Show your American pride this Independence Day as we celebrate the stars and stripes with timeless traditions and favorite pastimes. From hot dogs on the grill and small-town parades to backyard games, fireworks, flying flags and more, honoring this great country we call home involves a little party planning and a whole lot of star-spangled fun. If you happen to be a lucky host of this year’s patriotic festivities, here are five home entertainment tips to help get you started.
The Food
As with most holidays, celebrations of Independence Day typically tend to revolve around food. Grills are heating up in nearly every neighborhood as classic American dishes—scrumptious burgers, hot dogs, ribs and more—are prepared. Add a little star-spangled sparkle to this year’s recipes with these creative, and of course, delicious All-American meals recommended by Allrecipies.com. But make sure to leave a little room for dessert! From patriotic trifles and cakes to fruit tarts, brownies, pies and more, A Taste of Home has some sweet celebration recipes to try.
The Tablescape
With all of this quality (and festive) food, a well-styled tablescape is essential for a party presentation that will leave lasting impressions. Southern Living Magazine highlights the importance of keeping the décor simple yet personal. Try designing handmade name cards on party straws to individualize glasses. Candles, sparklers and mixing and matching dinnerware are also recommended. HGTV furthers this advice by encouraging mixing patterns on the table to create a sea of contrasting proportions of red, white and blue hues. Following this advice, a décor-filled table was successfully created at 7 Ledge Road in Rowayton, Conn. in preparation for a patriotic day of holiday entertaining. Christine Straden, the agent at our firm’s Darien brokerage who represents this listing, explained the process as simple and the results gratifying. “Beautiful striped porcelain and silverware were what especially made this tablescape festive,” said Straden. “The red and blue fruit in addition to the patriotically arranged floral centerpiece topped it off, resulting in the perfect timeless American scene.”
The Space
You can have all the food, all the decorations and all the music in the world, but it’s the atmosphere that ultimately makes or breaks a party. It’s essential to make sure every thoughtful detail that goes into planning a party can truly be appreciated and enjoyed. Aside from its impressive tablescape, 7 Ledge Road additionally offers well-proportioned rooms, an open floor plan, French doors opening to a flagstone patio and lovely gardens to make for the perfect home entertaining environment for family and friends. Other home amenities that are sure to get the summer party started include pools, hot tubs, game rooms and more. 77 High Ridge Avenue in Ridgefield, CT offers the ultimate outdoor oasis complete with a mosaic-tiled pool, two-story pool house and tennis court surrounded by pristine landscaping and an overall enchanting setting. Even just a large, open expanse of well-maintained acreage, which is the case with 153 Two Town, a two-story farmhouse on over 50 acres of land in the town of Hillsdale, NY, can present ample opportunities for Independence Day celebration success. Set up a party tent and invite over guests—freedom most definitely rings on an extensive property like this!
The Little Things
Dress your home with simple gestures that say you’re proud to be an American. Starting with the entryway, welcome in guests with a flash of red, white and blue by hanging handmade flag garlands, or perhaps a patriotic wreath on the front door. Good Housekeeping Magazine suggests simply sticking mini flag toothpicks into a Styrofoam wreath until the surface is completely covered. Beyond the front door, weather permitting, the heart of your party will most likely be outside on your property’s lawn, or possibly the back patio or deck. Embrace the elements of nature in July by creating your own summertime soiree that’s both patriotic and practical. HGTV encourages all hosts to provide cooling refreshments that are easily accessible and in shades of red or blue. Maybe even keep tasty popsicles made of watermelon or any other red fruit on hand! Visual touches, such as paper lanterns belted in patriotic ribbons, white flowers like hydrangeas in vases with classic Americana designs and small flags added to surrounding flower pots and gardens, are sure to transform your backyard into a party that’s ready to go! As suggested by HGTV, close the evening by handing out simple favors, such as a handful of sparklers tied together with ribbon and a nametag, adding an extra-personal touch to the night.
The Activities
The Fourth of July is the ideal time for everyone to come together to relax and have some good, old-fashioned American fun. Whether you are catching up with the family and old friends, or meeting new people, the day’s festivities would not be complete without a game of America’s favorite pastime—hot dogs, peanuts and all! Reader’s Digest suggests starting up the fun with a classic game of baseball, and later turning to more innovative, patriotic-themed games like red, white and blue tag, Independence Day bingo, an American history competition, Fourth of July jar candy count and more. For a complete list of party favorite games and instructions, click here. Of course, depending on your setting, summer recreational activities such as water-skiing, kayaking, hiking and others can also be a great way to spend the day.
Three cheers for the red, white and blue…and some great home entertainment, too!
Happy Fourth of July, everyone!
