Bring the magic of Christmas to your backyard

The joy of incorporating greenery into your outdoor decor is that it is low waste, can be composted, and even if you don't have a suitable tree in your own yard, can often be sourced for free or at a very low price! And you don't have to limit yourself to gum leaves either - citrus tree branches, rosemary sprigs and Australian flowers like bottlebrush and wattle can create a beautiful Australiana Christmas theme. You can also decorate with dried citrus slices, paper stars and twine ribbon for the ultimate in eco-friendly design. For a luxurious finish, try painting the gum nuts of your branches with white or metallic paint and adding tapered flameless candles (Consider fire ban days/consult your local CFS if you would rather opt for open flame candles). For a fun theme, add loads of colourful flowers, incorporate felted Aussie animal decorations and add strings of copper LED lights! If you're more into moody Christmas vibes - paint some branches black and accent with velvet ribbons and baubles in burgundy, emerald green, navy and metallic tones. Finally, accent with hand-written leaf place names, matching napery, and Christmas Crackers!

You don't have to limit yourself to just branches either - if you have trees in your backyard, use them as part of your decorations by adding fairy lights, outdoor safe baubles or paper stars! To truly bring the Christmas magic outside, bring out the whole Christmas tree to create a real wow factor in your alfresco area on Christmas day. 

When decorating your table for an outdoor Christmas, there are a few extra things to consider when compared to an indoor celebration. 

Many styles of tablescape can look absolutely beautiful and remain functional even in very warm or windy weather. Here are our tips!

If you're having an open-air celebration - meaning you have no shade and are in direct sun, we recommend reducing the use of glass and light coloured linens, plates and decorations that can cause a bright reflection and impact the vision of your guests! Instead opt for linens and accessories in a feature colour to suit your theme - an Emerald green, or even a sand or blush colour will be more pleasant to look at in a bright setting. 

Decorate using what you already have! Pull your favourite decor from within the house to add character to your outdoor table - reindeer sculptures, garlands, baubles and paper stars can all act as stunning table decor. You can also opt for a runner to create a 'frame' for your decor and create a more intentional look on your table. Use a family-made gingerbread house to add a Christmas touch, decorate using dried citrus slices, create a popcorn garland or spray paint some gathered pine cones to add personality to your set up. 

It's not Christmas without the beautiful glimmer of fairy lights!

Whether your prefer the simplicity of a warm white globe, or the festivity of rainbow lighting - Christmas lights make all the difference when it comes to creating a magical feeling in your backyard.

Fine wire lights can be used to decorate your table, while hanging Christmas lights, lanterns and illuminated inflatables can add festive joy to your backyard!

When it comes to Christmas lights, we firmly believe that too much is never enough - if you're not sure how else to decorate, just add lights! 

Here's something fun about hosting guests for Christmas - You can do whatever you want! Maybe you want to buy a good old roast chook and some sides, and serve them up with bread rolls - or perhaps you begin the Christmas cooking experience by brining and seasoning your ham days in advance. Whatever you choose, as long as there is a variety of food and enough of it, your guests will be happy!

For those extra hot Christmasses, make sure you've got some cool drinks on hand and plenty of water - otherwise, it's free game! Stick to your family's traditions or create some new ones. It's up to you!

If you have absolutely no idea where to start, here are some of our favourites:

• A good old pav! Loaded with fresh cream and fresh in-season fruit!
• A fruit salad - again, Aussie fruit really peaks in the summer. Fresh cherries, Strawberries, mangoes and pineapples are a must!
• Roast Ham - Honey glazed, no one would blame you if you went store bought! Even better served with crispy roast potatoes.
• Fresh Seafood - King Prawns, Crab or Lobster, fresh Aussie seafood is bar none!
• Salads - A tossed garden salad, a greek salad or a potato and egg salad!
• Traditional trifle - loved by all ages, a trifle is technically simple to assemble and always a hit!
• BBQ - some snags, onion and bread is all you need! Or you can get fancy with chicken or vege kebabs, prawns or lamb chops.
• Charcuterie - Something for everyone! Breads, crackers, dips, cheese, meat, fresh and dried fruits, olives and pickles - you name it! Add whatever you want, pile it all on and watch it disappear. 

When it comes to serving up your Christmas feast, the most important things are quantity and timing!

Make sure you work out your guest list ahead of time, and cater accordingly. It's easy to over cater, but no one wants their guests going hungry! If you're worried about going overboard, check out some of the amazing recipes online for repurposing your leftover food so nothing goes to waste.

When it comes to timing, all you want to do is make sure your food is the temperature it needs to be! You don't want frozen treats melting, or hot food that's cold in the middle. If you're going all out in the catering department, it can help to write a timeline for the day to make sure the food is all in and out of the oven or freezer when it should be. If you've never made a roast ham or chicken before and think this Christmas might be the time to try - just remember to check the weight of your meat ahead of time, and follow cooking directions, allowing extra time at the end to rest. Also remember that if you have other food in the oven - potatoes or veggies, everything may take a little longer to cook. You can do it!

Lastly, keep your food put away or covered for as long as possible. Get out finger foods right as guests arrive instead of hours earlier, and keep food covered - summer in Australia is known for flies and bugs! Whilst it is the season of giving, we don't want to share with those pesky critters, so glass domes and mesh covers will be your friend! For those looking for more help, plants such as Basil, Mint, Rosemary and Lavender all help to deter flies and mosquitoes. 

Christmas in Australia can be HOT. And we love it! A cold fizzy drink, a crisp champagne or a cold beer makes all the heat tolerable - but make sure you have plenty of cold water on hand too to keep your guests hydrated and feeling good even when the sun is at it's peak! 

Use an esky or outdoor sink to store drinks if you don't have an outdoor fridge to keep drinks easy to access, and create buckets of decorative ice for open bottles of wine and champagne. Simply add festive elements to your icecube trays a few days in advance - berries, rosemary sprigs, cucumber, slices of citrus, cut grapes, edible flowers or edible glitter! The options are endless!

To really up your drinks game, create a drinks bar thats easy for guests to access. A designated space with cold drinks, water, ice (with a scoop or tongs!) and even a space for tea and coffee will always be appreciated! Finish up with paper straws, fresh slices of lemon and sprigs of mint for those who prefer a fancy sip!