off letters to Santa too?

Hosting an Outdoor Gathering isn’t Complete Without Festive Activities and Snacks
A must have during an outdoor Christmas gathering is something delicious to eat! We made a tasty winter themed snack mix using ingredients from The Christmas Tree Shops and metal storage containers. The Winter Snack Mix is made with Cheesy Snowballs, Snowflake Pretzels, and Christmas Colored Chocolates.

Tip: Make enough Winter Snack Mix for others and safely drop the festive tins off on their doorstep.
Holidays are special because of the people you get to share them with. While this year we will be making the most of Christmas in a safe way, we can still create memories that last beyond the season and bring joy to one another in many meaningful ways.


A special thank you to The Christmas Tree Shops for helping us host the merriest afternoon and helping us enjoy the magic of Christmas this season.

Want to see more fun and festive ideas with The Christmas Tree Shops? Check out this post!
This is so festive and fun! I love the idea of an outdoor gathering, especially during this particular holiday season when our health is at risk. I also smiled so hard at your gift ideas because those are usually my favorite gifts to give and receive. Great options! What a happy post!
This is such a fun idea! I never thought about hosting an outdoor Christmas gathering. Then again, in the midwest, it’s not always a possibility, but it’d still be fun even if it’s just a small get-together with friends on a warmish day. You made the set up look so cute!