Please note: This post was created in paid partnership with Christmas Tree Shops AndThat!. All opinions, images and content are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support this site.
My top summer bucket list item, year after year, is always to entertain and eat outside as much as possible. The season is fleeting in New England, and I do my part to make the most of it while the weather cooperates! A recent visit to Christmas Tree Shops AndThat! filled me with inspiration for my summer table – I left with a treasure trove of festive, stylish (and affordable!) al fresco entertaining pieces. As I zig-zagged up and down the aisles, some really fun outdoor lawn and tabletop games caught my eye and gave me the idea to have family game night in the garden.
The oversized four-in-a-row wooden lawn game was a score! I’ve been eyeing one of these forever, and the affordable price made this one a no-brainer (plus I love that it’s wooden, I might paint it to match some of my outdoor furniture eventually!). It gives me a nostalgic feeling of playing outside until the sun went down, and I decided to roll with that theme for my table set up. I found some vintage-inspired sparkling lemonades in glass bottles and pastel candy necklaces that perfectly fit the vibe! Another throwback nod on my table were the retro patterned beer-can style glasses that I found at Christmas Tree Shops AndThat! in punchy bold red, teal and lilac colors. Summer is the time to use bold color! 
While I was at Christmas Tree Shops AndThat!, I stocked up summer entertaining basics that worked their way into my game night in the garden. The melamine plate selection there is out-of-this-world good! So many fun patterns and solid colors, I snagged some really pretty cornflower blue plates that are kid-friendly and great for outdoor dinners. Paper napkins, a great utensil caddy, festive paper drink umbrellas, and a set of cheerful coral-pink citronella candles are all on hand for impromptu entertaining at my garden table now!
My favorite find of the day at Christmas Tree Shops AndThat! was a big blue and white gingham serving tray that I’m confident I’ll be using all summer long. I used it display big wedges of watermelon – perfect for kids to snack on while running around in the yard. All that was left to do was dish up some summer dinner classics – corn on the cob and hot dogs – pour some of that sparkling lemonade and shuffle the cards for a round of go fish!
