Coleman Canada

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Backyard Tips & Advice

1	Set the mood For perfect outdoor party ambiance, invest in an outdoor fireplace. They provide the warmth of a campfire and the romance of an indoor hearth, and some even serve double-duty as a charcoal grill.
2	Remember to turn on the nightlight The right lighting is critical when entertaining outdoors. Too little light makes it hard to cook and eat. Too much ruins the mood an outdoor fireplace or beautiful night sky creates. Keep the big floodlights off, and focus smaller pools of light on serving and eating areas with natural sources like candles, torches or your trusty Coleman^® lanterns.
3	Bug off Citronella candles, bug spray, an electric zapper – whatever it takes. Keep the bugs out. Here are some ideas: Choose your weapon according to the party size. Citronella candles for a small, quiet gathering. An electric zapper for a larger crowd. Use food covers or large lids to protect the food that you put outdoors, especially if you set things out before the guests arrive. Or put the food indoors. Guests can load up their plates in your kitchen and then make their way to the patio. Provide bug spray for your guests. If possible, plan your event for the time of day when bugs are least likely to be a nuisance. Remember, bright lights are an open invitation to bugs, so only use the bulbs you really need.
4	Eat it. Don’t wear it Buy some paper plate holders or good-quality plates that support the weight of a meal without folding the contents onto your guests’ laps.
5	Mother Nature will be attending, invited or not Pick your party time to optimize weather conditions. On hot days, start later in the afternoon and take advantage of the cool night air. If you have to schedule for the heat of the day, have sunscreen and suntan lotion available.
6	It’s all food and games If you have room for it, set up a badminton net or horseshoe pit for your guests to enjoy while dinner is cooking or after the meal. Also, remember to plan some kids’ activities if younger guests will be attending.
7	Pull up a blanket If you don’t have enough chairs for everyone, bring out some big blankets to spread on the deck or lawn.
8	A build-your-own-kabob bash The day before your party, chop up a bunch of vegetables and set some meat to marinate in the fridge overnight. The next day when your guests arrive, hand each of them a couple of skewers and let them build their own kabob de resistance. All that’s left for you to do is to cook it to perfection. (Remind your guests to assemble their own signature stack so they can remember which dinner is theirs).

Check back here now and again. We’ll be adding tips from time to time.