Take your Christmas lunch outside with awnings.

Christmas in Australia is typically hot and dry – especially in Adelaide. That’s why awnings are perfect for letting you sit outside and enjoy any breeze going past without getting the sun shining straight down on you.

They can be placed over your balcony, out the back or front of your house or even off a balcony to further extend the shade on the ground.

If you want to add more shaded space to your yard or balcony, then folding arm awnings are the way to go. These will extend from their fixture at a horizontal angle (although you can angle them down if the sun is getting under them in the afternoon). This means that it is easy enough to set up a table in the shade for your holiday lunch, so that the family can enjoy the feast outside without the sun!

You can even get motorised options that adjust automatically for sun and wind conditions, so all you have to do is push a button and let the awnings move themselves for the rest of the day. This is perfect for a long Christmas lunch, or any other outdoor celebration you decide to host.

Alternatively, if you have a verandah then you can get outdoor blinds to make it easier to stay out there all day too. Verandah awnings will typically drop down around the sides of your outdoor space, which means that you can be shielded from the harsh sun in the afternoon.

Given that your verandah will have a roof, you won’t need these awnings during the hottest part of the day, so you can leave them up to try and get as much of a breeze as you can. As the sun starts to drop, however, you can put them down wherever you need to so that you and your Christmas guests can avoid the glare.

This will allow you and your family to eat a nice lunch outside on the verandah with whatever breeze is blowing, similar to the folding arm awning. You can also adjust which blinds are up or down, and by how much, to minimise the amount the summer sun shines in while maximising air circulation. They can be fully motorised, so all you will need to do is hold a button until they get to the desired height.

These two awnings will help you to make the most of your outdoor space while still having Christmas lunch in comfort – as well as any other summer events you host, like birthdays, Australia Day or even just a backyard barbeque.