Host the Ultimate Outdoor Holiday Dinner

When it comes to outdoor living, we Floridians know how to do it best! With our warm weather and beautiful scenery, why not take advantage of it and host the ultimate outdoor holiday dinner?

Staging an outdoor Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner might sound complicated, but it’s actually an easy alternative that can help relieve some of the normal holiday stressors!

Here at Synergy Outdoor Living, we are all about bringing the luxury and amenities of the indoors into outdoor spaces. Using our experience and expertise in luxury outdoor living design, we’ve gathered our favorite tips to help you host the ultimate outdoor holiday celebration this year. Let’s dive in!

Try a New Take on Dinner

Of all the holiday traditions, cooking a turkey or ham in the oven might be the most common. But we’re here to tell you that smoked or grilled ham and turkey are much tastier!

Don’t know where to start? Try our Grilled Ham with Honey Glaze or this Amazing Grilled Turkey recipe for a deliciously different holiday dinner.

Plus, instead of heating your indoor kitchen space, why not try cooking your side dishes on the grill too?

Corn on the cob and vegetable skewers make sides easier to throw on the grill
Beans, mashed potatoes, and gravy can be cooked on the side burner

Try these scrumptious grilled side dish recipes:

Grilled Sweet Potatoes with Smoked Butter

Grilled Portobello Mushrooms

Grilled Brussels Sprouts with Maple-Mustard Glaze

Grilled Bread Stuffing

Of course, you don’t have to cook the entire meal in your outdoor kitchen, though it’s much more fun that way! Wouldn’t you rather be spending time outside with family instead of running to check on food every 15 minutes?

While you may require help from the inside oven and stove burners to complete every dish on time, cooking on the grill will add a unique flavor to your holiday dinner.

Baking on the Grill

Make it sweet. Go for savory. If you have a grill in your outdoor kitchen, you can grill casseroles, pies, cookies, pizza, and more!

Yes, you read that right! From bread and brownies to Cast Iron Gingerbread cookies, you can use the grill or the pizza oven to bake treats for all of your guests.

It’s true. You can bake almost anything for your holiday get-together with a covered grill since the heat rises and circulates just like in your indoor oven. And you don’t have to adjust the recipe either, which is a big win in our book!

Learn More > How to Bake on the Grill

Put Ales and Ciders on Tap

When hosting a holiday dinner with family and friends, the goal is to keep everyone satisfied. Luckily, with a custom outdoor kitchen, you can spend time enjoying their company outdoors! Of course, this includes libations.

While there is nothing wrong with using an ice chest or running back and forth to the fridge for drinks, imagine if you could bring the bar to your outdoor living space. Enter the kegerator!

A kegerator is a beer dispenser that uses carbon dioxide to keep beverages fresh and cold. And remember, a kegerator isn’t just for beer or cider. With the proper setup, you can put wine, soda, and even coffee on tap.

If you don’t have one as part of your outdoor kitchen yet, it’s time for the gift of a design upgrade! A kegerator will have you being the holiday home for years to come!

Bring the Party Outdoors > Adding a Kegerator to Your Outdoor Kitchen

Provide Plenty of Seating for Your Guests

If you’re anxious about tidying up every inch of your home and squeezing everyone around the dinner table this holiday season, don’t! Take it outside; that’s beauty of our Florida lifestyle! An outdoor living space extends your hosting area so everyone is comfortable.

When hosting a meal in your outdoor living space, make sure to provide plenty of cozy seating for your guests. We recommend investing in high-quality outdoor furniture that can withstand Florida’s elements.

Add a sense of warmth with outdoor pillows, throw blankets, and a stylish rug.

Keep your guests comfortable by providing blankets or throws for them to use if it gets chilly in the evening. Nobody wants to be cold during dinner!

And while you’re at it, create a festive atmosphere with some holiday decorations. String some lights around your patio or deck, hang some wreaths on the doors, and light a few candles to set the mood.

Heat Things Up with a Fire Feature

Thanks to the season’s earlier sunsets, your holiday celebration might get a little chilly in the evening hours. You can add warmth and ambiance with a fashionable fire feature or fire pit; the quality of a built-in piece is unparalleled.

Whether you are telling stories around a wood-burning fire pit or sipping an after-dinner glass of wine by a gas fireplace, fire features can transform your outdoor living space into a cozy refuge when the temperatures drop.

Install a Media Wall

With a little bit of planning, your outdoor kitchen can be the life of the party with a media wall equipped with a TV plus hidden speakers installed throughout the patio.

Whether you want to watch Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, football, or your family’s favorite holiday movies, you won’t have to leave the comfort of your outdoor living space! Now that’s convenient!