Christmas outside meeting ideas

[RedskyAtnight]

Due to my brother unilaterally organising the Christmas bubble that suited him and SIL (but pretty much no one else), my only opportunity to meet my parents for potentially a long time, is an outside meeting on Christmas Eve.

Really welcome any suggestions as to what we could do. We will probably go for a bit of a walk, but as both my mother and DD have health issues this realistically won't be for more than about 30 minutes. Then I can't see an alternative to sitting in the garden (where there is no cover, so I think we will have to just cancel if it pours down). We can't justify the cost of outdoor heaters that may not be used again, so will all just have to wrap up warmly. I'd like to offer some sort of hot food but my parents don't like soup or things like burgers/sausages so they are out.

I can't be the only person having to manage outside meet-ups this year. Please inspire me with your ideas!!

What about getting a cheap fire pit or chiminea to sit round? And either a camping stove or thermos of hot chocolate?

I have similar issues so will be watching this thread for inspo!
Love the idea of hot chocolate...with something special for the non drivers??
I have a cheap chiminea I bought from Aldi earlier.
this year, hardly used as it was too hot! Could you borrow one...or set up an old BBQ as a fire pit to sit around?
Also borrow a gazebo? Not waterproof but would give you a bit of cover if it’s drizzly.

Not terribly appealing but I’ve met my dm several times in a car park where we’ve sat in our cars, opened the windows and had a good chat. It’s honestly been more comfortable than either of our gardens and the rain hasn’t mattered.
It evolved from meeting for a walk and then being a little bit lazy about the actual walking part!

But if you are going to sit in the garden, hot water bottles and a blanket are far more practical and warm than fire pits and garden heaters (and miles better for the environment).

I’ve no firm plans yet but been thinking a lot of hot drinks (hot chocolates, mulled wine, hot spiced apple juice, hot whiskey) and comfort food like baked potatoes, roasted chestnuts.

We are going to make our garage in to a bit of a grotto, we will keep the garage door open but it will provide some shelter. Going to get the dc to decorate it and put fairy lights up, spread out deckchairs with blankets and hot water bottles.

Are there any nice National Trust sites near you that you can meet up in? Most will be decorated and festive?

Do any parks near you have a bandstand? To stand or sit under x

You can make a fire pit using a washing drum

Some pubs have outside pods, you could book in for a meal in one. Christmas Eve is probably not the easiest day for it though.

@Murmurur that will depends on their tier. It’s not allowed in tier 3.

@KitKat1985

Are there any nice National Trust sites near you that you can meet up in? Most will be decorated and festive?

The ones around here are closed Christmas eve and christmas day

Fair point @Thatwentbadly . But Boris says he will be reviewing the tiers before Christmas so even if OP is in tier 3 now, she might not be by Christmas Eve.

Of course they might not want to risk a pub even if in tier 2.

I'm interested in how to do this. Not being able to see elderly relatives who live on their own near Christmas is really tough. They're in tier 3 (v unlikely to change as one of highest areas in the country), so can't even work out how to exchange presents with them and have a chat for a little while outside, as needs to be in a public place.

We are doing the same. I will put tinsel and baubles on all the shrubs ( charity shop purchases ) , Christmas bunting and Merry Christmas letter balloons to decorate the fences.

Some good ideas thank you.

We are in Tier 2 (and unlikely this will change when reviewed as local cases going up currently). My parents are also in Tier 2, but in an area with a low number of incidences (so may go down). Sadly no pubs round here offer the pod thing (which I'd never even heard of until posted on here). They are just offering socially distanced table service, so not an option for mixed households.

The NT site would have been a good idea, but the site near us was fully booked for Christmas week back in September (ages ago, anyway)!

My teens have comprehensively scoured all local outside areas in search of shelter with their friends over the last few months, so unfortunately I know there is none (the teens tend to gather in underpasses or under trees, neither of which I feel is a sensible option for my parents). The garage/car idea is genius and could be a good fall back for wet weather.

Weather permitting, I think we are basically stuck with going for a walk in local park to warm everyone up - maybe walking out for 15 minutes, then sitting for a natter (we can carry our own foldup chairs), then walking back - which would suit DD and my mum better anyway (They both can't walk very far at once without needing a break ). Then we come come back and sit in the garden (weather permitting). Maybe something like hot pasties (that we can eat in fingers), mince pies and tea/hot chocolate? Think will be ok. Entertaining is SIL's thing and she always goes all out, so will no doubt feed my parents more when they arrive at their place (should have said, my parents are stopping off at mine on route to DB/SIL's house) even if we were to give them a full meal.

Hot baguette with Brie and cranberry would be nice and festive, and hot chocolate with baileys, cream and marshmallows or mulled wine. Yum yum

We've had a few meet ups around our fire pit, it's lovely and warm and the heat is a natural barrier to getting too close!

I have been wondering about getting a beach hut for a day to meet up? I know it will be cold but could also be cosy but not sure if it counts as outside?

I’ve reserved a park shelter with fire pit which is something our local park offers

Mulled wine and hot chocolate
Hot water bottles
Bonfire?
Hot snacks

If tier 2 book a restaurant with tables next to each other .... I did this with a friend & her ptr before lockdown. Not ideal but warm, plenty of chat and restaurant got a pudding order we'd never normally do because we couldn't face leaving. Lots of restaurants and bars were obliging before lockdown

Stew?

Really need this thread too...
I did wonder about garden centres.
also if anyone has any ideas for outdoor meet ups in the Cardiff area.