Outdoor Thanksgiving: what will I need?
October 22, 2020 8:11 AM Subscribe
We are going to do an outdoor Thanksgiving with physical distancing! Help me plan for comfort and safety.
Our normal Thanksgivings are long, small, and elaborate. I would like to replicate that as much as possible while outside. It's a warmish climate, but weather could be 40F / 5C with rain. I have a few things already: a patio heater for each group to encourage separation, a rotisserie to do the turkey on a gas grill (always!), and a two-burner camp stove. I think I want to rig some tarps but have no idea how to go about that. I read you can heat bricks in the oven and put them in a newspaper-lined cooler for tailgating, so that's an option. In a sense, I guess this is a Thanksgiving tailgate! But I've never done that before.
There will be a house with a fully stocked bathroom/kitchen, but I'd like to spend an absolute minimum amount of time there. What are your tips and tricks for an outdoor Thanksgiving? For reference, we're treating person-to-person close contact as the only significant transmission vector, fomite (person-surface-person) is not relevant to us, though feel free to suggest measures that make sense to you.
Our normal Thanksgivings are long, small, and elaborate. I would like to replicate that as much as possible while outside. It's a warmish climate, but weather could be 40F / 5C with rain. I have a few things already: a patio heater for each group to encourage separation, a rotisserie to do the turkey on a gas grill (always!), and a two-burner camp stove. I think I want to rig some tarps but have no idea how to go about that. I read you can heat bricks in the oven and put them in a newspaper-lined cooler for tailgating, so that's an option. In a sense, I guess this is a Thanksgiving tailgate! But I've never done that before.
There will be a house with a fully stocked bathroom/kitchen, but I'd like to spend an absolute minimum amount of time there. What are your tips and tricks for an outdoor Thanksgiving? For reference, we're treating person-to-person close contact as the only significant transmission vector, fomite (person-surface-person) is not relevant to us, though feel free to suggest measures that make sense to you.
Plan your whole menu, then think through all the steps, do the same with table setting, serving table. Do it as if you were going camping, so you'll be able to minimize going in and out. But have a tray dedicated to stuff going in and out. Instead of bricks, I'd probably use water bottles & hot water to make a warming oven, but bricks would likely work. Esp. if it's cold, you want the food to be piping hot, so I'd get a warming tray to put in that cooler, and maybe one for each table. Soup, stuffing, gravy, veg, stay warm in crockpots, ask friends to bring extra. For coffee/tea after dinner, thermal travel mugs.
Chilly? A small heater under the table, and a tablecloth, makes a version of a kotatsu. Get hand warmers; they can tuck in to shoes. A basket of throws, sweaters, hats, scarves. Also, those hot water bottles? They're great in your lap to stay warm; I often just use hot tap water when I take a hot water bottle to bed.
Music. Maybe patio umbrellas in case of rain, and I think they hold in some warmth, or at least reduce breeze. If it's breezy, tarps have to be very well secured. If friends can bring extra patio umbrellas with secure bases, I have clothes-pinned fabric to them for a wind or privacy screen.
posted by theora55 at 9:04 AM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Chilly? A small heater under the table, and a tablecloth, makes a version of a kotatsu. Get hand warmers; they can tuck in to shoes. A basket of throws, sweaters, hats, scarves. Also, those hot water bottles? They're great in your lap to stay warm; I often just use hot tap water when I take a hot water bottle to bed.
Music. Maybe patio umbrellas in case of rain, and I think they hold in some warmth, or at least reduce breeze. If it's breezy, tarps have to be very well secured. If friends can bring extra patio umbrellas with secure bases, I have clothes-pinned fabric to them for a wind or privacy screen.
posted by theora55 at 9:04 AM on October 22, 2020 [1 favorite]
Every year my sons' Scout troop does a November campout and Thanksgiving dinner. It's never perfect, but part of the fun is shared misery -- and how else do you get good stories?! :7) The same is true for parents who have kids in fall sports Up North: cross-country and football parents from the Midwest & New England probably all have tricks for spending time outdoors in the cold without losing their good humor.
Set up a pop-up shelter over your prep table, too.
Have a ton of paper towels for cleaning off your hands and work surfaces (since you won't have a sink right there to wash them as often). Similarly, have a trash bag nearby to collect garbage.
For every group with a heater (and a pop-up shelter?), also provide a discreet trash bag.
If it will be chilly, consider getting tarps for the sides of your pop-ups to block the wind: wet and cold is way worse than just cold.
Booze makes you cold; provide plenty of non-alcoholic, hot drinks. On the other hand, too much drinking makes you need to pee, so expect traffic to the bathroom. So.....
Schedule a mid-day bathroom cleaning.
Buy a ton of disposable hand warmers and give them to people early! Heating up stones in the campfire is an oooold trick (though make sure you don't use the ones that crack/explode from captured moisture!).
Have pads for any furniture that spent the night outside: a cold butt will really make guests unhappy.
Do you have any yard toys? Even a game of corn-hole will get people moving.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:47 AM on October 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
Set up a pop-up shelter over your prep table, too.
Have a ton of paper towels for cleaning off your hands and work surfaces (since you won't have a sink right there to wash them as often). Similarly, have a trash bag nearby to collect garbage.
