If you have a pool, you can use it for more than just summer parties. Your backyard resort can transform into a winter wonderland for a festive holiday party. While you might not be able to swim in the pool this time of year if it isn’t enclosed, you can still enjoy the space and extend your party into the beautiful outdoors.
Gain ideas for ways to decorate and entertain guests in your backyard resort with these tools and tips.
Decorating the pool deck for the holiday
Your backyard resort can become a winter wonderland with just a few simple decorations.
- Add holiday lights to your pool’s pergola or pool house.
- Sprinkle the deck area with fake snow.
- Tie ribbons around the posts of your pool deck.
- Toss a large Santa or snowman floatie in the pool, or if your pool is winterized, just sit it on the pool deck for the atmosphere.
- Hang lights around your pool’s fence or your backyard fence to bring festive cheer throughout the area.
- If you have plants or bushes near your pool deck, add tree ornaments or lights to them.
Fun Activities for Young Partygoers
If you’ll be welcoming children to your poolside holiday party, there are plenty of fun things you can plan for them to do to get into the holiday spirit as well.
Decorate Christmas cutout cookies or assemble gingerbread houses. If you want to keep it simple, you can use graham crackers instead of buying or making gingerbread house walls.
Set up a hot cocoa bar. Everyone will enjoy this fun treat no matter how old they are, but for the kids, it will feel like a decadent treat. It doesn’t take much either. You can get some marshmallows, whipped cream, peppermint candies, and syrups to add various flavors, such as white chocolate or raspberry.
If your guests are young, you can also just print off some coloring pages and keep it simple. While decorating, you could also create a holiday scavenger hunt by hiding pictures or specific ornaments throughout your backyard oasis. Just be sure to have pictures of the items the children are supposed to find printed out on a sheet of paper.
Plan a fireside playlist
While the idea of gathering poolside is delightful, it will likely still be chilly in middle Tennessee this time of year. Warm everyone up with a fire pit. This is a great place to put the hot cocoa bar for the kids and maybe some hot toddies for the adults.
As you gather around the fireside, nothing beats some classic Christmas carols. While you don’t need any fancy karaoke equipment to make the occasion fun, you can make the carols something everyone knows and loves to help set the mood and ensure everyone has a great time.
Consider roasting s’mores if your fire pit is large enough for many to gather around. Just keep the music low enough to where your guests can talk and mingle while enjoying the warmth of the fire.
Set a relaxed menu and dress code
A poolside holiday party will have a more relaxed feel than one at other venues or even in your living room. As such, the dress code and menu should match.
Creating a spread of hors d’oeuvres can set an appropriate tone for your party. Consider easy finger foods since you’ll be poolside with limited seating for people to enjoy their meal.
The dress code can be relaxed, with jeans and flannel shirts welcomed. Or you could even theme the party inviting people to wear their coziest sweater, whether it be an ugly Christmas sweater or not.
Have fun with it and consider a costume contest for the best Santa. While the dress code won’t completely change the atmosphere, it can have some impact. And outlining the dress code in the invitation can put people’s minds at ease about what to wear.
Keeping guests off your winterized pool
If you’ve winterized an outdoor pool but want to throw a party on the deck, just be sure your guests know that they cannot walk on or tamper with the pool cover. Set up some sort of perimeter if you’re worried guests won’t stay away, or you have young guests who might not entirely understand the message.
Backyard resorts with a spa can be another fun way to gather. Open the heated waters to their guests. Just plan for the chilly walk back inside with plenty of towels and a firepit. Now is a great time to enjoy the warmth and comfort a spa offers.
Outdoor pools that are not shielded from the elements should be fully winterized by now. But if yours isn’t and you’re looking to host a festive gathering poolside in the coming weeks, get your pool holiday ready!
Peek Pools & Spas can help you get your poolside ready for hosting! Call their skilled team at 615-866-8800 or contact them online to get started and be ready for next year’s gatherings!