Make your Christmas celebration an al fresco affair
Keep Christmas simple by spending the day al fresco. Just add food, whanau and a few stylish decorations
Modern minimal
If you live in an apartment or a house with a small patio, you can still have a fun festive season outdoors.
Instead of a traditional Christmas tree, find a beautiful branch or decorate a small tree of any kind if you have one. A few white decorations will look clean and classic, especially when placed against a dark wall. Keep colours simple and mostly monochrome, with one or two extra hues for added interest. Remember, things don’t have to look perfect – randomly placed objects will add to the setting’s charm.
If you don’t have an outdoor table, place a rug or some mats on the floor to make the space comfortable for picnicking.
Coastal Christmas
Even if a holiday by the beach isn’t on the cards this year, you can still bring a relaxed, beachy vibe to your celebrations.
Collect shells and driftwood from the beach, and make or buy strings of wooden beads. You can also buy a selection of ceramic starfish at gift shops. These can be threaded with shells onto a piece of twine and hung as a garland.
Natural tones, shades of blue and striped accents will bring the look of the seaside to your outdoor area. Keep it light and fresh with beachy influences. To recreate the beach in your backyard you could even use sand to make a Christmas tree base.
Natural textures such as seagrass, raffia and cotton will work well with this setting. Twine and rope will also add a nautical touch. A hammock or hanging chair will set the scene, or you can simply layer cushions and beach mats.
Bring the casual, coastal influence into the food you serve – think fresh fruit, seafood and tropical drinks.