THE COOL CLUB
Recent relaxation of guidelines mean we can now get together with up to 6 people to have a social distanced gathering outside, at last! This is music to our ears, it’s time to start making some summer memories with our favourites. Most importantly we want to continue to be safe and realistic, which is why The Ice Co is sharing our top tips for how you can still have fun whilst keeping you and your family safe.
These ideas might be a little different from what you’re used to but instead of focusing on what we can’t do, let’s focus on what we can do, and create a new normal.
Serve cans and bottles in ice buckets to keep them cold all day long.
Hand sanitizer station
This might just be our most important tip. Having a sanitizer station in the area you are hosting makes it much easier for people to keep on top of keeping their hands clean. To keep this fun for the kids, why not get them to create a chart that they can fill in, encouraging them every so often to wash their hands and tick their name on the sheet when they have done so.
Ice buckets filled with canned drinks including bottled water
Avoid sharing drinks from pitchers and instead stock up on canned drinks. Serve cans and bottles in ice buckets to keep them cold all day long. This way you aren’t handling the same bottles and instead drinking your own drinks ice-cold from a bucket. Don’t forget to recycle your cans and bottles afterwards – leave a recycling box somewhere in the garden for guests to use! If you have enough space and buckets then you could set each family/couple up with their own drinks station.
Guests to bring their own funky glass
If guests would prefer to drink from a glass, encourage them to bring their own. This way all the glasses are different, and you won’t get mixed up with whose is whose. They can also take it home with them afterwards to wash (aye less washing up for the host!).
Take the essentials into the garden
Taking the essentials into the garden will avoid trips into the house. So, if you know you’re going to need blankets later on into the evening when the temperature drops bring them out before-hand. Blankets and cushions are also a nice way to dress up the garden, add a couple of candles and you have yourself a flashy seating area.
What food to serve?
Instead of serving sharing dishes, such as crisps and nuts why not pre-make sandwiches for each of your guests the day before. If your plan is to have a BBQ then we’d recommended having 1 person in charge of cooking and serving. Check out these simple serving suggestions from BBC Good Food.
Have cardboard plates at the ready and biodegradable or recyclable cutlery. If using your cutlery, bring your cutlery holder from the dishwasher to the garden and let guests place them in to wash when they’ve finished eating.
Don’t forget dessert, especially if it’s a scorcher! Ice lollies or individual ice cream tubs would be the perfect option, again it avoids any sharing.
Music to set the tone….
Music is what will really get you in the mood…especially if your reunion has been a long time coming. Get your groove on and have some fun! Check out our Party Playlist on Spotify. There’s a song for everyone and here at The Ice Co we know how to throw a party, so trust our taste in music to create a good atmosphere.
Final tip…don’t forget to make the most of it!
We know how much you’ve missed your nearest and dearest and you’ll be dying to make the most of the time you have with them. Why not have a go at one of these popular Tik Tok dance routines? Go into two groups and practice the dance and then come back later on to give your performance. We’d love to see these, tag us using the #theiceco if posting on Instagram.
We know these times are uncertain but If there’s one thing we know it’s that there are so many things possible now, you just have to remain positive and just go with it! We hope these tips have been helpful. If you are still unsure of exact Government Guidelines, please refer to the Governments website or watch Boris Johnson’s latest announcement video.
