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Move the Party Outside for Thanksgiving

By Ed Ball | Published on November 25, 2019 | 2 min read

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It seems that as Americans, we are in one of two camps: traveling to Thanksgiving festivities or hosting family and friends. In the Mid-Atlantic, we are fortunate to have some sunny and mild November days, so we likely can enjoy our outdoor space one more time before winter stays for good.

Add Some Warmth

Of course, one way to lengthen the time spent outdoors is to add some heat! Fire pits are an easy way to bring warmth and add ambiance to any setting. They also come in a wide variety of price points, making them affordable to most any backyard space. Of course, it’s ideal to consider a fire pit when designing your space to maximize seating and ensure safety.

An outdoor fireplace is also a fabulous source of warmth and invites people to cozy-up to it whether to warm their hands or toast marshmallows. Fireplaces can also be constructed to enable cooking, from camping-like cuisine to a brick pizza oven.

If fireplace cooking isn’t your thing, gas fireplaces can also be configured for outdoor fireplaces and offer a wide range of design aesthetics without needing to be sure you have enough wood to get you through the evening. Just flip a switch and go!

Get Cooking

As for cooking your Thanksgiving meal – or just giving yourself another prep space – an outdoor kitchen can be designed to satisfy all of your kitchen needs. The hardest part of creating your space is to choose how you will use it. Do you only plan to grill, or do you want a place to chill drinks as well? Do you want burners to cook and warm sides, or is counter space paramount? Consider when you will most often use your outdoor kitchen or imagine the ultimate Thanksgiving and then create the wish list of the things you’ll need.

Beyond the basic fire pit, fireplace, and kitchen setup, is there another accessory you’d enjoy? If you want to cook your turkey outside, you might want a smoker added to your outdoor space. You can also grill your turkey, of course, just make sure your grill can handle the size turkey you typically serve. And for those of you who want to deep-fry your bird, consider having a portion of your outdoor space that is level, and can take the spattering grease without risk of fire.

Also, who says you have to serve only turkey? Consider firing up the grill to make your special dish to add to the menu. Thanksgiving is for gathering and giving thanks for all we have, so why not create lots of favorites?! So long as you’re with those you love, the day will be special.

Happy Thanksgiving!