The Ultimate Guide to Hosting an Outdoor Christmas Party

Christmas is fast approaching now, which we know for a few different reasons. Firstly, we’ve swapped out all the Halloween-themed decor in supermarkets for more festive colours. And secondly, the weather is really starting to warm up as we swing from spring to summer.

We’re pretty blessed to have perpetually great weather on Christmas Day here in Australia, which is why traditions like a Christmas barbie lunch or a game of backyard cricket have become quintessential activities for December 25th. But if you’re celebrating the holidays before the Christmas break (whether it be with colleagues from work or even family and friends travelling from out of town), then you can still take full advantage of the great summer weather to enjoy Christmas in a uniquely Australian way: with an alfresco luncheon and sun-kissed photo ops.

So what goes into the perfect outdoor Christmas party? Our event specialists at Marquee Monkeys are here to answer that question for you today, with our definitive guide on hosting the perfect open air Christmas party. Read on to prep your own Christmas party planning checklist.

Why Host your Christmas Party Outdoors?

There are already plenty of great reasons to host a backyard party, including being able to provide a cosier, more intimate party atmosphere that extends a warm invitation to your nearest and dearest into your home space. And is there any better environment than right at home for a great Christmas party?

Your party atmosphere is naturally also going to be elevated by the alfresco setting. There’s just something about summer sunsets and how they gradually paint the sky that makes for a brilliant backdrop. Imagine being able to snap some holiday shots with all those colours in the background, plus that golden sunset glow!

Finally, lighting options for outdoor parties are also often perfectly on-theme with any Christmas celebration. Decorations like strings of fairy lights wound across fence posts (to match those on your Christmas tree, of course), help effortlessly transform your outdoor Christmas party into a magical setting akin to the North Pole.

How to Plan your Outdoor Christmas Party

Planning an outdoor Christmas party is also a lot simpler than you may expect. In fact, that’s why we’ve been able to include all of these different items in today’s list.

To save your own outdoor Christmas party planning checklist from growing overly complicated, it’s well worth starting with your Christmas party essentials first.

Choose the Perfect Party Location

Location is everything for any party, but for Christmas, you’ll definitely want to pick an event location that’s both adequately sized and invites festive cheer. This could mean booking out space in a garden so you and your guests can be surrounded by some red and white roses, or even just hosting it in your own garden space, if it’s of an adequate size.

Pro tip: consider hiring a white marquee to create the perfect setting for your outdoor Christmas party. Our white marquees are ideal for decorating with red and green accents and decor to nail your Christmas theme, plus the marquee will also provide ample wind and weather protection on top of sheltering guests looking to escape from summer insects as the sun begins to set.

Follow our guide on choosing the right marquee for your event to get your marquee sizing just right for your Christmas party.

Set your Party Budget

Once you’ve got your location and costs for your marquee hire finalised, it’s time to define the rest of your party budget. This is a foundational component of any event planning checklist, because it’s imperative that you establish a balance between spending on things like decorations, invitations, etc., and things like food, drinks, and entertainment for your guests.

A good rule of thumb is to pad out your budget with a little more than you need. That way, if there are any unforeseen obstacles, you have the capital on hand to rectify them and make sure your guests stay comfortable.

Prep your Guest List & Invitations

If you end up inviting more people than you can afford per head in terms of catering, then you run the risk of having your partygoers leaving hungry and disappointed. And if you do have enough food but not enough tables and chairs to seat all your guests, this can also lead to a little frustration on the night, to say the least.

You’ll want to make absolutely sure that there is a seat allocated for every single anticipated guest (so every invitation you send out = one seat). It’s better to have more rather than less too, so if you do receive some ‘No’ RSVPs, you can always just remove chairs and tables as needed after the fact.

Outdoor Christmas Party Decoration Ideas

Speaking of party furnishings, decorating your outdoor Christmas party definitely doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. In fact, you can decorate a marquee on a budget by using some simple tips and tricks. We’ve outlined these for you below.

Lighting & Ambience

When it comes to outdoor Christmas party decorations, you can never go wrong with fairy lights or festoon lighting. The warm glow of these light fixtures will always provide an inviting ambience that brings people together on Christmas night.

Christmas Trees & Other Greenery

Christmas means holly, mistletoe, wreaths, and of course, a beautifully lit and decorated Christmas tree. With so much greenery to play with, you can really use the vertical space in your Christmas marquee hire. This is also what makes marquees the perfect pick for outdoor Christmas weddings!

Themed Decor Ideas

On top of all the traditional decorations like lights and greenery, your Christmas decor can also fit other themes that align with your Christmas party ideas. For instance, if you’re hosting a Christmas party for kids, you can include some fun Santa and elf cardboard cutouts for families to take photos with.

And if your Christmas is more Yuletide-themed, you can have stunning trestle tables with traditional decorations like dried oranges hanging from your tent rafters. And if you’re going after a more ‘Winter Wonderland’-themed Christmas party, you can string up some glittering snowflakes as well!

