Cozy Up: An Outdoor Winter Party on the Roof with 5 DIY Entertaining Ideas for the Holidays

By Brittni • posted on 02/14/2024

An outdoor winter party on the roof (with DIY entertaining ideas)

I’ve been meaning to make use out of our rooftop deck again, now that it’s usable (all the flooring up there had to be replaced because the roof was leaking and it took FOREVER), and the last few weeks of fall seemed like the perfect time.

So, I teamed up with Starbucks® and their line of TAZO® Chai teas to celebrate the chilly season with some hot tea, homemade waffles, and a handful of blankets to keep everyone warm.

An outdoor winter party on the roof (with winter waffle recipe)

Decorate a mini Christmas tree with tea bags for guest to grab and go for keeping warm at an outdoor winter party

Naturally, there are some super simple DIY ideas in the mix for this one…and a spiced waffle recipe that is easy as can be to whip up. Click through for more!

The weather has been up and down here in ATL lately, but as luck would have it, it was a perfectly chilly day when this little shindig came together. So it couldn’t have been more well-timed for a blanket-wrapped brunch.

I had a handful of blankets around the house and some pillows that I brought outside to make things cozy. And then I got to work on the fun stuff – decor, drinks, food, etc…

Spiced Belgian Winter Waffles Recipe

Spiced Belgian Waffle Recipe

The waffles are one of my new faves, especially since they’re only semi-homemade. I used a box waffle mix and added a few additional spices inspired by TAZO® Classic Chai Latte spices…cinnamon, sugar, and ginger, oh my! And they were really delicious. The spices are subtle, but really pair well with the Tazo teas. Here’s the recipe…

Makes 10-12 large Belgian waffles. 

Ingredients: 1 box of Belgian waffle mix, 4 eggs, 2/3 cup of oil, 3 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of ginger

Instructions: Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl with a whisk, until smooth. Let the batter sit for two minutes, then spray waffle maker with cooking spray and pour batter. Let cook on a medium setting for 2-3 minutes, remove. And start over again with your next waffle.

If you need a recommendation for a Belgian waffle maker, I use this one and love it.

TAZO teas for winter

DIY Ideas

Food and drink bar // To make things festive, I added a little greenery around the food table and a handful of pomegranates to play up the typical Christmas colors of red and green. And I added a mini Christmas tree, with a fabric wrapped base (to cover the tree stand).

TAZO tea for a winter outdoor party

We had a mini drink station set up with a Keurig for making chai lattes super quick, without having to go downstairs, etc. Super convenient. And then, we hung some tea bags from the tree – so guests could pluck some tea right from the tree, if they wanted. Kind of fun, right?!

P.S. If K-Cups aren’t your thing, no worries! TAZO® makes a variety of chai teas that come in a concentrate version AND traditional tea bags, so there are plenty of options. There’s even a skinny version of the concentrate! Check out all the versions below:

  • TAZO® Classic Chai Latte K-Cup® Packs
  • TAZO® Vanilla Caramel Chai Latte K-Cup® Packs
  • TAZO® Classic Chai Tea Latte Concentrate
  • TAZO® Vanilla Caramel Chai Tea Latte Concentrate
  • TAZO® Skinny Chai Latte Concentrate
  • TAZO® Classic Chai Filterbag Tea
  • TAZO® Vanilla Caramel Chai Filterbag Tea

DIY table runner and centerpiece ideas for winter / holidays

Table runner and centerpiece // I wanted to keep things kind of low key in terms of the decor, so I grabbed a scarf I had lying around the house to use as a table runner, along with every single candle I could find, to create a fuss-free tablescape with minimal florals.

A bold DIY floral centerpiece for winter

Florals // I bought a variety of garden roses and peonies from Whole Food (they’ve had a really good selection lately) and mixed them all together in a low centerpiece, along with some holiday greenery.

Hand lettered leather place cards for winter dinner parties

Place cards // The place cards were hand written on leather scraps for an organic touch and I just rested them against some satsuma mandarins that I picked up at the grocery store. Easy as can be.

And that pretty much wraps it up. Let me know what you think!

An outdoor winter party on the roof

An outdoor winter party on the roof with TAZO

Winter spiced waffles recipe

An outdoor winter party on the roof

An outdoor winter party on the roof

An outdoor winter party on the roof (with DIY entertaining ideas)

Photography Amelia Tatnall
Styling Brittni Mehlhoff

What do you think of outdoor parties when it’s chilly outside? Would love to hear your thoughts.

This post is in partnership with TAZO®. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper & Stitch running.

11 comments | Click here to reply

I think i need the mini drink station, its so cute, needed and useful! Thank you for the recipe, gonna to try it

asyilla

I am so glad to this recipe and that all idea are great. Thanks.

Andrew Leigh

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Thank you!

Brittni

I love a rooftop deck. 🙂 Beautiful job on your table scape for your party.

Victoria Grigaliunas

Thanks so much Marlene and Megan. 🙂 Glad you like it.

Brittni

What a cute way to cozy up on a cold morning! I love that you took things you had lying around the house to make a stunning table. The scarf idea is ingenious. Plus, having the Keurig nearby is always a must! Coffee should always be close at hand! Thanks for the great post!

Megan Lacey

I love this whole party look! Everything is beautiful and looks so cozy. Whenever I visit my relatives in Germany we are outside much more often than here, even when it’s chilly. A lot of restaurants even provide blankets so you can still use outdoor seating! It’s such a nice lifestyle and this party reminds me how cozy sitting out in the crisp air can be.

Marlene @ Idle Hands Awake

Thanks so much Michelle. The waffle recipe is super easy and I love the subtle hints of chai seasonings in there. Just the right amount.

Brittni

I am so loving the recipe and the centerpiece! Great ideas!
https://www.makeandmess.com/

Michelle
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