For every group with a heater (and a pop-up shelter?), also provide a discreet trash bag.
If it will be chilly, consider getting tarps for the sides of your pop-ups to block the wind: wet and cold is way worse than just cold.
Booze makes you cold; provide plenty of non-alcoholic, hot drinks. On the other hand, too much drinking makes you need to pee, so expect traffic to the bathroom. So.....
Schedule a mid-day bathroom cleaning.
Buy a ton of disposable hand warmers and give them to people early! Heating up stones in the campfire is an oooold trick (though make sure you don't use the ones that crack/explode from captured moisture!).
Have pads for any furniture that spent the night outside: a cold butt will really make guests unhappy.
Do you have any yard toys? Even a game of corn-hole will get people moving.
posted by wenestvedt at 9:47 AM on October 22, 2020 [3 favorites]
One likely concern: someone shows up who isn't dressed well for the cool weather (especially if your climate generally means that folks don't have a lot of very warm socks, gloves, hats, etc) and they want to go inside to warm up (or linger after using the bathroom, for example).
So I'd gather up extra warm things, like hots, gloves, heavy socks, etc and have them in a few bins and available for people to grab. The blankets on the chairs are a great idea.
Is there any way you can plan a few different active breaks? For example, a brisk walk to the park for a game of socially distant nerf gun wars or something? You want to think about how to keep people moving around a bit.
I'd definitely looking into renting/borrowing/buying some kind of pop-up shelter, something better than tarps hoisted in haste to block the rain. I suspect these kinds of things, as rentals, are going to be popular for holidays, so reserve them or buy them asap.
Is there a backyard with any privacy? You might consider designating a spot as the "nature pee" spot for anyone willing to pee outside.
I'd also think about communicating guidelines in advance with folks. If you really don't want people going into the house except for the bathroom, I'd be really clear about that in advance, to the point of making it a thing. It's a lot easier to set very strong rules in advance -- and reiterate them when people arrive -- than to have to enforce this kind of thing if one of your attendees is more casual. If someone is really cold and wants to go in, are you going to let them hang out in the house or will you send them home? I'd think through all that in advance, and discuss it with folks, so that everyone is on the same page.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:56 AM on October 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
So I'd gather up extra warm things, like hots, gloves, heavy socks, etc and have them in a few bins and available for people to grab. The blankets on the chairs are a great idea.
Is there any way you can plan a few different active breaks? For example, a brisk walk to the park for a game of socially distant nerf gun wars or something? You want to think about how to keep people moving around a bit.
I'd definitely looking into renting/borrowing/buying some kind of pop-up shelter, something better than tarps hoisted in haste to block the rain. I suspect these kinds of things, as rentals, are going to be popular for holidays, so reserve them or buy them asap.
Is there a backyard with any privacy? You might consider designating a spot as the "nature pee" spot for anyone willing to pee outside.
I'd also think about communicating guidelines in advance with folks. If you really don't want people going into the house except for the bathroom, I'd be really clear about that in advance, to the point of making it a thing. It's a lot easier to set very strong rules in advance -- and reiterate them when people arrive -- than to have to enforce this kind of thing if one of your attendees is more casual. If someone is really cold and wants to go in, are you going to let them hang out in the house or will you send them home? I'd think through all that in advance, and discuss it with folks, so that everyone is on the same page.
posted by bluedaisy at 11:56 AM on October 22, 2020 [4 favorites]
I'd also think about communicating guidelines in advance with folks.
When you send out the assignments (because everyone brings something, right?), you can also include your ground rules.
But also post a couple of simple notes as reminders for the well-intentioned-but-forgetful (e.g., "bathroom inside" or "remember to stay three turkeys apart!" or "No hugging, no how" or "Keep your mask on except when eating") on the big day.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:14 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
When you send out the assignments (because everyone brings something, right?), you can also include your ground rules.
But also post a couple of simple notes as reminders for the well-intentioned-but-forgetful (e.g., "bathroom inside" or "remember to stay three turkeys apart!" or "No hugging, no how" or "Keep your mask on except when eating") on the big day.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:14 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
Also remember, particularly if you start looking into shelters, that the reason outdoors is safer is because of airflow, so be careful not to just create a situation where you're just getting the worst of both worlds.
posted by platypus of the universe at 12:18 PM on October 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
posted by platypus of the universe at 12:18 PM on October 22, 2020 [7 favorites]
Comfy chairs will help. Often we move indoors because the outdoor seating is making our butts numb (not just cold).
Pop up sun shelters on wheels are good, but you want to secure them against wind.
Activities! People need to move around. Cornhole is good, horseshoes same.
posted by emjaybee at 2:46 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
Pop up sun shelters on wheels are good, but you want to secure them against wind.
Activities! People need to move around. Cornhole is good, horseshoes same.
posted by emjaybee at 2:46 PM on October 22, 2020 [2 favorites]
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Find a way to rapidly serve large amounts of hot tea. A hot-water cooker is essential, and useful too are a Thermos (pre-filled boiling hot that morning), lots of mugs, and a wide selection of teas.
One or two people might want a hand warmer or hot water bottle, so I'd have a handful at the ready.
posted by daveliepmann at 9:00 AM on October 22, 2020 [4 favorites]