Al Fresco Christmas in South Africa
When you think ‘Christmas’, chances are you’re thinking snow, reindeer, twinkling wreaths and roasted chestnuts. However, down in the southern hemisphere, things are a little different. By the time December 25th rolls around, families in South Africa and other African countries are in the midst of sweltering summer, breaking out the sunscreen and heading to the beach in droves.
Suffice it to say, the climate lends itself to a different kind of festive celebration. Most notably, the weather is mostly fantastic. As such, sitting around a dinner table in a stuffy dining room can be a bit of a drag. Happily, most families are happy to buck tradition and head outdoors to enjoy the sunshine. If you’re planning to do the same, here are a few tips to make the most of your al fresco celebration these holidays:
Provide Plenty of Cover
While the whole idea of an outdoor Christmas is to enjoy the lovely weather, that’s not to say you shouldn’t be savvy when it comes to UV exposure. The sun is particularly potent at this time of year, so if the entire family is headed outdoors, you’ll want to make sure that there is plenty of high quality cover (i.e. full shade as opposed to the dappled, less effective kind provided by trees).
Create More Space
Stretch tents are the perfect option to pitch a semi-permanent structure over a wide patio. Additionally, the curved inside roof is ideal to hang festive decorations. If your living room or patio is too small to accommodate the whole family, smaller outdoor tents can be pitched to accommodate kids tables. In fact, pitching a tent on the lawn where the youngsters can keep themselves entertained is a great idea. With the drought that plagues many parts of South Africa at the moment, many lawns are hard and unpleasant to sit on. Spread out a groundsheet or loose carpets to create a more welcoming play area.
Plan Your Menu Accordingly
As soon as you move the party outdoors, things immediately get a little less formal. As such, it can be fun to loosen up your approach to food as well. Besides, when the weather is sweltering, not everyone is in the mood to sit down to a full plate of piping hot food. Instead, prepare a variety of salads, cold meats, fruit, bread, cheese and spreads that people can dip into throughout the day. If you do to prepare something on the day, consider a nice barbeque to set the mood. Throw a few chicken wings on a gas fire, for instance. Tentickle stretch fabric is fire resistant, so you could easily use a gas cooker underneath the tent.
BONUS TIP: Be prepared for some wind interference. The last thing you want is your entire outdoor vibe to be spoiled by an unpleasant gust or draft. With Tentickle stretch tents, you have the option of dropping side walls to keep the wind at bay.
Following these guidelines is a surefire way to enjoy a lovely al fresco Christmas in South Africa. That’s all from us for 2017! We hope you have a very merry holiday, We’ll be back in 2018 to bring you more tips, trends and advice on making the most of stretch tents in the marvelous South African climate. Now go kick off your shoes and relax!
