Fourth of July Decorating Ideas
There is no better way to show your patriotism than to decorate your home and garden on the fourth of July, the quintessential American holiday. Created to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the day we began our struggle against the British and became an independent union of states, the Fourth of July is celebrated everywhere across America, regardless of race, heritage, religion, sex, or age. It is a wonderful holiday that reminds us both of our commonalities and the ideals that the founding fathers built our nation on. Decorating to show your love for America, being American, the holiday, and the summer will be fun and make your house more festive.
Get Your Flag On
When decorating for the Fourth of July, the very first place to start is with the flag, and the colors of the flag. Anything red, white, or blue, or any combination of the three with fit the holiday spirit perfectly. Begin with a flag, or several. If you’re a patriotic American and own a house, chances are you already have a flag flying at your front door. However, if you don’t or if you live in a city apartment and have no place for a permanent flag, go out and buy one, or order one online. Full sized American flags can be purchased for around $30. Smaller ones will cost much less. Hang or raise your flag somewhere outside your house visible to the public. Another idea is to line your driveway or path to your door with small flags stuck in the ground.
Decorate your kitchen by using a red or blue tablecloth, or a white one with a red or blue overlay or placemats. If you have patriotically colored dishes, bring those out when you set the table, otherwise simply setting out a vase of red flowers should be sufficient and tie the ensemble together. You can also decorate the inside of your home by hanging a few smaller flags around, or by stringing up a red, white, and blue banner.
Food and Drinks
Of course, the center of any Fourth of July celebrations is the backyard barbeque. If you have a picnic table, cover it in a blue and red-checkered tablecloth. If you don’t, lay out a patriotic picnic blanket, even if you don’t plan on sitting on the ground. Bake sugar cookies and decorate them with red, white, and blue icing to feed your guests or family. Research some red or blue cocktails, such as the Air Force One or a Strawberry Margarita, to serve guests over 21. Red and blue sodas are easy to find at the grocery store for anyone not of age. Of course, complete your BBQ with grilled burgers, hot dogs, potato chips and salad, corn on the cob, etc. Buy red, white, and blue paper plates and cups to serve with.
If you have kids, look up some easy paper crafts for them to make and decorate the house with. Some ideas are: garlands that can be hung around doorframes, holiday lanterns, sand candles, and so on. The possibilities are endless. Happy decorating!
