With Thanksgiving near, we’re all trying to plan a festive start to the holidays. Having a swimming pool can help initiate a new Thanksgiving tradition. Let us provide some tips to make your Thanksgiving celebration fun for everyone:

Thanksgiving Décor

Thanksgiving is the first holiday that kicks off the Christmas season, and nothing says Thanksgiving like a warmly lit, brightly decorated table – even better if you can set it up outdoors! Buffet-style serving works perfectly next to your pool. If you typically have pumpkins and squash as décor, why not change things this year? Below are a few ideas that will impress your guests.

• Clear glass vases filled with branches
• Deer antler sheds
• Pine wreaths
• Candles on sticks of different heights or votives
• Hollow out a few pumpkins and fill them with ice for a homemade cooler
• Floating candles in the pool

You can use nature in your backyard or garden for a unique garland or name place card! Find a broad leaf, and spray the entire leaf or branch using gold or silver spray paint from your local home improvement store. If you have enough single leaves, you can write your guests’ names on each one and place them on the plates where you would like them to sit. 

Other Decorations Include:

• Plastic Pom-Poms – Inexpensive plastic tablecloths are excellent materials to create Pom-Poms for decorating the pool. Fold the tablecloths cross-cornered, tie them with a string, and cut them with patterned scissors. At the end of the pom-pom, glue it into a base that will let it float in the swimming pool.
• Paper Lanterns – Kids love making paper lanterns. It creates a great time to share with the whole family. Use poster paper, string, and battery-operated candles, available all at your local store.
• Mini Golden Pumpkins – There is a trend going on for tinting pumpkins. Consider a centerpiece with mini golden pumpkins.
• Thanksgiving Garlands – Garlands always help decorate the room for any occasion, and with a lovely array of fall colors, it goes excellent outdoors. These can be hung on the fence or over the swimming pool for a great afternoon detail.
• Thanksgiving Lights – The tones will make them memorable, whether floating lights or LED string lights. Using the right color for the occasion will make your swimming pool look more attractive. Ensure that when installing your lights, it mixes with the scenery. It will provide a great accent to the pool and the surrounding areas.

Keep Warm with a Spa

Have a towel warmer or bath robes after a warming-up session in the spa. Small details like these can make a Thanksgiving hangout a success.

Cook Ahead

That’s right! Save time by cooking some dishes the day before. Keep in mind that most side dishes go into the oven, check which ones take longer to prepare and do those first. Having all the supplies and ingredients to prepare the meal is also a must-do.  

The turkey is the star of the show. However, the side dishes are what can make the dinner different from others. For example, replace the potatoes with rice, or serve jellied cranberry; or mushroom gravy. Appetizers like prosciutto and manchego cheese are great and go well with nuts like fresh cashews. Or create a variation for desserts like a yam pie or a pumpkin soufflé. Or how about coffee with a whiff of lavender almond milk and whipped cream? Let your creativity go wild! 

Let the Games Begin!

After the feast, a few of your guests may succumb to the turkey and large meal and lie down for a nap. For those who want to burn a few calories, or continue the fun, below are a few ways to get your heart pumping.

• Pumpkin pool toss (shot put a pumpkin for the biggest splash)
• Leaf raking contest
• Pool log joust (if it’s warm enough)
• Turkey Tag

We hope the suggestions can help your Thanksgiving gathering be hugely successful. From our Platinum Pools Family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!