The end of the year is the time for holidays, family gatherings, company parties, and friendly celebrations. In the midst of all these holidays, somewhere between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the colorful and mild fall weather gives way to frigid winter, and several challenges come with it. Planning an event around the holiday traffic, the flash freezes, the treacherous roads, and the possible snowstorms can certainly be a daunting task, but it can be more than doable with the right amount of forethought and planning. If you are faced with planning an event in the looming winter season, here are 6 tips to set you on the right track.

1. Choose the Right Venue

The winter months are always cold, often wet, and frequently fraught with hazardous weather conditions, so how the venue you choose accommodates for these conditions can make or break your winter event. Most events at this time of year would benefit from an indoor venue where guests can stay warm, comfortable and out of the elements, but, with careful planning, outdoor events can be just as enjoyable. The main concerns for a winter event are keeping your guests warm, dry, and safe, so keep these things in mind while considering venues. If not indoors with central heating, make sure the venue can accommodate electric or propane heaters, or even small woodfires. For outdoor events, ensure there is space available for guests to shelter from rain, sleet, or chilling winds, whether in the form of existing outbuildings or temporary canopies. Whether indoor or out, choose a venue that is safely accessible in the event of snow and ice, taking into account road conditions, steep drives, and maintained footpaths.

2. Be Aware of Daylight Hours

It’s no secret that the days are much shorter in the winter, the sun often setting before 5pm, so take these shorter hours into consideration when planning your event. If you want to make the most of the daylight, you’ll have to get started early, opting for a lunchtime or early afternoon event. On the other hand, if your event functions best after dark, you’re in luck! You can start as early as the late afternoon, party for several hours, and still be home in time for bed. 

3. Serve Warm Food and Drink

If you are serving food and drink at your event, opt for hot, hearty options that will fill your guests’ stomachs and warm them from the inside out. Soups and stews are always a good option, along with pies (sweet and savory) and roasts. Alongside the usual drink offerings, consider adding freshly brewed coffee, hot cocoa, or hot teas. You can even choose to include some more seasonal drink options like mulled wine, hot cider, eggnog, or boiled custard. 

4. Gift Cozy Favors

Winter provides a fun opportunity to provide your guests with cozy gifts that are both functional and memorable. Blankets make great thank-you gifts or wedding favors, and wearable items like hats, scarves, and socks can be customized to match the theme or branding of your event. You could even provide disposable or reusable hand warmers for those extra cold days to provide your guests with an additional layer of care and comfort.

5. Provide Access to Heat

As previously noted, the winter months are the time to take the extra steps to keep guests warm at your outdoor events. This means adding sidewalls to your tents to trap in the warmth and keep out the cold wind, as well as employing the use of heaters and fires to give your guests an extra boost of heat. Electric infrared space heaters can be used outside on a small scale to create small pockets of extra warmth, but propane patio heaters are much more effective at creating larger zones of warmth around their radius. If you are using an enclosed tent, specially outfitted tent heaters designed to push warm air into the tent are a great option. If you prefer the more rustic route, and if your venue allows, a good old fashioned fire pit or bonfire can be a fantastic source of heat while also providing entertainment and adding to the cozy winter feel. 

6. Don’t Forget the Little Things

When you are trying to plan a successful winter event, the little details matter, so it is important to evaluate your specific event and identify all the little quality-of-life elements that can make a big difference in the overall guest experience. This can look like providing a rack for guests to hang those heavy winter coats, laying down floormats and providing an umbrella stand to keep rain and melted snow off the floor, or stocking bathrooms and side tables with tissues and hand sanitizer to catch all those cold air sniffles and winter colds.