How to Host the Perfect Bonfire

Last week I wrote about how easy it is to create your own fire pit. Today I’m going to coach you on how to host the perfect bonfire! Hosting a bonfire is such a great way to spend quality time with friends and family. It’s cheap, easy and appeals to all ages. Follow my steps for your next bonfire and you’ll officially become a super host!

Seating

You may be panicking about not having enough chairs to go around. Don’t worry, you can get a little creative. When my husband and I host bonfires, we have multiple types of seating available to our guests. Of course, we have about four folding chairs that we can place around the fire, but we also have four plastic chairs that we steal from our porch. Aside from that we have a folding picnic table and an outdoor picnic blanket. The blanket is designed specifically for outdoor fun. It has a tarp-like bottom to repel any moisture that may be in the grass. I’ve found that for some reason the picnic blanket is often a huge hit. People love to kick back and check out the stars.

Food and Drink

Obviously, you want to go with a classic: SMORES! I keep a collection of metal kabob sticks on hand specifically for smores (we host a lot of bonfires ). Aside from that, a great drink idea is hot chocolate. Everyone from kids to adults loves a hot cup of cocoa and you have the opportunity to get creative with toppings. Some of my favorites are marshmallows, whipped cream and chocolate syrup to drizzle over the whip cream. If you’re hosting an adult-only bonfire, it could be a fun idea to find a boozy hot chocolate recipe. Don’t forget to drink responsibly!

Entertainment

The key to any great bonfire is to keep your guests entertained. There are a few ways you can do this. Music and games are your best bet, or if you’re anything like me, you can invite your friends and their fur-child and watch them all play together. Lame? Maybe, but we’re all millennials with dogs so to me
it’s comparable to mingling with other parents at the playground. At our bonfires we have a large Bluetooth speaker that we love to play music from. Though I will say, I would LOVE to have a friend with a guitar play some live music by the fire. Another fun thing we often do with our friends is play games. I have the heads up and piccolo app on my phone that keep us laughing for hours.

Congratulations! You are now ready to host the perfect bonfire. Got any other fun suggestions? Leave a comment for us below. Last but not least, please enjoy this whimsical illustration of Stockton’s marketing team dancing around a bonfire. Can you guess which one I am?

Until next time,

Savanna