Holiday Guide to Outdoor Entertaining

When choosing patio furniture, look for transitional pieces. These can be moved and changed to reflect a particular event or season of the year, such as patio sectionals. But what if you are having trouble choosing a look for your outdoor patio area? Good news, The Home Depot's inspiration guide groups furniture and accessories together in different styles.

Tip: If you choose lightweight patio furniture, it will be easier to move around as desired.

These days it's easy to find outdoor holiday decor. Here are some tips for decorating your outdoor living area for the holidays.

• Add blankets and pillows in bright colors. Arrange colorful trays and candles on coffee tables and side tables. Small items in holiday colors and patterns make great gifts for friends and family who also like to entertain.
• If you’re decorating for Christmas, look for a large outdoor rug in colorful red and green. Swap it out with an orange or black rug during Halloween and a vibrant floral rug for spring.
  
• If you have an outdoor kitchen, use outdoor drinkware and outdoor dinnerware in holiday colors and patterns. Look for placemats and tablecloths that enliven your dining area.
• Stock your bar with everything you need to create custom holiday drinks. You may also create a hot chocolate station for your guests, or to give as a gift. Just fill a large bowl with hot chocolate and arrange all the trimmings — whipped cream, sprinkles, chocolate spoons — in a basket or on a pretty tray.
• For a quick, easy and festive touch, group holiday plants in attractive planters on tables and in the corner of your outdoor patio. And don’t forget the holiday swag. Garlands, wreaths and Christmas trees in various heights add warmth. They also complement your other holiday decorations.
  
• Have plenty of games on hand for entertainment. Hang a dart board or purchase an unfinished corn hole set and decorate it in holiday motifs. If you have a covered outdoor area, a pool table or pinball machine will keep guests entertained for hours.
• Consider an environmentally friendly theme in your decor. For your ornaments, use natural materials, such as wood, or dried fruits, like citrus garlands.

It doesn't matter if you’re partial to a smoker, propane or charcoal grill or ceramic grill. Everything tastes better when cooked on a grill. If you have a portable grill, you can roll it out to use for parties. Then you can roll it back into storage for protection from the weather.

If you frequently cook for guests, purchase a table to house your grill for added cooking workspace. You may want to invest in outdoor cabinet space to store grill accessories and serveware. Stainless steel and specialty cabinetry are options designed to withstand outdoor elements. But if not a grilling fan, you may consider including an outdoor air fryer to your available appliances.

Outdoor cooking tools and grill accessories and attachments are handy to have on hand. Plus, they make great gift ideas. You may want to purchase the following to transform your grill area into a functional kitchen and cooking area.

• Rotisseries
• Grill covers
• Smart grill thermometers
• Fish baskets
• Deck mats to protect your patio floor
• Cleaning tools and gloves

Outdoor string lighting has become one of the most popular ways to add light and interest to an outdoor entertainment area. Simply string lights across your patio area from one corner to the other. You can also wrap string lights around patio and deck poles and posts. Choose from solar, battery-operated, LED, rope and color-changing lights.

For long-lasting lighting, be sure that your string lights are weather-resistant or waterproof. Just as with your interiors, layer your outdoor lighting to create a warm, inviting atmosphere. You may opt for dimmable lighting, or even candles. They instill a relaxed and intimate atmosphere for any get-together.

Year-round lighting can be provided by installing specialty lighting, such as rock or in-ground lighting, around your patio area. If your patio space is covered, install a ceiling fan with lighting. Add outdoor floor lamps designed specifically for outdoor use next to your sofa. You could also scatter lanterns around the patio. Adding fairy lights to plants to illuminate the space for holiday entertaining is another good idea.

Even on temperate winter nights, it’s important to have several ways for guests to keep warm. The prettiest and most enjoyable is by hanging out by an outdoor fireplace or sitting next to a fire pit. Available in various shapes and styles, fire pits can be gas- or wood-fired. These low, round fire pits come with a screen to keep hot coals from popping out. Gas fire pits are no-mess — just turn them on for instant flames. If you’re a DIYer, purchase a fire pit kit — or gift to a friend.

Most people think of built-in fireplaces for outdoor entertaining. However, there are many attractive pre-built outdoor fireplace options to consider. Built from tumbled concrete, brick and even ceramic, fireplaces blend seamlessly into your outdoor decor. They provide you and your guests with evenings lit by firelight.

But don't forget the outdoor electric or propane patio heaters. They work surprisingly well at keeping the cold away. Use two or three to set around your patio.