Decorations don't have to be elaborate. A few strips of red, white, and blue crepe paper on the tables plus paper plates and napkins with flags on them and you're done. Centerpieces of red, white and blue flowers add a nice accent. You can even wrap the trees in red, white, and blue Christmas lights. You can even encourage guests to dress in red, white, and blue to further enhance the color theme!
The right choice of music can really add to the theme. Traditional Sousa marches or songs like "Grand Old Flag" are great choices. If you think this selection might be a little stodgy for the crowd, plenty of popular music stars have patriotic songs such as Jimi Hendrix's rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner, Neil Diamond's "America", or "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood.
Classic Summer Menus
Just because most Fourth of July parties are barbeques, that doesn't mean that the menu must be limited to just burgers and hot dogs. Almost any meat or fish tastes great grilled and a variety of vegetables from mushrooms to corn on the cob can be cooked outdoors.
Lay out all the burger and hot dog fixings you can think of. Supplement the fixings with cool side dishes, but nothing that will spoil as the temperature rises. Potato salad, coleslaw, fruit salad and slices of watermelon are some good choices.
For desert, red, white and blue ice cream or a cake with appropriately colored icing is a festive choice. And or course, nothing is more American than apple pie. Be sure to have plenty of drinks on hand including sodas, iced tea, and bottled water. Once you think you have enough beverages on hand, get a few more cases! In the heat of summer, drinks tend to disappear quickly.
Plan Plenty of Activities
Even if you plan fireworks, there will be a lot of time to kill before it gets dark so have a variety of fun things to keep everyone occupied. One fun party activity that is growing in popularity are outdoor inflatable rentals! Although these may seem like something for kids, the inflatable slides and inflatable obstacles courses are great fun for people of all ages. To really get the party moving, organize competitions and prizes around the outdoor inflatable rentals and watch the level of energy rise.
Position the outdoor inflatable rentals all around the yard so that no single area gets all the traffic. If possible rent several different attractions so you can appeal to a wide range of interests. In keeping with your theme, ask for outdoor inflatable rentals in red, white and blue. To make these grand props even more impressive, set up decorations around them such as flags or tables decorated with streamers.
Your guests will likely be invited to numerous Fourth of July celebrations, make yours one that they won't want to miss and look forward to attending year after year. With a little bit of planning and creativity, you can avoid the traditional, boring party and create an atmosphere of festivity that guests will remember for years to come!
Fourth Of July Celebrations
It's that time of the year again when red, white, and blue rule as far as the eye can see. You could still hang on to this color scheme as you jump outside the box and think a little harder. The choice here would be between the usual knick knacks for the sake of sticking to the tricolor decor, or a spirited endeavor that would go to make your Independence Day one to remember for a long time.
Colonial Decorating Ideas
After you have hung the flag and put up the traditional red, white, and blue accessories, raid the attic for any antique items that may resemble this period in history. Drag out old barnyard or wicker furniture from storage and arrange them on the patio from where you get a good view of Old Glory.
Find old objects such as pictures, frames, lamps, musical instruments, convex mirrors, candle holders, anything pewter, and any old thing which doesn't scream 21st century.
You could also scout around in the flea markets, garage sales, and dime stores well in advance to make an amazing collection. Pictures of colonial themes or of your favorite founding father would take your room right back to the 18th century.
Get Everyone Involved
Take it all back to when it really happened. You'll be doing the kids a huge favor as well as giving them a valuable lesson in history by re-creating the era of our Independence Day. The idea is to have fun and make history cool!
Deck the kids in period costumes; a huge frilly apron and a cute bonnet for the little girls, and purhaps breeches, a waistcoat and tricorn cap for the boys. Turn off all electronics, and light candles and lamps. You could, of course, leave the music on, but play music of the period, which you'll find at most music stores.
Party Like It's 1776
If you're having a party, let your guests know the dress code well in advance. Along with your regular party menu, serve some colonial fare such as chicken, mashed sweet potatoes and a stew that includes pork, sweet corn and cabbage, or other vegetables that are available. A suitable dinner table topic would be whether there really is a treasure map behind the Declaration of Independence. :o)
After the crowd is gone and the fireworks are over, curl up and watch an all-American period movie. Gone With The Wind, anyone?
Both Christine Harrell & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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