Pro tip: want a little inspo? Check out our marquee gallery to see some Christmas party decor ideas from parties of the past.

Food and Drink Ideas for Outdoor Christmas Parties

Christmas is the time to eat, drink and be merry, so you’ll definitely want to allocate a hefty portion of your Christmas party planning budget to holiday-themed dishes and cocktails. Here are some pointers to get you started.

Festive Snacks & Appetizers

The first thing you’ll want to plate up on your Christmas-themed dinner and glassware are some fun festive snacks and appetizers. This includes “Aussie Christmas Lunch” crowd favourites like barbecued prawns, heirloom carrots, asparagus spears, and maybe even some pita and dips in the shape of Christmas wreaths.

Handheld snacks and appetizers are also great for encouraging networking if you’re looking to book a more corporate marquee hire for an outdoor work Christmas party. With food that can be eaten from small plates and serviettes, you can get more people up and engaged during your work Christmas party.

Alfresco-Friendly Main Courses

Alfresco dining requires some infrastructure to ensure comfort and practicality. For starters, everyone should have a table setting with the dinnerware they need. Warm lighting like candles or an overhanging heater can also help with meal presentation and ensuring your alfresco setup stays photo-ready.

Similarly, you’ll want to provide main courses that are actually alfresco-friendly. This means meals that your guests can feasibly enjoy without having to use their hands, and with minimal risks of spills. If you want to do a Christmas roast, for instance, speak with your caterers about plating the dish so that it requires minimal carving and knife work.

Winter Drinks and Cocktails

Do yourself a favour and install a bar table in your outdoor Christmas party setup. That way, you can make sure your guests have an allocated area where they can grab their alcoholic eggnogs, peppermint juleps, and other holiday-themed drinks that are sure to warm their bellies.

Pro tip: yes, winter drinks and cocktails can be the perfect pairing for any Christmas party, but if you wanted to take full advantage of the summer weather, you could add an extra unique element to your event cocktail list by adding in some more summery concoctions. Australia is, after all, the perfect place to enjoy an Aperol spritz on Christmas Day!

Plan Entertainment and Activities

Once your Christmas menu is nailed down, it’s time to consider entertainment for your Christmas party. You can never go wrong with festive activities like arts and crafts stations for kids or even Christmas games like Kris Kringle. And you’ll definitely want to include some fun Christmas items like Christmas crackers so your guests can rock some colourful paper crowns all throughout your party!

And with so many Christmas carols available to rock out to over the holidays, you’ll definitely want to add a dancefloor to your party environment. Thankfully, our hire services also include a variety of dancefloor styles to select from that can be easily set up and uninstalled the day of your celebration.

Keep your Guests Comfortable

Outdoor Christmas parties are always sure to please – but here in Melbourne, we know all too well that the weather can change in a matter of minutes. As such, considering how you can keep your guests comfortable all throughout the evening is an absolute must.

Thankfully, our party hire services also extend to outdoor-friendly heaters, so you can make sure your guests can stay comfortable even if the night does end up getting a little bit nippy.

Key Safety Tips for your Outdoor Christmas Party

Drawing on from the importance of keeping your guests warm, it’s well worth also making considerations for some of the other safety factors facing your outdoor Christmas celebration. Risk factors like slips or spilled drinks can be rectified by securing the right type of flooring for your party, for instance.

And if you’re serving many different dishes for your Christmas lunch or alfresco dinner, then you’ll also need to consider things like dietary restrictions and allergies. You can include a section on your RSVPs for guests to list any allergies, just in case there may be serious risks like anaphylaxis to account for.

Having food labels on buffets and menus can also help your guests better avoid any dishes or food items that include ingredients that they may be intolerant of or allergic to.

Packing up after your Outdoor Christmas Party

Finally, nobody wants to spend too long packing up after a Christmas party – especially if that party also happens to fall on Christmas Eve! Even if it doesn’t, another part of the appeal of marquees for your outdoor Christmas party is that they’re very easy to set up and pack up.

On a similar note, making sure your outdoor Christmas party is well-sectioned can also help to keep messes to a minimum. For instance, having one bar where people can deposit their glasses can save you from having to rush around your party venue at the end of the night gathering up loose glasses – or even broken glass!

Perfect your Outdoor Christmas Party with Marquee Monkeys

On top of offering party tents for hire, our team at Marquee Monkeys is also proud to offer their expert support with setting up any outdoor celebration – and that includes outdoor Christmas parties.

If you’re looking to host your very own outdoor Christmas party to see in the holiday season this year, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of dedicated event specialists now. Whether you’re looking to hire a marquee in Brighton for a beachy Christmas, or even in Narre Warren for a garden party, our team at Marquee Monkeys can assist in bringing your holiday dreamscape to life.