White Christmas Inspired Patio
We’re sharing a White Christmas-inspired patio and tablescape today!
Each year before the hustle and bustle of the holidays kick into high gear we host a friends’ dinner. It’s nothing elaborate at all just a casual get-together inspired by one of my favorite scenes in the movie, The Holiday.
The scene begins with Iris (played by Kate Winslet) realizing she has not been playing the leading lady in her own life and ends with a relaxed night spent laughing with sweet friends, Christmas fettucini, and lots of wine.
I rewatch that movie every Christmas with nostalgia and wonder why we don’t make more time to sit and treasure each other throughout the year instead of trying to cram it all into the month of December!
Most of the time, I look at our calendar and realize we’re either out of town or have commitments every weekend from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day and feel clueless about how we’re going to fit it all in.
But one night, we decided it was too important to let it go.
So, we started carving out time during the week. And even though it was technically a “school night,” it somehow made the whole experience that much more memorable.
Thankfully, the house is usually already decorated thanks to my Mom’s help.
We keep the food super simple with nibbles, big pots of soup, and salad and everyone settles in for a relaxing night by the fire.
Even though we keep things casual, I still like for the tablescape to feel festive since most everyone lingers over dinner. This white Christmas tablescape couldn’t have been easier to create!
I started out by layering the table with things I already had on hand like a white dust ruffle for the base and used cream-colored lace curtains as a tablecloth.
For the place settings, I used a basic charger I painted grey years ago then mixed and matched 2 different sets of dishes, one with snow-covered trees and the other mistletoe.
Next, I gathered white ornaments from the dollar tree and painted these tiny sleighs a pretty metallic silver color.
I completely forgot to pick up pom-poms from the craft supply store. So, we used cotton balls to stand in for snowballs.
Eating outside always feels like a treat, even when it’s cold outside.
We usually have a big fire going but I also wanted to have lots of candles on the tables too. It makes for such a cozy atmosphere no matter what time of year it is!
I couldn’t find any cream or off-white colored roses so I cut a few stems off our Texas Sage bush. The leaves are such a pretty color this time of year. And the pale green really helped to break up all the shades of whites and grays too.
Several years ago, we turned an old workbench into an outdoor buffet and it’s made such a huge difference in how we’re able to entertain outside now.
I love to collect ironstone and have plenty of soup tureens. They’re great because even when we’re not serving soup, they help to keep the food covered.
Plus, they’re so neutral you can use them throughout the year no matter what the occasion or season.
One thing we always try to do when we’re setting up the buffet is to have items at different heights to make them more accessible.
Books, wooden boxes, cake stands, and trays are super easy to use and they’re budget-friendly too.
I found three different size metal containers at the thrift store and spray-painted them all white. Then I stacked them on top of each other and added a set of beads.
The wooden stool they’re resting on is also a thrifted find and an item we use all the time when entertaining outdoors.
My baby sister gave me her tree a few years ago and it’s always a fun way to add a white Christmas vibe to the patio.
Our back patio isn’t a covered space so we can’t leave it out there all the time but even when it’s only for a night, it still feels kind of magical.
I made the paper chain garland from old sheet music pages and used ornaments we already had on hand.
This area is fairly close to the fire pit so I wanted to make sure the s’mores and hot chocolate bar would be handy.
We usually just keep all the supplies for the s’more in a long crate. That way, it is easy to move closer to the firepit as needed or to bring it inside the house whenever the s’more supplies need to be restocked.
I think the best part of the whole night is just being able to relax and laugh the time away without any distractions.
We all could use a little more of that this season, am I right?
How are you carving out time to make holiday memories with family and friends this year? Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.
Many blessings,
CoCo
CoCo – this is a party that we wish we were at! The White Christmas theme is so fun and festive. So glad that you had just a bit of time to relax and unwind. What better way to spend it than with friends! All of your touches and attention to detail made your guests feel special, we are sure! Put us on the guest list for your next soiree!
You girls always know how to make a lady feel special. Thank you so much for your sweet comments. It would be so much fun to have both of you here. We could get into some serious trouble as long as it’s not passed 8 pm bawawawa Hugs, CoCo
Everything looks beautiful and cozy as usual, CoCo! I’m glad you were able to find time during the busy holiday season to have a fun, relaxing night with friends!
You’re sweet, Amy, thank you so much! I don’t know if I’ll ever find a balance between running this blog and the business but I definitely appreciate being able to slow down even if it’s for just a night 🙂 Sending you hugs, CoCo
Next time I want to be invited!! Looks so lovely
Aww thanks sis, you’re the best!
Absolutely beautiful CoCo! I am going to show up at one of your dinner parties 😉 You do such a wonderful job of making what you need styled so pretty. I love the blankets peeking out!
I really appreciate it Lori, thank you so much. It would be tons of if you came. We could have a great time! Bring the girls. Those blankets give me the giggles. You know as soon as it gets around 60 degrees in Florida, I am bundling up 🙂 Hugs, CoCo
This is absolutely gorgeous, I love every inch of it!!!
You’re seriously the sweetest, Fotini, thank you so much! It was fun to put together. Sometimes, you gotta take a break from the holiday crazy and enjoy a little bit of girl time 🙂 Hope you have a fun weekend, CoCo
CoCo, I just love your style so much, everything about this looks wonderful, from the table to the buffet and the tree! You created such a fun and festive space for your friends to enjoy! Here’s to making many happy memories this holiday season! Donna
Thank you so much, Donna! It’s definitely a fun spot to hang out and enjoy each other. I swear the time goes by so fast during the holiday seaon. Hugs, CoCo